MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Leon has maintained its strength and is expected to intensify Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Sunday.
Weather specialist Grace Castañeda said the center of the tropical storm was estimated 1,195 kilometers east of Central Luzon while moving westward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph).
It had maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph, she said.
Leon is expected to gradually intensify in the next 24 hours and may reach severe tropical storm category early Monday.
With its rapid intensification, Leon may reach typhoon category on Monday evening or Tuesday morning, Pagasa said. However, it is expected to remain far from the Philippine land mass.
“Depending on how close it will be during its recurvature over the Philippine Sea, the outer rainbands of Leon may affect extreme Northern Luzon,” she added.
The storm may continue to influence the southwesterly wind flow triggered by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami), which may affect the western section of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the coming days, Pagasa said.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to overcast skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms, it said.
