Himawari-9/RAMMB satellite imagery

MANILA (UPDATED) — Typhoon Leon (international name: Kong-rey) has undergone rapid intensification and may reach super typhoon category by Thursday, the state weather bureau said Tuesday.

In its 11 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said Leon was last located 450 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 155 kilometers per hour near the center, with gusts of up to 190 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is currently raised over the following areas, where gale-force winds may be experienced within 24 hours:

• • Batanes
• • Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• • Northern and eastern portions of
• • Isabela (Santo Tomas, Santa Maria, Quezon, San Mariano, Naguilian, Dinapigue, Delfin Albano,
• • San Pablo, Ilagan City, Benito Soliven, Tumauini, Cabagan, Palanan, Quirino, Divilacan, Gamu,
• • Mallig, Maconacon, Burgos, City of Cauayan, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Roxas, Aurora, San Manuel)
• • Apayao
• • Kalinga
• • Northern and eastern portions of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong, Lagayan, San Juan, Lagangilang, Licuan-Baay,
• • Daguioman)
• • Eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis)
• • Ilocos Norte

Signal No. 1, meanwhile, was raised over the following areas:

• • Rest of Isabela
• • Quirino
• • Nueva Vizcaya
• • Rest of Mountain Province
• • Ifugao
• • Benguet
• • Rest of Abra
• • Ilocos Sur
• • La Union
  Eastern portion of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Carranglan, Pantabangan, Laur, Rizal)
• • Aurora
• • Northern portion of Quezon (Infanta, General Nakar) including Polillo Islands
• • Camarines Norte
• • Northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena,
• • Caramoan)
• • Northern and eastern portions of Catanduanes (Pandan, Gigmoto, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga, Baras, Caramoran)

Leon is currently moving northwestward at 15 kph, and is expected to move over the Philippine Sea until it makes landfall along the eastern coast of Taiwan on Thursday.

It will then turn north to north northeastward over the Taiwan Strait towards the East China Sea, and exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday night or early Friday.

Leon will track northwestward and reach super typhoon strength while closest to Batanes on Thursday. A landfall scenario in the province is also not ruled out.This may warrant the raising of Wind Signal No. 5. Life-threatening and catastrophic winds may be experienced in the area.- with a report from Ariel Rojas, ABS-CBN News