A low-pressure system has intensified into a tropical depression east of the Philippines and is expected to enter the East Sea within the next 24 hours. Forecasts suggest it could strengthen into a storm and move rapidly in the coming days.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, on the morning of August 22, the low-pressure system located to the east of Luzon Island (Philippines) developed into a tropical depression.

At 7:00 a.m., the center of the tropical depression was positioned at approximately 16.7°N latitude and 121.5°E longitude. Maximum sustained winds near the center reached level 6 (39-49 km/h), with gusts up to level 8. The system was moving northwest at a speed of 10-15 km/h.

Over the next 24 to 48 hours, the tropical depression is forecasted to continue intensifying and advancing toward the East Sea. Between 48 to 72 hours from now, it is expected to shift westward, accelerating to about 20 km/h, with a high probability of becoming a storm.

Due to the influence of the tropical depression, which is likely to become a storm, the eastern part of the northern East Sea will experience heavy showers and thunderstorms. Wind speeds could reach levels 6 to 7, increasing to level 8 with gusts up to level 10. Sea waves may reach heights of 3 to 5 meters, creating very rough conditions.

Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Huy, a climate change and natural disaster warning expert, emphasized that the exact landfall location of the storm cannot yet be determined. He advised residents in the central provinces from Quang Ngai to Thanh Hoa to closely monitor updates from meteorological agencies.

There is a high likelihood that the storm will generate a wide zone of rainfall with substantial water volume. This is due to current warm sea surface temperatures and dominant easterly winds, which can push moist clouds toward the mainland under the storm’s pressure before its center makes landfall. By tomorrow (August 23), once the system enters the East Sea, its trajectory is expected to become clearer.

Bao Anh