Tropical depression forecast to enter East Vietnam Sea tonight, may strengthen into storm

At 7:00 am on Tuesday, the system’s center was located over central Philippines, with sustained winds of up to 61 kph and gusts reaching 88 kph, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The system is projected to move quickly west-northwest at about 20–25 kph during the day.

From tonight to early Wednesday morning, the depression is expected to move into the East Vietnam Sea and continue on a west-northwest track at around 20 kph.

It may strengthen further on Wednesday and, if so, would become the 15th storm in the East Vietnam Sea this year.

If the system develops into a storm, it could reach sustained winds of 89–102 kph with gusts up to 149 kph while passing north of Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) Special Zone on Thursday.

It is then forecast to turn westward toward the mainland, with its main impact expected between November 28 and 30, focusing on Gia Lai – Lam Dong and the coastal belt formerly covering Binh Dinh to Binh Thuan.

Meteorologists noted that the system may weaken as it approaches coastal waters due to cooler sea surface temperatures and the influence of cold air.

By the time it nears the mainland, it could weaken into a lower-end storm or downgrade back to a tropical depression.

From this afternoon, strong winds are expected to gradually develop over the eastern waters of the central and southern East Vietnam Sea, reaching 61–74 kph with gusts up to 102 kph, accompanied by rough seas with wave heights of 3–5 meters.

Between Wednesday night and Friday, the same area is predicted to experience stronger winds of 89–117 kph, with squalls reaching up to 166 kph.

Vessels operating in these dangerous waters could be affected by thunderstorms, whirlwinds, strong winds, and high waves.

From November 28 to 30, widespread heavy rain is forecast across the area from Da Nang to Lam Dong, with the most intense rainfall concentrated along the coastal belt.

In response, the National Steering Committee for Civil Defense on Monday issued an urgent dispatch instructing relevant ministries and local authorities in the south-central region to proactively prepare for the potential 15th storm.

Authorities from Quang Tri to An Giang have also been asked to immediately notify ship captains and vessel owners operating at sea so they can take precautionary measures, adjust their operations, and ensure the safety of people and property.

The committee also called for accelerated efforts to restore production and business activities and stabilize livelihoods after the recent historic flooding caused by prolonged downpours.

The disaster left at least 91 people dead and 11 missing, and caused an estimated VND13 trillion (US$493 million) in damage as of Monday morning.