According to the latest storm information from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), tropical storm 09S formed tropical depression 03U and previously had sustained winds of about 85 km/h, with gusts of up to about 93 km/h.
In the past 6 hours, the storm has moved slowly westward, at a speed of about 9 km/h, the sea area directly affected has the highest waves of about 6.1 m.
The center of the storm is currently located about 815 km east of the Cocos Islands.
In the coming days, the storm will move slowly westward in the Southern Hemisphere's monsoon trough and continue to strengthen steadily, with the forecast intensity reaching levels equivalent to a strong storm.
It is forecasted that in the next 36 hours, the storm will gradually strengthen, with the strongest wind intensity expected to reach about 130 km/h after 3-4 days of Christmas.
Although the storm's intensity may begin to weaken after about 3 days, all current forecast scenarios show that the storm will continue to exist after this time and is likely to cause strong winds to gust in Cocos Islands right around Christmas.
In terms of intensity, most models agree that the storm will strengthen over the next 48-72 hours, then gradually decrease.
A more extreme storm forecast scenario from the HAFS-A model suggests that tropical storm 09S could reach winds of about 165 km/h after 3 days, but this scenario is less supported due to the forecast trajectory separating from the general trend.
Tourists planning to visit or visit Cocos Islands during Christmas should closely monitor local storm and weather updates.
Limit or avoid sea activities, especially boat trips, diving and island tourism away from shore during rough seas.
Proactively adjust travel and accommodation schedules according to official warnings.
Meanwhile, in Vietnam, storms or tropical depressions are unlikely to appear in the East Sea from January to March 2026. Therefore, people and tourists can enjoy sea trips in late 2025 and early 2026, especially in the coastal areas from the South Central Coast to the South.
