The latest storm information from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that at 10:00 a.m. on September 23, the center of the tropical depression was at about 10.7 degrees North latitude, 135.6 degrees East longitude, about 1,075km east of the Eastern Visayas region.
The strongest wind near the center of the tropical depression reached 55 km/h, gusting to 70 km/h, central pressure 1006 hPa. The range of strong winds extends up to 160km from the center of the tropical depression.
The tropical depression is currently moving west at a speed of 35 km/h. It is forecasted that in the next 12 hours, the tropical depression will enter the Philippine Forecast Area (PAR) and be internationally named Opong.
After that, Opong will continue west-northwest, approaching the Eastern Visayas - Southern Luzon region on September 26 and may sweep through the Bicol - CALABARZON - MIMAROPA area before leaving PAR on the evening of September 27 and entering the East Sea, becoming storm No. 10.
PAGASA forecasts that as it moves over the Philippine Sea, this tropical depression will strengthen into a storm on the morning of September 24, not even excluding the possibility of reaching the level of a strong tropical storm. If this scenario occurs, the areas south of Luzon and Eastern Visayas will have to raise their storm warnings to level 2, or even level 3.
In addition to the risk of strong winds, the new storm will bring heavy rains from September 25 to Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, causing rough seas. A strong wind warning at sea is expected for the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions as early as the afternoon of September 25.
Notably, PAGASA is also monitoring another disturbance in eastern Luzon and the Visayas, which is likely to (if low) develop into a tropical cyclone in the period from September 29 to October 5. This increases the risk of low pressure/storm accumulation in the East Sea and the Philippines next week.
Meanwhile, at 10:00 on September 23, super typhoon Ragasa was still as strong as level 16-174-2 (1821 km/h), gusting above level 17. The center of storm No. 9 is located at about 20.2 degrees North latitude; 117.7 degrees East longitude, about 790km east of Zhejiang Peninsula (China). It is forecasted that in the next 3 hours, the storm will move in a West-Northwest direction, at a speed of about 20km/h.
It is forecasted that by 4:00 a.m. on September 26, the center of the storm will be at 20.8 degrees North latitude, 105.1 degrees East longitude; in the Northern region. Intensity level 6, gust level 8. Moving in the West Southwest direction, 20-25km/h, and weakening into a tropical depression.
From September 24, the eastern sea area of the Gulf of Tonkin (including Bach Long Vy island district) will have winds gradually increasing to level 6-7, gusting to level 9. From the evening and night of September 24, the Gulf of Tonkin (including the special areas of Bach Long Vy, Van Don, Co To, Cat Hai and Hon Dau island) will gradually increase to level 8-9, with waves 2.0-4.0m high, near the storm's eye level 10-12, gusts of level 14, waves 4.0-6.0m high; rough seas.
Weather forecast from the night of September 24 to September 26, in the Northern region, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, there will be heavy to very heavy rain with common rainfall of 100-250mm, locally over 400mm. Beware of heavy rain causing urban flooding.
