Weather expert Nguyen Van Huong, head of the Weather Forecasting Department at the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF), provided updates on Tropical Storm Mitag (Storm No. 8) and the formation of the new tropical depression expected to become Storm No. 9 this season.

According to Huong, the tropical depression that entered the East Sea on the night of September 17 has developed into Storm No. 8, named Mitag. Forecasts suggest it will make landfall in Guangdong Province (China) on the evening of September 19 before weakening and dissipating. It is unlikely to directly affect Vietnam.

However, Huong warned that Mitag’s outer circulation could bring widespread heavy rain to northern Vietnam around September 23-24.

In addition, a separate tropical depression is currently active off the eastern coast of the Philippines. This system is also expected to strengthen into a storm and enter the East Sea around September 23, becoming Storm No. 9 of the 2025 typhoon season.

Experts believe this new storm could directly impact Vietnam between September 24 and 26.

“This is expected to be a strong typhoon capable of producing intense winds and heavy rainfall across the northern region and provinces from Thanh Hoa to Hue,” Huong predicted.

By the evening of September 18, the tropical depression east of the Philippines had officially intensified into a storm and was named Ragasa. This storm is currently being closely monitored by NCHMF for its potential path and strength as it heads toward the East Sea.

According to extended forecasts, between now and the end of 2025, the East Sea may see five to seven tropical storms or depressions, of which two to four could directly affect Vietnam’s mainland.

Bao Anh