According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at 4 a.m., the tropical depression located about 360 km east-southeast of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 49 kph and gusts reaching 62 kph. It was moving westward at around 5 kph.

The system is expected to strengthen, reaching wind speeds of 50–61 kph with gusts of up to 75–88 kph by 4 a.m. Wednesday, when it will be about 240 km east-southeast of the Hoang Sa Islands.

By 4 a.m. Thursday, it could intensify into a storm, with gusts reaching 103–117 kph near the Hoang Sa archipelago off the central coast. The storm is then forecast to shift to a west-northwest direction, increasing speed to 10–15 kph.

The northern and north-central areas of the East Sea are expected to experience thunderstorms, strong winds, and sea waves of 2–4 meters.

The first tropical depression of 2025 formed in mid-February but did not intensify into a storm.

Last year, the East Sea recorded 10 storms and one tropical depression, roughly in line with the long-term average. Five of those storms affected mainland Vietnam, with Typhoon Yagi being the most powerful storm to strike the mainland in 30 years.

Meteorological authorities predict that from now until August 2025, about five storms and tropical depressions will form in the East Sea and affect Vietnam, on par with previous years, with two of them likely to make landfall.