HCMC – A tropical depression off the coast of the Philippines strengthened into Storm Matmo early this morning, October 2, and is forecast to move into the East Sea tomorrow evening. It will be the 11th storm to form in the region this year.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that as of 7 a.m. today, the storm’s eye was located over the eastern waters of the Philippines, with maximum sustained winds at level 8 (62-74 kilometers per hour), gusting to level 10. It is moving west-northwest at 20-25 kilometers per hour and may intensify further.
By 7 a.m. on October 3, the storm is expected to approach the eastern coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines with sustained winds of level 9 and gusts at level 11. Over the following 24 to 48 hours, it will continue moving west-northwest at about 25 kilometers per hour, cross Luzon, and enter the East Sea by tomorrow evening.
On the morning of October 4, Matmo is forecast to be over the northeastern part of the East Sea, about 550 kilometers east-northeast of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa Islands (Paracels), with winds strengthening to level 10 and gusts at level 12. Over the next 48 to 72 hours, the storm will keep moving west-northwest at 25 kilometers per hour and is likely to intensify further.
By 7 a.m. on October 5, the storm’s center is expected to be over the northwestern part of the East Sea, around 70 kilometers northeast of China’s Hainan Island, with winds of level 12 and gusts of up to level 15. It will then continue west-northwest at 15-20 kilometers per hour.
The weather center said yesterday that once in the East Sea, Matmo is likely to move quickly toward Hainan Island at 20-25 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds possibly reaching level 11-12 (103-133 kilometers per hour). It is then highly likely to enter the Gulf of Tonkin and affect Vietnam’s mainland.
