Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said that at 1 am on July 2, the centre of the tropical depression was located at approximately 16.8 degrees north latitude and 115.2 degrees east longitude in the northern East Sea, about 400 kilometres east of the Hoang Sa Special Zone.
The system was packing maximum sustained winds of 50 to 61 km/h, equivalent to Force 7, with gusts reaching Force 9, and was moving north west at around 25 km/h.
Forecasters expect the tropical depression to strengthen into a tropical storm overnight on July 2 or in the early hours of July 3, reaching Force 8 with gusts up to Force 9. It is forecast to track west north west at approximately 15 km/h.
Meteorologists believe the storm will enter the Gulf of Tonkin around July 4 before directly affecting the north eastern coast of Vietnam, including Quang Ninh Province and Haiphong City.
Between 48 and 72 hours later, the storm is expected to continue moving north west at about 15 km/h.
The weather agency warned that vessels operating in the eastern waters of the northern and central East Sea will face strong winds, rough seas and hazardous conditions over the coming days.
Heavy and widespread rainfall is forecast across northern Vietnam between July 4 and July 7, raising the risk of thunderstorms, flash floods, landslides and localised flooding.
Looking ahead to the 2026 storm season, the national weather agency said the influence of El Nino is expected to reduce tropical cyclone activity in the East Sea compared with the long-term average.
Forecasters expect between eight and 10 tropical storms this year, with three to five likely to affect Vietnam's mainland. Most are expected between July and September in northern Vietnam and between October and November in central Vietnam, although southern Vietnam could also be affected later in the year.
