Tropical Depression 21W Bringing Rain to Central Philippines

Tropical Depression 21W (TD 21W) is bringing rain to parts of the Central Philippines as it moves toward the west-northwest.  At 7:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday the center of TD 21W was located at latitude 9.8°N and longitude 122.9°E which put it about 70 miles east of Cebu and about 350 miles south-southeast of Manila.  TD21W was moving toward the west-northwest at 20 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. and there were gusts to 45 m.p.h.

TD 21W appears to be developing some spiral bands of showers and thunderstorms and it could become more organized as it moves away from the Philippines.  It is over warm Sea Surface Temperatures and upper level outflow appears to be developing.  As a result of those factors TD 21W could intensify into a tropical storm during the next 24-36 hours.  Available guidance suggest that TD 21W will continue to move in a general west-northwesterly direction and it could approach the coast of Vietnam in about three days.