Tropical Depression 02W formed east of the Philippines on Friday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Depression 02W was located at latitude 10.7°N and longitude 128.1°E which put it about 190 miles (305 km) east-southeast of Dolores, Philippines.  Tropical Depression 02W was moving toward the west-northwest at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 30 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.

The circulation of Tropical Depression 02W is organizing around a low level center east of Samar and Leyte.  Thunderstorms were developing near the center of circulation and several spiral bands were developing farther away from the center.  The thunderstorms near the center of circulation were just beginning to generate upper level divergence.

Tropical Depression 02W will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 18 to 24 hours.  It will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  An upper level ridge located east of Tropical Depression 02W is producing easterly winds that are blowing toward the depression, but the vertical wind shear is minimal.  The combination of warm SSTs and little vertical wind shear could allow Tropical Depression 02W to organize quickly and it could become a tropical storm before it reaches the Philippines.

A subtropical ridge is steering Tropical Depression 02W toward the west-northwest and that general motion is expected to continue for the next several days.  On its anticipated track Tropical Depression 02W will move across the Central Philippines during the weekend.  Tropical Depression 02W could bring gusty winds and heavy rain to portions of Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Panay, Mindoro and southern Luzon.  Heavy rain could create a risk for mudslides in some areas.