A low level circulation with a primary spiral band developed within a broad area of thunderstorms and the system was classified as Tropical Depression 06W on Saturday night.  At 10:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday night the center of Tropical Depression 06W was located at latitude 7.5°N and longitude 141.2°E which put it about 240 miles southeast of Yap and about 430 miles east of Palau.  06W was moving toward the west at 7 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. and there were gusts to 50 m.p.h.  The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.

Tropical Depression 06W is an environment favorable for further intensification.  It is over Sea Surface Temperatures that are warmer than 28°C and it will be able to extract plenty of energy from the ocean along its path.  An upper level ridge northeast of the circulation is generating some easterly winds over the top of it, but the vertical wind shear is only likely to slow the rate of intensification.  Tropical Depression 06W is likely to become a tropical storm on Sunday and it could become a typhoon in several days.

A subtropical ridge is steering 06W toward the west and it is expected to continue to steer it in a generally west-northwesterly motion during the next day or so.  The movement could slow as 06W nears the western end of the subtropical ridge.  The eastern end of a second subtropical ridge located farther west could take over as the primary steering mechanism in two or three days.  In that scenario Tropical Depression 06W would continue to move toward the northern Philippines.

Tropical Depression 06W could be nearing Yap in 24 to 30 hours.  It is likely to be a tropical storm at that time and it could bring some wind and rain to Yap.