Former Tropical Storm Nokaen weakened to a tropical depression over the Western North Pacific Ocean east of Luzon on Monday morning.  At 10:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of the Tropical Depression Nokaen was located at latitude 17.1°N and longitude 127.4°E which put the center about 365 miles (530 km) east-southeast of Aparri, Philippines.  Nokaen was moving toward the northeast at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Nokaen continued to move through an environment containing drier air on Monday.  The drier air caused most of the thunderstorms in Tropical Depression Nokaen to dissipate.  A few thunderstorms were still occurring in a band in the far northern periphery of Nokaen’s circulation.  The bands in the other parts of Tropical Depression Nokaen consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

Tropical Depression Nokaen will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Nokaen will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  However, it will continue to be surrounded by drier air.  In addition, Tropical Depression Nokaen will move under the southern portion of the midlatitude upper level westerly winds.  Those winds will cause vertical wind shear.  The drier air and the vertical wind shear will cause the circulation around Tropical Depression Nokaen to continue to weaken.

Tropical Depression Nokaen will move around the western end of a high pressure system that is over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Nokaen toward the east-northeast during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Depression Nokaen will continue to move farther away from Luzon as it gradually spins down.