Tropical depression reborn from Typhoon Saudel forecast to become Vietnam’s fifth storm

The remnant of Typhoon Saudel has strengthened again after weakening over southeastern China and is forecast to become the fifth storm of 2026.

Vietnam’s National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said the system moved to waters east of China’s Leizhou Peninsula early on Aug. 31. At 4 a.m., its centre was near 20.8 degrees north latitude and 110.6 degrees east longitude. Winds near the centre reached level 6, or 39 to 49 kilometres per hour, with gusts to level 8.

The depression was moving south-southwest at about 10 kilometres per hour. Forecasters expected it to change direction and strengthen into a storm within the following 24 to 48 hours. By 4 a.m. on Sept. 1, it was forecast to move east-southeast at 10 to 15 kilometres per hour and reach storm strength over the northwestern part of the northern South China Sea.

The system was expected to move east-northeast by Sept. 2 at about 20 kilometres per hour, with its centre near 22.0 degrees north and 117.0 degrees east. Winds were forecast at level 8, with gusts to level 10. The dangerous areas lay north of 18 degrees north, with the coordinates shifting eastward as the system moved.

Forecasts called for winds at levels 6 to 7 and waves of two to four metres in the northwestern waters. Near the storm’s centre, winds could reach level 8 with gusts to level 10 and waves of three to five metres. The system had earlier formed in the western Pacific, intensified near the Philippines and Japan, affected southern Japan, and made landfall in China’s Zhejiang province before weakening over land and moving back toward the sea.