Accuweather.com, Sep 23, 9:55 am
Newly formed Tropical Depression 20W will take aim at the northern Philippines early next week.
The depression formed Friday morning, EDT, approximately 1100 miles east of Manila and was tracking westward at about 9 mph. This westward motion is expected to continue through the weekend, bringing the storm near the northern Philippines by Monday.
With relatively warm water temperatures in the Philippine Sea and light winds aloft, Tropical Depression 20W should be able to strengthen into a tropical storm and even a typhoon over the weekend prior to reaching the Philippines.
In fact, this depression could strengthen rapidly over the weekend and may reach the equivalent of a Category 3 Hurricane prior to landfall.
A potential landfall over Luzon Island in the northern Philippines appears likely Monday night or Tuesday. However, this system may slow its forward speed and wait until Wednesday to make a landfall.
Early indications are that widespread flooding rains may occur over the northern Philippines, with 10-20 inches of rainfall possible. Strong, damaging winds will also be possible, with the potential for wind gusts to exceed 130 mph.
This will not be the first tropical threat to the Philippines this year. So far, the northern Philippines have had landfalling systems with Aere and Nock-ten. Another tropical storm, Sarika, moved through the central Philippines, while a few other storms passed close enough to the northern Philippines to produce some gusty winds and heavy rain.