A satellite image of the eye of Typhoon Yagi in the East Sea. (Photo: National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting)

According to Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology Science and Climate Change, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently in a neutral state with sea surface temperatures in the equatorial region and central Pacific measured around minus 0.5 degrees Celsius from mid-August to early September. However, ENSO may shift toward La Niña in the last quarter of the year, it added. 

Persisting La Nina conditions till year end may lead to unpredictable storm’s behavior in the East Sea and up to 1.9 more storms than yearly average, predominantly affecting central and southern Vietnam, said the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. Storms and tropical depressions formed directly in the East Sea in particular, are causes for caution.