NOTE: This is not to be used for life critical applications . Please refer to official National Weather Service/NOAA websites and publications ----------800 AM ChST Fri Oct 20 2017 ...TROPICAL DEPRESSION 27W DEVELOPS EAST OF THE MARIANAS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------------- None. SUMMARY OF 700 AM CHST...2100 UTC...INFORMATION ------------------------------------------------ Location...12.2N 151.7E About 450 miles east-southeast of Saipan About 455 miles east-southeast of Tinian About 455 miles east-southeast of Rota About 475 miles east of Guam About 325 miles north of Chuuk Maximum sustained winds...30 mph Present movement...southeast...135 degrees at 3 mph. DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK ---------------------- At 700 AM ChST...2100 UTC...the center of Tropical Depression 27W was located near latitude 12.2 degrees North and longitude 151.7 degrees East...drifting southeast at 3 mph. Tropical Depression 27W is expected to loop slowly around to a west-northwest heading by tonight...then increase its forward speed as it heads northwest on Saturday. This track takes it to within 85 miles northeast of Saipan Sunday morning as a minimal tropical storm. Maximum sustained winds are 30 mph. Tropical Depression 27W is forecast to become a minimal 40 mph tropical storm early Saturday, then maintain that intensity as it passes Saipan. Once past Saipan, Tropical Depression 27W is expected to weaken as it moves away to the north and is absorbed into the large circulation of Typhoon Lan south of Japan. NEXT ADVISORY ------------- The next scheduled advisory will be issued by the National Weather Service at 200 PM this afternoon. $$ Middlebrooke ---------- tags: weatherwire,weather,update