At 1 p.m., the storm was above the southern sea regions of Vietnam's Paracel Islands with a maximum wind speed of 100 kph, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Within the next 24 hours, it would move west at 10 kph and may get stronger. At 1 p.m. Saturday, it would be about 230 kilometers to the east of the Quang Tri-Quang Nam coast with a maximum wind speed of 120 kph.

In the next 48 hours, it would move west-northwest at 5 kph. At 1 p.m. Sunday, it would be about 130 kilometers to the east of the Quang Tri-Quang Nam coast, with a maximum wind speed of 115 kph.

Within the following 72 hours, the storm would move west-northwest at 5-10 kph. At 1 p.m. next Monday, it would be above the sea regions from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai, with a maximum wind speed of 190 kph.

Within the next 120 hours, Conson would continue to move in the same direction at 10 kph, its strength diminishing and directly affecting localities from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai.

The center has warned of strong winds and rough seas. From Friday to next Monday, localities from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai would experience heavy rains of up to 350 millimeters per session. From Sunday to next Tuesday, localities from Quang Binh to Thanh Hoa would experience heavy rains up to 250 millimeters per session.

After Conson, South China Sea, which Vietnam calls East Sea, should expect another six to eight storms and tropical depressions this year, with two to four of them directly affecting Vietnam, meteorologists said.