Super typhoon Yagi drives Windy to top of Vietnam's free app chart

The app, developed by Czech company Windy, is also the most downloaded app in Android’s weather category.

The number of Google searches on Yagi, one of the strongest storms in the last decade in the South China Sea (known in Vietnam as the East Sea), has surged 200-500% in recent days in many localities in Vietnam, mostly in the northern provinces of Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh.

Windy provides details on the movement of the storm, along with data on temperature and wind directions.

"I have a lot of businesses to attend to, therefore I have to track the storm’s development to make timely plans," said Phuong Thanh, a Hanoi-based communications worker who is traveling between several northern localities.

There are several alternative platforms that track Yagi’s movement in real time.

Navigation app Google Maps now displays a warning about Yagi, from which users can learn about the current location and forecasted path of the storm, along with areas experiencing strong winds, based on data from the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The Vietnam Disasters Monitoring System also tracks the storm’s development on its website.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicts that super typhoon Yagi, with maximum wind speeds of 201 kph, will enter the Gulf of Tonkin Friday night, bringing heavy rain and thunderstorms to the northern region.

The sea area from south-central Binh Thuan Province to Kien Giang is expected to experience scattered showers and thunderstorms, with the possibility of tornadoes. Wind speeds are expected to range from 62 to 74 kph, with waves reaching 2 to 4 meters high.