Severe Tropical Storm Kammuri, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Lagalag, killed hundreds of people in the wake of a deadly flood season in China. The system developed from a large monsoonal system that persisted toward the end of July 2002 near the Philippines. On August 2, a tropical depression formed off the northwest coast of Luzon and moved west-northwestward. Late on August 3, it intensified into Tropical Storm Kammuri off the coast of Hong Kong. A weakening ridge turned the storm northward toward the coast of China. The storm made landfall with late on August 4, after reaching peak winds of 100 km/h (65 mph). The system dissipated over the mountainous coastline of eastern China and merged with a cold front on August 7.
The rainstorm warning signals are a set of signals used in Hong Kong to alert the public about the occurrence of heavy rain which is likely to bring about major disruptions such as traffic congestion and floods. They also ensure a state of readiness within the essential services to deal with emergencies.
China is a mountainous country, which leads to rapid dissipation of cyclones that move inland as well as significant amounts of rain from those dissipating cyclones. Typhoon Nina in 1975 caused the collapse of two huge reservoirs and ten smaller dams when 1062 mm (41.81 inches) of rain fell in Henan Province during a 24‑hour period. Super Typhoon Carla was the wettest tropical cyclone on record for mainland China. Since 1957, there has been a downward trend in tropical cyclone rainfall for the country.
The 1937 Great Hong Kong Typhoon was one of the deadliest typhoons in Hong Kong history, with a death toll estimated between 11,000–13,000. Part of the 1937 Pacific typhoon season, the tropical cyclone originated on 24 August to the south of Guam, which proceeded generally to the west-northwest. On 1 September the storm entered the South China Sea, and early the next day, the typhoon passed just south of Hong Kong before making landfall in southern China. It weakened after moving ashore, dissipating on 3 September.
The 2008 South China floods began on 26 May 2008. Four rounds of torrential rains with landslides and flooding lasted for 20 days and affected fifteen provinces in Eastern and Southern China.
Typhoon Pabuk, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Chedeng, was a minimal typhoon that formed on August 5, 2007. The system made landfall on Taiwan on August 7, and on August 9 Pabuk passed to the south of Hong Kong.
Typhoon Hagupit, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Nina, was a powerful cyclone that caused widespread destruction along its path in September 2008. The 21st depression, 14 tropical storm and 10th typhoon of the 2008 Pacific typhoon season, Hagupit developed from a tropical wave located a couple hundred miles east of the Marshall Islands on September 14. Moving generally north-west westwards towards the Philippines, the depression gradually intensified into a tropical storm the following day, and then into became a typhoon on September 22 off the northern coast of Luzon. Located within an environment conducive for strengthening, Hagupit rapidly strengthened to attain 10-min sustained winds of 165 kilometres per hour and 1-min sustained winds of 230 kilometres per hour. After making landfall in Guangdong province in China at peak intensity on September 23, Hagupit rapidly weakened over rugged terrain and dissipated on the 25th.
Typhoon Prapiroon, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Henry, was a minimal typhoon which caused deadly flooding in southern China in August 2006. Prapiroon developed out of a persistent area of convection accompanied by an area of low pressure on July 25 about 120 km (75 mi) west-southwest of Yap. Two days later, both the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and PAGASA classified the system as a tropical depression, with PAGASA giving it the local name 'Henry'. By July 31, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) classified the system as Tropical Depression 07W. A strong subtropical ridge located to the north of the depression led to a west-northwest movement for most of the storm existence.
Typhoon Fanapi, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Inday, was a damaging and deadly typhoon that struck Taiwan and southeastern China in September 2010. It was the eleventh tropical storm and fourth typhoon of the very inactive season. The storm formed on September 14 east of the Philippines and moved slowly for several days, initially to the northwest, then curving to the northeast before turning westward due to a ridge to the north. During this time, Fanapi intensified to reach 10 minute maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h (109 mph). Fanapi made its first landfall on September 19 over Hualien, Taiwan, becoming the first typhoon to hit the island since Typhoon Morakot in August 2009. Later that day made a final landfall in Fujian, China. The storm dissipated on September 21 over southern China.
Typhoon Vicente, known in the Philippines as Tropical Depression Ferdie, was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Chinese province of Guangdong since Hagupit in 2008, and was regarded as the strongest storm to affect Hong Kong and Macau in more than ten years. The eighth named storm and third typhoon of the 2012 Pacific typhoon season, Vicente began as a tropical depression on July 18, 2012 northeast of the Philippines. Vicente soon steadily moved into the South China Sea, and began to intensify above warm sea waters, and began explosive intensification early on July 23, and started to charge toward the Guangdong region prompting the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) to issue the Hurricane Signal, No. 10, the first since York in 1999. The Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau also hoisted Signal No. 9 for the first time since York and after the transfer of sovereignty over Macau. Late on the same day, Vicente made landfall over Taishan in Guangdong, China.
Typhoon Ruby, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Yoning, was a strong tropical cyclone that struck Hong Kong, Macau, and southern China in early September 1964. The precursor disturbance to Ruby was first identified on August 29 over the Philippine Sea, and this system organised into a tropical cyclone by September 1. Ruby intensified as it moved west, becoming a typhoon the next day and subsequently passing over the Babuyan Islands of the Philippines. After reaching the South China Sea, Ruby turned northwest and intensified further, attaining peak ten-minute sustained winds of 195 km/h (121 mph) before making landfall at the peak intensity near Hong Kong on September 5. The typhoon weakened after moving inland and dissipated on September 6 over southeastern China.
Tropical Storm Kujira was a tropical cyclone that prompted the PAGASA to declare the beginning of the rainy season in the Philippines. The ninth tropical depression, 8th named storm, and first storm to make landfall on China in the 2015 Pacific typhoon season, it formed as a tropical depression south of the Paracel Islands on June 19.
A series of major landslides occurred in Hong Kong in June 1972. Several apartment complexes and houses were wiped out, and at least 156 people lost their lives. The landslides had been caused by waterlogged soils in the area, a result of Typhoon Rose bringing unusually heavy rainfall in August 1971 as well as heavy rainstorms hitting Hong Kong on the days preceding the landslides.
Typhoon Dot was a strong tropical cyclone that made landfalls on Luzon and near Hong Kong in October 1964. It was the fifth typhoon to impact Hong Kong during the active 1964 Pacific typhoon season, and prompted the issuance of the No. 10 typhoon signal from the Royal Observatory in Hong Kong—the highest warning possible. The storm's precursor disturbance formed west of Pohnpei on October 3 and tracked towards the west, becoming a tropical storm by October 6. Gradually strengthening, Dot moved towards the west-northwest, northwest, and then curved west, leading to a landfall at typhoon intensity on Luzon on October 9. A freighter with 32 crewmembers went missing west of the island after passing through the typhoon and was never recovered.
Typhoon Sarika, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Karen, was a powerful tropical cyclone which affected the Philippines, South China, and Vietnam in mid-October 2016. The twenty-first named storm and the tenth typhoon of the annual Pacific typhoon season, Sarika developed from a tropical disturbance east of the Philippines on October 13. The system steadily strengthened as it traveled westwards, becoming a tropical storm later that day and then a typhoon on October 15. Rapid intensification commenced as Sarika turned to the west-northwest towards Luzon, reaching its peak intensity just before making landfall in Aurora early on October 16. Sarika weakened significantly as it crossed land, emerging over the South China Sea as a minimal typhoon, then weakening further to a severe tropical storm on October 17. Sarika maintained its strength for the rest of the day and made landfall in Hainan province in China on October 18. Turning to the northwest, Sarika weakened quickly as it emerged into the Gulf of Tonkin, before moving onshore once again in Guangxi province on October 19. The system dissipated shortly after.
Severe Tropical Storm York, also known in the Philippines as Tropical Depression Neneng, was a tropical cyclone that formed in September 1999. It brought severe impacts to the Philippines and southeastern China, causing 35 deaths. York is considered the worst tropical cyclone to hit Hong Kong since 1983. York was first noted as a tropical disturbance over the Philippine Sea on September 9, 1999, and became a tropical depression three days later on September 12. Initially, the intensity of the system was that of a weak tropical depression, however it formed a new center while in the northern South China Sea west of Luzon soon after. York intensified into a tropical storm on September 13 and its track was erratic and remained stationary for a while, until it landfalled near Hong Kong as a minimal typhoon on September 16. York then weakened to a tropical storm and quickly degenerated into a remnant area of low pressure soon after on the following day.
Several floods struck China starting in July 2023, most of them caused by heavy rainfalls in different areas. The most notable floods were the 2023 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Heavy rain and Northeast china heavy rain, which left at least 81 dead and 34 missing.
Typhoon Saola, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Goring, was a powerful and erratic tropical cyclone that affected the Philippines, southern Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and South China. The name Saola, is in reference to a rare animal found in Vietnam. The ninth named storm, seventh typhoon, and third super typhoon of the 2023 typhoon season, Saola originated from an area of convection east of Taiwan and headed southwestwards.
Typhoon Haikui, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Hanna, was the first major storm to hit Taiwan since Megi in 2016 and the first typhoon to do so since Nesat in 2017. It also caused serious rainfall in Hong Kong, making it the wettest tropical cyclone to affect the region. Haikui, meaning sea anemone in Chinese. The eleventh tropical storm and eighth typhoon of the 2023 Pacific typhoon season, Haikui began its life as a broad low-pressure area near the Northern Mariana Islands on August 27. The system intensified to a tropical storm the next day and was named Haikui by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), with the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) following suit shortly thereafter; PAGASA then named the same system as Hanna when it entered the Philippine area of responsibility. In the succeeding days, Haikui reached severe tropical storm strength and eventually became a typhoon, before making landfall near Taitung City, Taiwan on September 3.
