The name Noul has been used to name three tropical cyclones in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The name was contributed by North Korea and means glowing or sunset. It replaced the name Pongsona , which was retired after the 2002 Pacific typhoon season.
The 2020 Pacific typhoon season was the first of an ongoing series of below average Pacific typhoon seasons, and became the first with below-average tropical cyclone activity since 2014, with 23 named storms, 10 of which became typhoons and only 2 became super typhoons. This low activity was a consequence of La Niña that persisted from the summer of the year. It had the sixth-latest start in the basin on record, slightly behind 1973, and was the first to start that late since 2016. The first half of the season was unusually inactive, with only four systems, two named storms and one typhoon at the end of July. Additionally, the JTWC recorded no tropical cyclone development in the month of July, the first such occurrence since reliable records began. The season's first named tropical cyclone, Vongfong, developed on May 8, while the season's last named tropical cyclone, Krovanh, dissipated on December 24. However, the season's last system was an unnamed tropical depression which dissipated on December 29.
Typhoon Noul, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Dodong, was a relatively small but powerful tropical cyclone that affected several areas but caused minor damage. The sixth named storm and third typhoon of the annual typhoon season, Noul formed as a tropical depression over the eastern Caroline Islands on May 2, 2015. It moved generally to the west and west-northwest, gradually intensifying into a tropical storm and later typhoon. On May 9, Noul began rapid deepening as it developed a well-defined eye. Early the next day, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) estimated peak 10 minute sustained winds of 205 km/h (125 mph), while the American-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) estimated peak 1 minute winds of 260 km/h (160 mph), equivalent to Category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Noul struck northeastern Luzon in the Philippines at that intensity and greatly weakened. After passing east of Taiwan, the typhoon accelerated to the northeast and weakened due to unfavorable conditions. On May 12, Noul became extratropical south of Japan, and the remnants continued to the northeast for several days, dissipating on May 16.
Tropical Storm Noul, also known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Leon, was a weak, but deadly tropical cyclone that impacted central Vietnam, which had been affected by Tropical Storm Sinlaku more than one month earlier. Noul originated from a tropical system in the Philippine Sea in September 15. The system was upgraded into a tropical depression later that same day by JMA, with JTWC and PAGASA following suit in 15:00 UTC, with PAGASA assigning the local name Leon to the developing tropical cyclone. As Leon was leaving the area of responsibility, Leon intensified into a tropical storm and was assigned the international name Noul by JMA. Noul would make landfall between Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên-Huế provinces in September 18 before degenerating into a remnant low over Thailand later that day.
Vietnam is a southeast Asian country, and is the easternmost country of mainland Southeast Asia. It borders the East Sea, hence, seeing the increased likeliness of tropical cyclones. Tropical cyclones in this area are considered to be part of the Northwest Pacific basin, and therefore, storms here are considered as typhoons.