Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | November 3,2013 |
Dissipated | November 11,2013 |
Violent typhoon | |
10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
Highest winds | 230 km/h (145 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 895 hPa (mbar);26.43 inHg |
Category 5-equivalent super typhoon | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
Highest winds | 315 km/h (195 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 895 hPa (mbar);26.43 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Areas affected | |
History Response Other wikis |
Typhoon Haiyan's meteorological history began with its origins as a tropical disturbance east-southeast of Pohnpei and lasted until its degeneration as a tropical cyclone over southern China. The thirteenth typhoon of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season,Haiyan originated from an area of low pressure several hundred kilometers east-southeast of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia on November 2. Tracking generally westward,environmental conditions favored tropical cyclogenesis and the system developed into a tropical depression the following day. After becoming a tropical storm and attaining the name Haiyan at 0000 UTC on November 4,the system began a period of rapid intensification that brought it to typhoon intensity by 1800 UTC on November 5. By November 6,the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) assessed the system as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale;the storm passed over the island of Kayangel in Palau shortly after attaining this strength.
Thereafter,it continued to intensify;at 12:00 UTC on November 7,the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) upgraded the storm's maximum ten-minute sustained winds to 230 km/h (64 m/s;140 mph),the highest in relation to the cyclone. At 1800 UTC,the JTWC estimated the system's one-minute sustained winds to 315 km/h (88 m/s;196 mph),unofficially making Haiyan the fourth most intense tropical cyclone ever observed. Several hours later,the eye of the cyclone made its first landfall in the Philippines at Guiuan,Eastern Samar,with an intensity of 305 km/h (85 m/s;190 mph). This ties it with Typhoon Meranti as the second strongest landfall on record by maximum sustained 1-minute wind speeds,after Typhoon Goni. Gradually weakening,the storm made five additional landfalls in the country before emerging over the South China Sea. Turning northwestward,the typhoon eventually struck northern Vietnam as a severe tropical storm on November 10. Haiyan was last noted as a tropical depression by the JMA the following day.
On November 2,the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began monitoring a broad low-pressure area about 425 km (264 mi) east-southeast of Pohnpei,one of the states in the Federated States of Micronesia. [nb 1] The system featured broken banding features alongside steadily consolidating convection. Environmental conditions ahead of the disturbance favored tropical cyclogenesis and dynamic weather forecast models predicted that a well-defined tropical cyclone would form within 72 hours. [2] Early on November 3,the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) classified the system as a tropical depression. [3] [nb 2] Owing to a consolidating low-level circulation center with building deep convection,the JTWC also classified the system as a tropical depression,shortly after issuing a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert. [5] [6] Subsequent intensification resulted in the JMA upgrading the system to a tropical storm and assigning it the name Haiyan (Chinese :海燕;lit.' petrel ') at 0000 UTC on November 4. [3] Meanwhile,the JTWC also upgraded it to a tropical storm,when the expansive system was steadily consolidating in an area of weak to moderate vertical wind shear and tracking westward along the southern periphery of a subtropical ridge. [7] By November 5,the storm began to undergo rapid intensification as a prominent central dense overcast (CDO) with an embedded eye began developing. [8] This intensification was fueled by high sea surface temperatures,estimated at 29.5 to 30.5 °C (85.1 to 86.9 °F) which extended to an unusually great depth. At 100 m (330 ft) below the surface,temperatures were 4 to 5 °C (39 to 41 °F) above average. [9] In light of the formation of an eye,the JTWC estimated Haiyan to have achieved typhoon status around 0000 UTC that day. [8] The JMA followed suit 12 hours later,by which time the JTWC estimated one-minute sustained winds to have reached 165 km/h (105 mph). [3] [10]
A small typhoon,with a core roughly 110 km (68 mi) across,rapid intensification continued through November 6 as an 11 km (6.8 mi) wide pin-hole eye formed. Upper-level outflow favored further strengthening of the system and was further enhanced by a tropical upper tropospheric trough to the northeast. [11] Intense banding features along the southern periphery of Haiyan wrapped into the system as well. Early on November 6,the JTWC estimated the system to have achieved super typhoon status. [12] [nb 3] That day,the Philippine Atmospheric,Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigned the storm the local name Yolanda as it approached their area of responsibility. [14] Intensification slowed somewhat during the day,though the JTWC estimated the storm to have attained Category 5-equivalent status on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale around 1200 UTC. At this time,Haiyan displayed a 15 km (9.3 mi) wide eye surrounded by a ring of deep convection. [15] Later,the eye of the typhoon passed over the island of Kayangel in Palau. [16] Development continued throughout November 7,and at times,mesovortices were apparent in the typhoon's eye. [17]
Around 1200 UTC on November 7,Haiyan attained its peak intensity with ten-minute sustained winds of 230 km/h (64 m/s;140 mph) and a barometric pressure of 895 mbar (hPa;26.43 inHg). [3] This made it the second-most intense tropical cyclone in the Northwest Pacific Ocean on record,based on wind speeds alone,along with Bess in 1982 and Megi in 2010,only after Tip in 1979. [18] Six hours later,the JTWC estimated Haiyan to have attained one-minute sustained winds of 315 km/h (88 m/s;196 mph) and gusts up to 378 km/h (105 m/s;235 mph). [19] This officially ties Haiyan with Typhoon Meranti in 2016 as the fifth-strongest tropical cyclone on record in terms of wind speed,only exceeded by Typhoon Ida (325 km/h) in 1958,Typhoon Violet (335 km/h) in 1961,Typhoon Nancy (345 km/h) in 1961 and Hurricane Patricia (345 km/h) in 2015. However,due to the fact the wind recordings in typhoons were erroneously high during the 1950s and 1960s,it can be said that Haiyan made its way as the second strongest tropical cyclone on record,second only to Hurricane Patricia in 2015. [20] (It is important to note,however,that Patricia's winds were directly measured by hurricane hunters aircraft,observations which were not available for Haiyan,so the record is uncertain and comparing the intensities of the two storms is problematic.) The storm displayed some characteristics of an annular tropical cyclone,though a strong convective band remained present along the western side of the system. [19]
Satellite estimates at the time,using the Dvorak technique,reached the maximum level on the scale:T#8.0. [19] The storm's structure exceeded the maximum intensity on the scale as the "Dvorak technique makes no allowance for an eye embedded so deeply in cloud tops as cold as [cold dark gray]," [nb 4] as noted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) satellite analysis branch. [21] Cloud tops surrounding the eye averaged −80 to −90 °C (−112 to −130 °F),with some areas even deeper. [17] Some automated models initialized its intensity at T#8.1,exceeding the scale's upper bounds. [22] Through satellite estimates,NOAA also estimated that Haiyan may have achieved a minimum pressure as low as 858 mbar (hPa;25.34 inHg). [22] [23] This would have possibly made Haiyan the strongest tropical cyclone worldwide,however due to lack of hurricane hunters in the West Pacific,this is hard to verify,so Typhoon Tip of 1979 holds the record.
At 2040 UTC on November 7, [24] Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in Guiuan,Eastern Samar slightly past peak intensity with 305 km/h (85 m/s;190 mph) sustained winds. [25] [26] Upon doing so,it became one of the strongest landfalling tropical cyclones on record. In terms of one-minute sustained winds from the JTWC,Haiyan was the most powerful storm to strike land on record,later tied with Typhoon Meranti in 2016 and broken by Typhoon Goni in 2020. [20] [25] [27] The mountainous terrain of the Philippines disrupted the cyclone's low-level inflow,slightly degrading the storm's structure,prompting slow weakening. Radar data indicates that at 2108 UTC,the northern eye was over the village of Guiuan. Around this time,the dome of the Guiuan radar station was blown into the sea. The storm crossed into Leyte Gulf shortly thereafter.
At 2300 UTC,the storm made another landfall on the island of Leyte. The northern eyewall,the most powerful part of the storm,hit Tacloban City. [28] Despite continued land interaction,the storm remained exceptionally powerful as it hit Leyte. [24] [29] Shortly after the storm moved onshore,around 2320 UTC,a barometer deployed by storm chasers in Tacloban City (24 km (15 mi) north of the center of circulation) measured a pressure of 960.3 mbar (hPa;28.36 inHg). [30] At 2315 UTC,a barometer at Tacloban Airport about 1.6 km (0.99 mi) south of the chasers measured a pressure of 955.6 mb (hPa;28.22 inHg). Based on the gradient between these positions,Dr. Jeff Masters of Weather Underground estimated that Haiyan may have had a central pressure of 888 mb (hPa;26.2 inHg) when it struck Leyte. [31]
As Haiyan moved further into Leyte,it reached the Nacolod mountain range. As the core traversed the Nacolod,its 1500 m peaks significantly disrupted the storm's low- and mid-level circulation. This caused the northern half of Haiyan's central core to collapse. Convection shallowed somewhat,and the eye shrank from 20 nm to under 10 nm,also becoming cloud-filled. Despite this synoptic weakening,the shrinking eye kept windspeeds high due to conservation of angular momentum. [32] At 0006 UTC,the eye crosses the Nacolod and hits Ormoc City,still at category 5 strength. Haiyan then crossed another mountain range to the west of Ormoc before emerging over the Cebu Strait. Marked orographic enhancement over this terrain is evident on radar imagery.
During Haiyan's passage over the Cebu Strait,the core reorganized somewhat. At 0133 UTC,the eyewall began to hit the island of Cebu,at Daanbantayan. This is the Cebu City radar station's last scan before it is disabled by the storm. After crossing the mountains,Haiyan made another landfall on Bantayan Island at 0240 UTC,then quickly emerging over the Visayan sea. At 0400 UTC,the storm makes another landfall at Concepcion,Iloilo. The storm weakens to category 4 strength shortly thereafter. After its lengthiest land crossing yet,Haiyan emerges over the Mindoro Strait. At 1200 UTC,the storm makes its last Philippine landfall at Coron,Palawan as a strong category 4 storm. [24] Haiyan emerged over the South China Sea late on November 8. The storm's core had been substantially disrupted during its passage through the Philippines,with only a partial eyewall remaining intact around a ragged cloud-filled eye. In contrast to the appearance,the JTWC estimated it to have retained winds of 230 km/h (64 m/s;140 mph) at this time. Similarly the PAGASA maintained its strength as 215 km/h (60 m/s;134 mph) [33] while the JMA estimated winds at 165 km/h (46 m/s;103 mph). [34]
By November 9,some structural reorganization took place with banding features wrapping tightly around a developing eye. [35] Environmental conditions ahead of the storm soon became less favorable,as cool stable air began wrapping into the western side of the circulation. This resulted in shallowing convecting over the center. [36] Continuing across the South China Sea,Haiyan turned more northwesterly late on November 9 and through November 10 as it moved around the southwestern edge of the subtropical ridge previously steering it westward. [37] Throughout November 10,interaction with Hainan Island and Vietnam further weakened the storm as it moved over the Gulf of Tonkin. [38] Rapid weakening ensued as Haiyan approached its final landfall in Vietnam,with increasing wind shear displacing convection to the north of the center of circulation. The storm had also turned more northerly by this point as the subtropical ridge began to erode. [39] Around 2100 UTC,Haiyan made landfall in Haiphong as a severe tropical storm with ten-minute sustained winds of 110 km/h (31 m/s;68 mph). [3] Once onshore,Haiyan turned more easterly as the mid-latitude westerlies became the primary steering factor. [40] By 1200 UTC on November 11,Haiyan had dissipated as a tropical cyclone,as it moved over Guangxi Province,China. [3]
The 2013 Pacific typhoon season was the most active Pacific typhoon season since 2004, and the deadliest since 1975. It featured Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms and one of the strongest landfalling tropical cyclones in history. It was an above-average season with 31 named storms, 13 typhoons, and five super typhoons. The season's first named storm, Sonamu, developed on January 4 while the season's last named storm, Podul, dissipated on November 15. Despite the activity, most of the first seventeen named storms before mid-September were relatively weak, as only two of them reached typhoon intensity. Total damage amounted to at least $26.41 billion (USD), making it at the time the costliest Pacific typhoon season on record; it is currently the fourth costliest, behind the 2018, 2019 and 2023 seasons.
The 2015 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly above average season that produced twenty-seven tropical storms, eighteen typhoons, and nine super typhoons. The season ran throughout 2015, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and November. The season's first named storm, Mekkhala, developed on January 15, while the season's last named storm, Melor, dissipated on December 17. The season saw at least one named tropical system forming in each of every month, the first time since 1965. Similar to the previous season, this season saw a high number of super typhoons. Accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) during 2015 was extremely high, the third highest since 1970, and the 2015 ACE has been attributed in part to anthropogenic warming, and also the 2014-16 El Niño event, that led to similarly high ACE values in the East Pacific.
The 2016 Pacific typhoon season is considered to have been the fourth-latest start for a Pacific typhoon season since reliable records began. It was an average season, with a total of 26 named storms, 13 typhoons, and six super typhoons. The season ran throughout 2016, though typically most tropical cyclones develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Nepartak, developed on July 3, while the season's last named storm, Nock-ten, dissipated on December 28.
The 2018 Pacific typhoon season was at the time, the costliest Pacific typhoon season on record, until the record was beaten by the following year. The season was well above-average, producing twenty-nine storms, thirteen typhoons, seven super typhoons and six Category 5 tropical cyclones. The season ran throughout 2018, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Bolaven, developed on January 3, while the season's last named storm, Man-yi, dissipated on November 28. The season's first typhoon, Jelawat, reached typhoon status on March 29, and became the first super typhoon of the year on the next day.
Severe Tropical Storm Rumbia, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Gorio, was a tropical cyclone that brought widespread flooding in areas of the Philippines and China late June and early July 2013. The sixth internationally named storm of the season, Rumbia formed from a broad area of low pressure situated in the southern Philippine Sea on June 27. Steadily organizing, the initial tropical depression moved towards the northwest as the result of a nearby subtropical ridge. On June 28, the disturbance strengthened to tropical storm strength, and subsequently made its first landfall on Eastern Samar in the Philippines early the following day. Rumbia spent roughly a day moving across the archipelago before emerging into the South China Sea. Over open waters, Rumbia resumed strengthening, and reached its peak intensity with winds of 95 km/h (50 mph) on July 1, ranking it as a severe tropical storm. The tropical cyclone weakened slightly before moving ashore the Leizhou Peninsula late that day. Due to land interaction, Rumbia quickly weakened into a low pressure area on July 2 and eventually dissipated soon afterwards.
Typhoon Usagi, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Odette, was a violent tropical cyclone which affected Taiwan, the Philippines, China, and Hong Kong in September 2013. Usagi, or which means the constellation Lepus in Japanese, was the fourth typhoon and the nineteenth tropical storm in the basin. Developing into a tropical storm east of the Philippines late on September 16, Usagi began explosive intensification on September 19 and ultimately became a violent and large typhoon. Afterwards, the system weakened slowly, crossed the Bashi Channel on September 21, and made landfall over Guangdong, China on September 22.
Most of the tropical cyclones of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season formed between May and November of that year. The scope of this article is the Pacific Ocean north of the equator, between 100°E and the International Date Line. Tropical storms which form in the Western Pacific basin are assigned a name by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Tropical depressions forming in this basin are given a number with a "W" suffix by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility, but these names are not in common use outside the Philippines.
Typhoon Krosa, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Vinta, was a typhoon that made landfall in the northern Philippines in late October 2013. Forming on October 27 near Guam, the storm slowly intensified while moving westward. Krosa developed an eye and became a typhoon before striking Luzon on October 31. The storm weakened over land, but re-intensified over the South China Sea, reaching peak winds of 150 km/h (93 mph) on November 2 off the southeast coast of China. Typhoon Krosa stalled and encountered unfavorable conditions, resulting in quick weakening. By November 3, it had weakened to tropical storm status, and was no longer being warned on by the next day. In northern Luzon, Krosa damaged 32,000 houses, including 3,000 that were destroyed, and caused four fatalities. High winds and rainfall left ₱277 million in damage.
Typhoon Francisco, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Urduja, was a powerful typhoon that strengthened to the equivalent of a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The 25th named storm and the 10th typhoon of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season, Francisco formed on October 16 east of Guam from a pre-existing area of convection. With favorable conditions, it quickly intensified into a tropical storm before passing south of Guam. After stalling to the southwest of the island, Francisco turned to the northwest into an environment of warm waters and low wind shear, becoming a typhoon. The JTWC upgraded it to super typhoon status on October 18, while the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) estimated peak 10-minute sustained winds of 195 km/h (121 mph). Gradual weakening ensued, and after the typhoon turned to the northeast, Francisco deteriorated into a tropical storm on October 24. Passing southeast of Okinawa and mainland Japan, the storm accelerated and became extratropical on October 26, dissipating later that day.
Typhoon Vongfong, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Ompong, was the most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2014, and struck Japan as a large tropical system. It also indirectly affected the Philippines and Taiwan. Vongfong was the nineteenth named storm and the ninth typhoon of the 2014 Pacific typhoon season. Estimates assess damage from Vongfong to have been over US$160 million, mainly for striking mainland Japan. At least 9 people were killed along the path of the typhoon in those countries.
Typhoon Hagupit known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Ruby, was the second most intense tropical cyclone in 2014. Hagupit particularly impacted the Philippines in early December while gradually weakening, killing 18 people and causing $114 million of damage in the country. Prior to making landfall, Hagupit was considered the worst threat to the Philippines in 2014, but it was significantly smaller than 2013's Typhoon Haiyan.
Severe Tropical Storm Mekkhala, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Amang, was an early-season tropical cyclone that made landfall over the Philippines in January 2015. Mekkhala killed three people in the Bicol Region and caused light crop damage. Notably, the storm disturbed Pope Francis’ visit to the country after the victims of Typhoon Haiyan on November 8, 2013. Although the storm also caused an airplane crash in Tacloban, nobody was hurt in the incident.
Typhoon Nangka was a large and powerful tropical cyclone that impacted central Japan in mid-July 2015. Nangka started its long-living journey as a tropical disturbance over the Marshall Islands and west of the International Dateline, becoming the eleventh named storm of the annual typhoon season on July 3. It quickly intensified while moving to the west-northwest, attaining typhoon status on July 6. Nangka moved through the Northern Marianas Islands, passing directly over the uninhabited island of Alamagan. Shortly thereafter, the typhoon attained peak winds; the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) estimated 10‑minute sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph), while the unofficial Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) estimated 1‑minute winds of 250 km/h (155 mph), making it a super typhoon. Nangka later weakened as it curved to the north, moving across central Japan on July 16 as a minimal typhoon. The storm weakened soon after, dissipating in the Sea of Japan on July 18.
Typhoon Meranti, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Ferdie, was one of the most intense tropical cyclones on record. Impacting the Batanes in the Philippines, Taiwan, as well as Fujian Province in September 2016, Meranti formed as a tropical depression on September 8 near the island of Guam. Tracking to the west northwest, Meranti gradually intensified until September 11, at which point it began a period of rapid intensification. Continuing to rapidly intensify, it became a super typhoon early on September 12, as it passed through the Luzon Strait, ultimately reaching its peak intensity on September 13 with 1-minute sustained winds of 315 km/h (195 mph). Shortly afterwards, it passed directly over the island of Itbayat. Meranti passed to the south of Taiwan as a super typhoon, and began weakening steadily as a result of land interaction. By September 15, it struck Fujian Province as a Category 2-equivalent typhoon, becoming the strongest typhoon on record to impact the province. Upon moving inland, rapid weakening ensued and Meranti became extratropical the next day, dissipating shortly afterwards after it passed to the south of the Korean Peninsula.
Typhoon Chaba, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Igme, was the fourth most intense tropical cyclone in 2016 and the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in South Korea since Sanba in 2012. Chaba also caused 7 deaths in the country. Typhoon Chaba was the eighteenth named storm and the eighth typhoon of the 2016 Pacific typhoon season. Chaba originated as a depression around the east-northeast of Guam. Being in a marginally favorable environment, JMA proceeds to name the system as Chaba. On September 28, JTWC gave its identifier as Tropical Depression 21W. Its LLCC starts to improve, prompting the JTWC to upgrade into a tropical storm. Chaba entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, receiving the name Igme as it moved northwestwards. Chaba became more symmetrical which later ensued its rapid intensification.
Typhoon Haima, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Lawin, was the third most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2016. It was the twenty-second named storm and the eleventh typhoon of the annual typhoon season. Impacting the Philippines less than 3 days after Typhoon Sarika, Haima formed out of a tropical disturbance southwest of Chuuk on October 14, it developed into a tropical storm the next day. Steady strengthening occurred over the next day or two as it tracked westward towards the Philippines. After forming an eye shortly after it was upgraded to a typhoon, Haima began to rapidly strengthen and eventually became a super typhoon on October 18. It later attained its peak intensity as a Category 5-equivalent tropical cyclone before weakening slightly. Haima later made landfall in Peñablanca, Cagayan late on October 19 as a Category 4-equivalent storm. Rapid weakening occurred as it interacted with the landmasses until it entered the Southern China Sea as a weak typhoon. It formed a large ragged eye once again and remained steady in intensity until making landfall in China on October 21. It weakened below typhoon intensity and became extratropical on October 22. The cyclone drifted northeastwards and later eastwards before emerging over water again, but eventually dissipated by October 26.
Typhoon Nock-ten, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Nina, was the strongest Christmas Day tropical cyclone worldwide in terms of 1-minute sustained winds. Forming as a tropical depression southeast of Yap and strengthening into the twenty-sixth tropical storm of the annual typhoon season on December 21, 2016, Nock-ten intensified into the thirteenth typhoon of the season on December 23. Soon afterwards, the system underwent explosive intensification and became a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon early on December 25. Nock-ten weakened shortly afterwards before making eight landfalls over the Philippines. The typhoon weakened rapidly due to the landfalls as it entered the South China Sea on December 26, turned southwest, and ultimately dissipated on December 28 due to the winter monsoon.
Typhoon Lan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Paolo, was the third-most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2017, behind only hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Atlantic. A very large storm, Lan was the twenty-first tropical storm and ninth typhoon of the annual typhoon season. It originated from a tropical disturbance that the United States Naval Research Laboratory had begun tracking near Chuuk on October 11. Slowly consolidating, it developed into a tropical storm on October 15, and intensified into a typhoon on October 17. It expanded in size and turned northward on October 18, although the typhoon struggled to intensify for two days. On October 20, Lan grew into a very large typhoon and rapidly intensified, due to favorable conditions, with a large well-defined eye, reaching peak intensity as a "super typhoon" with 1-minute sustained winds of 249 km/h (155 mph) – a high-end Category 4-equivalent storm – late on the same day. Afterward, encroaching dry air and shear caused the cyclone to begin weakening and turn extratropical, before it struck Japan on October 23 as a weaker typhoon. Later that day, it became fully extratropical before it was absorbed by a larger storm shortly afterward.
The 2021 Pacific typhoon season was the second consecutive to have below average tropical cyclone activity, with twenty-two named storms, and was the least active since 2011. Nine became typhoons, and five of those intensified into super typhoons. This low activity was caused by a strong La Niña that had persisted from the previous year. The season's first named storm, Dujuan, developed on February 16, while the last named storm, Rai, dissipated on December 21. The season's first typhoon, Surigae, reached typhoon status on April 16. It became the first super typhoon of the year on the next day, also becoming the strongest tropical cyclone in 2021. Surigae was also the most powerful tropical cyclone on record in the Northern Hemisphere for the month of April. Typhoons In-fa and Rai are responsible for more than half of the total damage this season, adding up to a combined total of $2.02 billion.
Tropical Storm Yagi, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Karding, was a moderate but damaging tropical cyclone that impacted the Philippines from enhanced southwest monsoon and China. The fourteen named storm of the 2018 Pacific typhoon season. Yagi started its lifetime as an area of low-pressure, located southwest of Iwo To on August 1. The system struggled to intensify for five days until it was recognized as a depression by the JMA on August 7. JTWC later followed suit and went ahead to designate it as Tropical Depression 18W. It maintained its intensity due to easterly wind shear, despite the system being well organized. Both agencies upgraded into a tropical storm on the next day after showing winds of 35 knots.