The 2012 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly above average season that produced 25 named storms, fourteen typhoons, and four intense typhoons. It was a destructive and the second consecutive year to be the deadliest season, primarily due to Typhoon Bopha which killed 1,901 people in the Philippines. It was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the western Pacific Ocean. The season ran throughout 2012, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Pakhar, developed on March 28, while the season's last named storm, Wukong, dissipated on December 29. The season's first typhoon, Guchol, reached typhoon status on June 15, and became the first super typhoon of the year on June 17.
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.
Typhoon Kai-tak, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Helen, was a mild tropical cyclone that affected China, Vietnam and Laos. It was the seventh typhoon and the thirteenth named storm of the 2012 Pacific typhoon season. The storm killed 41 people and caused a sum of US$765 million in losses. Kai-tak can be tracked back to the broad area of disturbance embedded in a monsoonal trough that was first spotted, early on August 10. It was only at midnight, on August 16, when the JMA officially declared Kai-tak a typhoon. On the morning of August 17, the wind speed dropped to 60 knots and was no longer a typhoon. The typhoon caused heavy damage in China's two provinces, killing four people and causing huge economic loss. Kai-Tak slammed the northern Philippines triggering flash floods and landslides and killing at least ten people, one week after deadly monsoon rains battered the country. In Vietnam, Kai-Tak has stormed across the country's north bringing high winds and floods to several areas including the capital Hanoi.
Typhoon Tembin, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Igme, was an intense tropical cyclone in the Western Pacific Ocean that had an unusual trajectory, approaching Taiwan twice. Tembin, which means balancing scale or Libra in Japanese, was the eighth typhoon and the fourteenth named storm of the 2012 Pacific typhoon season. After making landfall over the southern tip of Taiwan late on August 23, Tembin weakened but regained strength in the South China Sea, looping before making a second landfall on southern Taiwan as a tropical storm on August 27; however, the system did not restrengthen in the East China Sea, and made landfall over South Korea on August 30 before becoming extratropical.
Typhoon Jelawat, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Lawin, was the most intense tropical cyclone of the 2012 Pacific typhoon season in terms of ten-minute maximum sustained winds, tied with Typhoon Sanba. Following Bolaven and Sanba, Jelawat was the third typhoon directly hitting Okinawa Island in 2012. Jelawat, which means carp in Malaysian, is a type of freshwater fish.
Typhoon Utor, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Labuyo, was a powerful, deadly and destructive tropical cyclone that struck the Philippines and southern China. Utor, contributed by United States for squall line, the 15th depression, the 2nd typhoon and the first super typhoon in the 2013 Pacific typhoon season. Utor started originating near Yap, tracking westwards in a favorable development, allowing the system to be better organized. All agencies have upgraded the system as a depression, with JTWC designated as Tropical Depression 11W and PAGASA naming the depression as Labuyo. Continuing westwards, JMA named 11W as Utor as it continues to consolidate.
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.
This timeline documents all of the events of the 2012 Pacific typhoon season. The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator between 100°E and the International Date Line. During the season, 34 systems were designated as tropical depressions by either the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), or other National Meteorological and Hydrological Services such as the China Meteorological Administration and the Hong Kong Observatory. Since the JMA runs the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) for the Western Pacific, they assigned names to tropical depressions which developed into tropical storms in the basin. PAGASA also assigned local names to systems which are active in their area of responsibility; however, these names are not in common use outside of the Philippines.
Hurricane Genevieve, also referred to as Typhoon Genevieve, was the first tropical cyclone to track across all three northern Pacific basins since Hurricane Dora in 1999. Genevieve developed from a tropical wave into the eighth tropical storm of the 2014 Pacific hurricane season well east-southeast of Hawaii on July 25. However, increased vertical wind shear caused it to weaken into a tropical depression by the following day and degenerate into a remnant low on July 28. Late on July 29, the system regenerated into a tropical depression, but it weakened into a remnant low again on July 31, owing to vertical wind shear and dry air.
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 Nuri, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Paeng, was the third most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2014. Nuri developed into a tropical storm and received the name Paeng from the PAGASA on October 31, before it intensified into a typhoon on the next day. Under excellent conditions, especially the synoptic scale outflow, Nuri underwent rapid deepening and reached its peak intensity on November 2, forming a round eye in a symmetric Central dense overcast (CDO). Having maintained the impressive structure for over one day, the typhoon began to weaken on November 4, with a cloud-filled eye.
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 Dujuan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Jenny, was the second most intense tropical cyclone of the Northwest Pacific Ocean in 2015 in terms of ten-minute maximum sustained winds, tied with Noul. The twenty-first named storm and the thirteenth typhoon of the 2015 Pacific typhoon season, Dujuan brought extremely powerful winds throughout the Yaeyama Islands and Taiwan in late September, causing 3 deaths in Taiwan. The typhoon also caused over ¥2.5 billion (US$392.9 million) damage in East China.
Typhoon Noru was the second-longest-lasting tropical cyclone of the Northwest Pacific Ocean on record—behind only 1986's Wayne and tied with 1972's Rita—and the second-most-intense tropical cyclone of the basin in 2017, tied with Talim. Forming as the fifth named storm of the annual typhoon season on July 20, Noru further intensified into the first typhoon of the year on July 23. However, Noru began to interact with nearby Tropical Storm Kulap on July 24, executing a counterclockwise loop southeast of Japan. Weakening to a severe tropical storm on July 28, Noru began to restrengthen as it turned sharply to the west on July 30. Amid favorable conditions, Noru rapidly intensified into the season's first super typhoon, and reached peak intensity with annular characteristics on July 31. In early August, Noru underwent a gradual weakening trend while curving northwestwards and then northwards. After stalling off the Satsunan Islands weakening to a severe tropical storm again on August 5, the system began to accelerate northeastwards towards the Kansai region of Japan, making landfall in Wakayama Prefecture on August 7. Noru became extratropical over the Sea of Japan on August 8, and dissipated one day later.
Typhoon Nesat, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Gorio, was a strong tropical cyclone that impacted Taiwan and Fujian, China. It was the ninth named storm and the second typhoon of the annual typhoon season. After consolidating slowly for several days, Tropical Storm Nesat developed east of the Philippines on July 25. While experiencing favorable environmental conditions such as very warm sea surface temperatures and low wind shear, Nesat strengthened into a typhoon and reached its peak intensity on July 28. On July 29, the typhoon made landfall near the Taiwanese city of Yilan, before weakening to a severe tropical storm and making landfall again near Fuqing on China's east coast late the same day. Moving into July 30, Nesat continued to weaken under the effects of land interaction.
Typhoon Damrey, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Ramil, was a strong tropical cyclone that affected the Philippines and Vietnam during early November 2017. Damrey first originated as a tropical depression over the Philippine archipelago of Visayas on October 31. Emerging into the South China Sea a few days later, the system strengthened into the second deadliest and twenty-third named storm of the 2017 Pacific typhoon season. Rapidly intensifying, Damrey became the season's tenth typhoon on November 3, reaching its peak intensity as a Category 2 on the same day. Damrey made landfall over Khánh Hoà, Vietnam on November 4 and began to rapidly weaken, fully dissipating on November 5.
The 2023 Pacific typhoon season was the fourth consecutive below-average season and became the third-most inactive typhoon season on record in terms of named storms, with just 17 named storms developing, only ahead of 2010 and 1998. Despite the season occurring during an El Niño event, which typically favors activity in the basin, activity was abnormally low. This was primarily due to a consistent period of negative PDO, which typically discourages tropical storm formation in this basin. The season was less active than the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season in terms of named storms, the fourth such season on record, after 2005, 2010 and 2020. The season's number of storms also did not exceed that of the 2023 Pacific hurricane season. Only ten became typhoons, with four strengthening further into super typhoons. However, it was very destructive, primarily due to Typhoon Doksuri which devastated the northern Philippines, Taiwan, and China in July, becoming the costliest typhoon on record as well as the costliest typhoon to hit mainland China, and Typhoon Haikui in September, which devastated China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The season was less active in Southeast Asia, with no tropical storm making landfall in mainland Vietnam.
