Typhoon Season in Northwest Pacific Seen Less Active Than Normal

Typhoon activity in the Northwest Pacific region is expected to be about 20% below normal this year, forecaster Tropical Storm Risk said in its first outlook of the season.

The London-based group said it expects 15 typhoons, seven of which will be intense, compared with a 30-year average of 16 and nine. Forecasters predict a continued transition to a weak or moderate La Niña phenomenon, which leads to stronger easterly trade winds that weaken tropical cyclones.

That comes after a below-average 2023 season that still managed to bring storms like Doksuri, which devastated parts of the Philippines, Taiwan and China. Typhoons also contributed to record-breaking rain in Hong Kong in September that flooded streets and subway stations and brought the financial capital to a standstill.

Photograph: Pedestrians brace from the wind and rain on the waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui district during a No. 8 storm signal raised for Super Typhoon Saola in Hong Kong, on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo credit: Justin Chin/Bloomberg

Related:

• Hong Kong Sees Heaviest Rainfall on Record; Insurance Claims Could Exceed $100M
• Typhoon That Hit China’s Ports Provides Wakeup Call for Climate Risk to Markets

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters