typhoon

Typhoon is the name given to a mature tropical cyclone occurring in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It is the western Pacific counterpart to the hurricane of the Atlantic and eastern Pacific, and to other tropical cyclones in different ocean basins. Most typhoons form over warm tropical waters and can bring extreme winds, heavy rainfall, and dangerous coastal surges.

Formation and strength: Typhoons develop when sea surface temperatures are warm (above about 26.5°C), with high humidity and low vertical wind shear, and a preexisting disturbance in the atmosphere. The Coriolis force must be strong enough to create rotation. They progress from tropical disturbances to tropical depressions, tropical storms, and then typhoons as sustained winds reach roughly 118 km/h (74 mph). Very strong systems may be labeled as super typhoons by some forecasting agencies.

Nomenclature and forecasting: The Japan Meteorological Agency is the official regional center for the western North Pacific and assigns international names from a prescribed list. Additional local naming occurs in some countries; for example, the Philippines uses PAGASA to assign local names alongside international ones. Forecasts provide track and intensity predictions, and warnings address wind, rainfall, and coastal hazards such as storm surge and flooding.

Impacts and lifecycle: Typhoons can cause extensive wind damage, flooding, landslides, and coastal erosion, especially in densely populated coastal areas and on small islands. Their tracks are influenced by surrounding weather patterns and steering ridges; many weaken or change direction as they move into cooler waters or interact with land, and some exhaust to extratropical cyclones at higher latitudes.