The 2024 Pacific typhoon season was a deadly and destructive season that became the deadliest since 2013. It was a below-average season in terms of accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) but was slightly above average in the number of named storms, typhoons, and super typhoons, ending a four-year streak of below-average seasons that began in 2020. The season was also the fifth-latest Pacific typhoon season and the first to start that late since 2020. Moreover, this season saw an unusually active November, with the month experiencing four simultaneously active typhoons since 2019 and featuring the most retired names in a single season—nine. Additionally, the Philippines also saw multiple consecutive typhoons making direct landfalls since 2006, with some at higher intensities.
Of the 26 named tropical storms, 13 became typhoons and 6 of them reached super typhoon status. The season ran throughout the year, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and November. The season's first named storm, Ewiniar, developed on May 25 and eventually intensified into the first typhoon of the season, while the last named storm, Pabuk, dissipated on December 25. Furthermore, Yagi became the season’s first super typhoon on September 5 before it devastated Hainan and in Vietnam on September 7, becoming one of the strongest typhoons in 70 years to strike Vietnam according to the country’s government.
The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean to the north of the equator between 100°E and 180th meridian. Within the northwestern Pacific Ocean, there are two separate agencies that assign names to tropical cyclones which can often result in a cyclone having two names. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) will name a tropical cyclone if it has 10-minute sustained wind speeds of at least anywhere in the basin. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°N and 25°N, regardless of whether or not a tropical cyclone has already been given a name by the JMA. Tropical depressions that are monitored by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) are given a number with a "W" suffix; W meaning west, a reference to the western Pacific region. __TOC__
Seasonal forecasts TSR forecastsDate Tropicalstorms TotalTyphoons IntenseTCs Average (1991–2020) 25.5 16.0 9.3 301 May 7, 2024 25 15 7 225 July 5, 2024 24 14 7 211 August 7, 2024 24 14 7 177 Other forecasts DateForecast CenterPeriodSystemsJanuary 15, 2024PAGASAJanuary–March0–2 tropical cyclonesJanuary 15, 2024PAGASAApril–June2–4 tropical cyclonesJune 26, 2024PAGASAJuly–September6–10 tropical cyclonesJune 26, 2024PAGASAOctober–December4–7 tropical cyclones 2024 season ForecastCenter Tropicalcyclones Tropicalstorms Typhoons Actual activity: JMA 38 26 13 Actual activity: JTWC 28 21 14 Actual activity: PAGASA 18 13 10 During the year, several national meteorological services and scientific agencies forecast how many tropical cyclones, tropical storms, and typhoons will form during a season and/or how many tropical cyclones will affect a particular country. These agencies included the Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) Consortium of University College London, PAGASA, Vietnam's National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting and Taiwan's Central Weather Administration.
PAGASA released its first outlook on January 15 in their seasonal climate outlook predicting the first half of 2024. They predicted that zero to two tropical cyclones were expected to form, while two to four tropical cyclones are expected to form in April to June. PAGASA also noted that El Niño would persist between January and March; however, warmer than normal sea surface temperatures would gradually weaken.
Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) also released their first forecast on May 7, predicting below average activity with 25 named storms, 15 typhoons and 7 intense typhoons. This was primarily due to the dominant El Niño event at the time, which was expected to transition into a weak or moderate La Niña by mid-2024. TSR released their early July forecast on July 5, where they slightly decreased the amount of storms and typhoons, mentioning the same factors as their previous forecast. On August 7, TSR released their final forecast for the season, retaining the same number of storms. However, they further decreased the predicted ACE index, due to a slow start of the season and decreased tropical activity as of early August. Moreover, with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation being in a negative phase since the beginning of 2020, they also mentioned how this season could become the lowest five-year activity since 1965.
PAGASA released its second and final outlook on June 26, predicting 6-10 tropical cyclones to form between July to September, while 4-7 of those are expected to form between October to December. PAGASA also noted that El Niño conditions had also ended and a transition from neutral ENSO to La Niña is also likely between the former months.
Seasonal summary
Early season activity The season began on May 23, when a tropical storm named Ewiniar formed southeast of Palau, marking it as the fifth-latest start of a Pacific typhoon season since reliable records began. It also made Ewiniar the eight-latest time and ended a 157-day period (December 18, 2023 – May 24, 2024) during which no named storm was active in the basin. Ewiniar tracked toward the Philippines, where it was named Aghon by PAGASA, the replacement name for Ambo. Ewiniar made nine landfalls in Homonhon Island; Giporlos, Eastern Samar; Basiao Island; Cagduyong Island; Batuan, Masbate; Masbate City; Torrijos, Marinduque; Lucena, Quezon and Patnanungan. It began to move over the warm tropical waters of Lamon Bay, where both the JTWC and the JMA upgraded Ewiniar into a minimal typhoon. Ewiniar began its extratropical transition while it was 719 km (447 mi) east-northeast of Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. On June 6, another extratropical cyclone would absorb the remnants of Ewiniar, just off the coast of Alaska. On May 30, another tropical depression formed southeast of Haikou, China. The next day, at 03:00 UTC, JTWC designated the disturbance as Tropical Depression 02W. A few hours later, JMA assigned the name Maliksi to 02W as it was designated as a tropical storm. Shortly thereafter, on May 31, Maliksi made landfall in Yangjiang, Guangdong. The JMA and JTWC discontinued warnings as Maliksi moved inland and dissipated on June 2. No tropical cyclones formed in June for the first time since 2016.
After many weeks of inactivity, on July 13, a tropical depression formed east of Vietnam, designated as 03W. Shortly after, it tracked into Vietnam, dissipating soon after. On July 19, two tropical disturbances were recognized by the JTWC: one southeast of Manila and another east of Palau. Soon after, both disturbances developed into a depression, being named by PAGASA. The first one, west of Batangas, was named Butchoy while the second, east of Virac, was named Carina. Later that day, the JTWC followed suit, designating both as tropical depressions, with Butchoy being 04W and Carina as 05W. The next day, the more eastern disturbance, Carina, was named Gaemi by the JMA. On July 21, Butchoy also intensified into a tropical storm, receiving the name Prapiroon from the JMA. Prapiroon moved through the South China Sea as a mild tropical storm before making landfall over Wanning, Hainan. Prapiroon moved through Gulf of Tonkin, where it further intensified into a severe tropical storm. Early on July 23, Prapiroon made its second and final landfall in Quảng Ninh, Vietnam. Situated in a favorable environment in the Philippine Sea, Gaemi continued to strengthen and became the second typhoon of this season. Gaemi rapidly intensified into a very strong typhoon, with 10-minute sustained winds of 165 km/h (105 mph). Gaemi stalled and executed a counterclockwise loop near the coast, slightly weakening before making landfall over the northeastern coast of Taiwan. Weakened by the landfalls, the storm accelerated across the island and emerged into the Taiwan Strait, six hours after landfall. The next day, Gaemi made its final landfall at Xiuyu, Putian in Fujian Province as a weakening tropical storm. Moving inland, the storm rapidly weakened until it dissipated on July 27.
Even though Gaemi never made landfall in the Philippines, the storm's moisture would enhance the southwest monsoon. Heavy rainfalls were felt over Luzon and some parts of the Visayas, leaving the regions flooded. Overall, Gaemi caused 152 fatalities and US$4.57 billion worth of damages throughout its track. Peak season activity
On August 3, a low-pressure area developed east of Kadena Air Base. At 00:00 UTC, JMA recognize the disturbance as a depression. However, it was downgraded to a remnant low on August 7. The convection later meandered south of Ryukyu Islands for a few days before JMA reclassified it again as a depression on August 11. JMA issued a gale warning the next day, citing that it would intensify in the following days. JTWC later followed suit and upgraded it into Tropical Depression 08W. On August 13, the depression became a tropical storm, receiving the name Ampil from the JMA. Ampil gradually intensified in the Pacific Ocean, becoming a severe tropical storm. JMA upgraded Ampil into a typhoon two days later, and the JTWC classified it as a Category 2-equivalent typhoon. The next day, it strengthened into a Category 4-equivalent typhoon. The typhoon passed just south of Greater Tokyo Area before weakening and transitioning to an extratropical cyclone.
On August 5, a low-pressure area formed in Bonin Islands. The disturbance was in an environment with low to moderate wind shear and warm SSTs. The JTWC later classified the disturbance as a depression the next day, giving it the designation 06W. Early on August 8, JMA upgraded the depression into a storm, naming it Maria. The storm further strengthened into a severe tropical storm on the same day. At the same time, JTWC reported that Maria had rapidly intensified into a typhoon due to strong equatorward and poleward outflow. However, on August 9, Maria weakened into a tropical storm as it moved northeastward. On August 10, another low-pressure area formed just southeast of Maria. The JTWC would classify the disturbance as a subtropical depression in their next bulletin. Despite being in a marginal environment and high wind shear, JMA upgraded into a tropical storm, giving it the name Son-Tinh. The next day, JTWC reported that Son-Tinh became tropical, designating it as 07W. Son-Tinh weakened back into a tropical depression before dissipating on August 14.
On the morning of August 12, Maria made landfall in Iwate Prefecture as a tropical storm, bringing strong winds and heavy rains in northern Japan. After moving inland, Maria weakened into a tropical depression. The storm entered the Sea of Japan, further weakening on the next day. The JTWC issued its final warning after Maria was last noted west-northwest of Misawa. JMA continued to track the depression before they issued their final warning at 04:15 UTC.
Activity increased when an area of convection was formed on August 12 near the southwest of Son-Tinh. JMA would immediately recognize the disturbance as a tropical depression. The next day, JTWC went on classifying it as a tropical depression, designating it 09W. Similar to Ampil, on August 13, 09W intensified into a tropical storm, receiving the name Wukong from the JMA. Wukong was short-lived due to its poorly organized cloud tops. JTWC made its final warning for Wukong as it moved through cooler waters and dissipated on August 15.