Typhoons in Taiwan
Typhoons occur very often in Taiwan. On average, they happen about 12 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Taiwan and Kaohsiung.The typhoon season in the Pacific usually begins with less severe storms in April and does not end until November. The most severe typhoons usually occur in August and September.
The most severe typhoon to make landfall in Taiwan in the past 12 months was »Mawar«. It reached a wind speed of up to 183 km/h on May 29, 2023 at 8:00 pm local time near Hengchun and was 190 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a category 3 typhoon. On the open sea, speeds of up to 294 km/h were measured (category 5).
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Current super typhoon: Mawar
On May 20, 2023 at 8:00 am, typhoon »Mawar« formed in the Northwest Pacific with an initial wind speed of 46 km/h. The storm system initially moved north at 6 km/h and reached a diameter of 457 kilometers. On May 26, 2023 at 8:00 am, it reached its highest wind speed to date of 294 kilometers per hour. This corresponds to a category 5 typhoon. On June 2, 2023 at 8:00 am, Mawar made landfall near the city of Naze in Japan. At that time, the typhoon had a wind speed of 83 km/h and a diameter of 278 kilometers.
Mawar has since subsided and is no longer under observation by the authorities. Its last position was about 153 km south of Japan.
Current satellite image of the western Pacific
03.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent typhoons in Taiwan since 2018
Mawar: May 20 to June 2, 2023
Wind speed:
max. 294 km/h
on land:
max. 183 km/h
Diameter:
max. 915 km
Air pressure:
below 897 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Nesat: October 14-20, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 165 km/h
on land:
max. 63 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Air pressure:
below 964 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Muifa: September 6-16, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
Diameter:
max. 889 km
Air pressure:
below 942 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Taiwan. On September 12th, 2022 at 11:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 166 km west of Keelung in Taiwan.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Ishigaki in Japan on September 12th at 2:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Ishigaki in Japan on September 12th at 2:00 am.
Hinnamnor: August 28 to September 6, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 256 km/h
Diameter:
max. 344 km
Air pressure:
below 915 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Taiwan. On September 4th, 2022 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 242 km west of Keelung in Taiwan.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Ishigaki in Japan on September 3rd at 2:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Ishigaki in Japan on September 3rd at 2:00 pm.
Kompasu: October 7-14, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 106 km/h
Diameter:
max. 2222 km
Air pressure:
below 975 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Taiwan
Kaohsiung
Taiwan
Kaohsiung
Chanthu: September 6-18, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 274 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 908 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Taiwan. On September 12th, 2021 at 2:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 57 km west of Keelung in Taiwan.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Basco in the Philippines on September 11th at 5:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Basco in the Philippines on September 11th at 5:00 am.
Chanthu: September 5-20, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 282 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 905 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
In Fa: July 16-30, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 176 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 951 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Taiwan. On July 24th, 2021 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 277 km west of Keelung in Taiwan.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Hirara in Japan on July 23rd at 5:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Hirara in Japan on July 23rd at 5:00 am.
In Fa: July 15-31, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 157 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1204 km
Eye:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 950 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Surigae: April 13-25, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 306 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Eye:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 888 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Taiwan. On April 22nd, 2021 at 8:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 453 km southwest of Hengchun in Taiwan.
Surigae: April 11-30, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 309 km/h
on land:
max. 213 km/h
Diameter:
max. 963 km
Eye:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 885 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Maysak: August 26 to September 7, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 176 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Eye:
max. 148 km
Air pressure:
below 935 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Bavi: August 20-29, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
on land:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 685 km
Eye:
max. 93 km
Air pressure:
below 942 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Kalmaegi: November 9-22, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 161 km/h
Diameter:
max. 722 km
Eye:
max. 74 km
Air pressure:
below 964 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Taiwan. On November 19th, 2019 at 5:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 182 km southwest of Hengchun in Taiwan.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near San Mariano in the Philippines on November 17th at 11:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near San Mariano in the Philippines on November 17th at 11:00 pm.
Mitag: September 24 to October 5, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 143 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 965 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Tapah: September 17-23, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1148 km
Eye:
max. 167 km
Air pressure:
below 970 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Lingling: August 30 to September 12, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 207 km/h
Diameter:
max. 852 km
Eye:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 935 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Bailu: August 19-26, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 106 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Taiwan
Kaohsiung
Fukien
Taiwan
Kaohsiung
Fukien
Lekima: August 2-14, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 217 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1159 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 918 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
Danas: July 14-23, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1148 km
Air pressure:
below 984 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Taiwan
Taiwan
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.
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