Typhoons in Palau
Typhoons occurfrequently in Palau. On average, they happen about 7 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Angaur Island and Kayangel.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 Palau in the past 12 months was »Rai«. It reached a wind speed of up to 100 km/h on December 14, 2021 at 6:00 pm local time near Kayangel and was 23 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a tropical storm typhoon. On the open sea, speeds of up to 267 km/h were even measured (category 5).
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Current satellite image of the western Pacific
05.10.2022 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent typhoons in Palau since 2018
Malakas: April 7-15, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
Diameter:
max. 148 km
Air pressure:
below 939 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On April 11th, 2022 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 488 km northwest of Kayangel.
Rai: December 13-21, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 267 km/h
on land:
max. 100 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 915 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Kayangel
Kayangel
Nyatoh: November 29 to December 4, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 241 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 928 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On November 30th, 2021 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 633 km northwest of Kayangel.
Malou: October 24-29, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 156 km/h
Diameter:
max. 648 km
Air pressure:
below 967 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On October 24th, 2021 at 9:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 714 km northwest of Kayangel.
Choi Wan: May 29 to June 6, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 94 km/h
on land:
max. 50 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 986 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Angaur Island
Angaur Island
Surigae: April 13-25, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 306 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 888 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On April 16th, 2021 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 75 km north of Kayangel.
Dujuan: February 17-23, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On February 17th, 2021 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 97 km east of Angaur State in Angaur Island.
Krovanh: December 17-25, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 667 km
Air pressure:
below 1000 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On December 17th, 2020 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 361 km east of Sonsorol Village in Sonsorol.
Vamco: November 8-16, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 207 km/h
Diameter:
max. 778 km
Air pressure:
below 948 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On November 08th, 2020 at 12:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 53 km northeast of Kayangel.
Molave: October 21-29, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 189 km/h
Diameter:
max. 889 km
Air pressure:
below 940 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On October 23rd, 2020 at 9:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 226 km north of Kayangel.
Nuri: June 8-14, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 74 km/h
Diameter:
max. 500 km
Air pressure:
below 995 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On June 08th, 2020 at 9:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 355 km northeast of Kayangel.
Vongfong: May 8-18, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 180 km/h
on land:
max. 28 km/h
Diameter:
max. 278 km
Air pressure:
below 960 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Angaur Island
Angaur Island
Phanfone: December 19-29, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 194 km/h
Diameter:
max. 389 km
Air pressure:
below 958 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On December 23rd, 2019 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 118 km northwest of Kayangel.
Kammuri: November 24 to December 6, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 217 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1000 km
Air pressure:
below 940 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On November 28th, 2019 at 9:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 640 km northwest of Kayangel.
Fung Wong: November 17-25, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 611 km
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On November 19th, 2019 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 499 km north of Kayangel.
Kalmaegi: November 9-22, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 161 km/h
Diameter:
max. 722 km
Air pressure:
below 964 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On November 12th, 2019 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 479 km northeast of Kayangel.
Lingling: August 30 to September 12, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 207 km/h
on land:
max. 28 km/h
Diameter:
max. 852 km
Air pressure:
below 935 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Angaur Island
Angaur Island
Podul: August 24-25, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 37 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Air pressure:
below 1004 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical depression
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On August 25th, 2019 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 345 km northwest of Kayangel.
Podul: August 24-31, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 74 km/h
Diameter:
max. 667 km
Air pressure:
below 992 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On August 25th, 2019 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 409 km northwest of Kayangel.
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
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On August 19th, 2019 at 9:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 505 km north of Kayangel.
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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