Typhoons in Palau
Typhoons occurfrequently in Palau. On average, they happen about 9 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Kayangel, Angaur Island and Sonsorol.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 »Banyan«. It reached a wind speed of up to 65 km/h on October 31, 2022 at 9:00 am local time near Ngardmau and was 28 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a tropical storm typhoon.
› The most severe cyclones in the world
Back to overview: Palau
Current satellite image of the western Pacific
07.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent typhoons in Palau since 2018
Nalgae: October 27 to November 3, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 833 km
Air pressure:
below 979 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Palau. On October 27th, 2022 at 9:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 251 km northeast of Kayangel.
Malakas: April 7-15, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
Diameter:
max. 826 km
Air pressure:
below 939 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Palau. On April 11th, 2022 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 442 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
Rai: December 11-21, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 263 km/h
on land:
max. 198 km/h
Diameter:
max. 833 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 915 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Babeldaob
Kayangel
Angaur Island
Sonsorol
Babeldaob
Kayangel
Angaur Island
Sonsorol
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 in Palau. On November 30th, 2021 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 550 km northwest of Kayangel.
Nyatoh: November 28 to December 4, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 241 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1000 km
Air pressure:
below 925 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Palau. On November 30th, 2021 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 259 km northwest of Kayangel.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Gagil in Micronesia on November 30th at 6:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Gagil in Micronesia on November 30th at 6:00 am.
Lionrock: October 2-10, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 74 km/h
on land:
max. 37 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1241 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Sonsorol
Sonsorol
Conson: September 5-13, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 500 km
Air pressure:
below 985 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The typhoon did not make direct landfall in Palau. On September 6th, 2021 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 480 km northeast of Sonsorol Village in Sonsorol.
Choi Wan: May 29 to June 6, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 94 km/h
on land:
max. 54 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 986 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Angaur Island
Angaur Island
Choi Wan: May 28 to June 6, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
on land:
max. 78 km/h
Diameter:
max. 600 km
Air pressure:
below 996 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Peleliu
Angaur Island
Sonsorol
Peleliu
Angaur Island
Sonsorol
Surigae: April 13-25, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 306 km/h
on land:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 888 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Kayangel
Kayangel
Surigae: April 11-30, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 309 km/h
on land:
max. 263 km/h
Diameter:
max. 963 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 885 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Kayangel
Kayangel
Dujuan: February 17-23, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
on land:
max. 46 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Angaur Island
Angaur Island
Dujuan: February 14-23, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 982 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Babeldaob
Peleliu
Angaur Island
Sonsorol
Babeldaob
Peleliu
Angaur Island
Sonsorol
Vamco: November 8-16, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 207 km/h
on land:
max. 28 km/h
Diameter:
max. 778 km
Air pressure:
below 948 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Kayangel
Kayangel
Molave: October 21-29, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 189 km/h
on land:
max. 46 km/h
Diameter:
max. 889 km
Air pressure:
below 940 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Kayangel
Kayangel
Saudel: October 16-26, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 133 km/h
on land:
max. 28 km/h
Diameter:
max. 889 km
Air pressure:
below 975 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Kayangel
Kayangel
Vongfong: May 8-18, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 180 km/h
on land:
max. 37 km/h
Diameter:
max. 685 km
Air pressure:
below 960 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Angaur Island
Sonsorol
Angaur Island
Sonsorol
Phanfone: December 19-29, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 194 km/h
on land:
max. 78 km/h
Diameter:
max. 389 km
Air pressure:
below 958 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Kayangel
Kayangel
Kammuri: November 24 to December 6, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 217 km/h
on land:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1000 km
Air pressure:
below 940 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Kayangel
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.
The most severe earthquakes in the world
Active volcanoes and eruptions in the United States
Population growth in Sweden