A severe tropical storm is the third highest category used by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to classify tropical cyclones in the Northwest Pacific basin. The basin is limited to the north of the equator between the 100th meridian east and the 180th meridian. The category of the severe tropical storm is defined as a tropical cyclone that has 10-minute sustained wind speeds of between 48 and 63 knots (89–117 km/h; 55–73 mph).
Background
The Northwest Pacific basin covers a vast area in the Pacific Ocean, located north of the equator, between 100°E and 180°E. Several weather agencies monitor this basin, however it is officially monitored by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA, RSMC Tokyo), who is responsible for forecasting, naming and issuing warnings for tropical cyclones. Unofficially, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center also monitors the basin, however these warnings measures 1-minute sustained wind speeds, comparing their scale to the Saffir–Simpson scale. The JMA uses a simpler scale on classifying tropical cyclones adapted by the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee measuring 10-minute sustained wind speeds, ranging from a tropical depression, tropical storm, severe tropical storm and typhoon.
This article covers a list of systems developing in the Northwest Pacific basin that were classified by the JMA's category of a severe tropical storm. The category of a severe tropical storm ranges with 10-minute sustained winds of 48–63 kn (25–32 m/s; 55–72 mph; 89–117 km/h).
Systems Key Discontinuous duration (weakened below Severe tropical storm then restrengthened to that classification at least once)
1977–1979 NameDuration as aSevere tropical stormDuration(hours)Sustainedwind speedsPressureAreas affectedDeathsDamage(USD) Patsy 18 None None None Ruth 30 Philippines, China, Taiwan Unknown Unknown Amy 30 Philippines, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands None None Emma 102 Mariana Islands, Japan None None Freda 30 Philippines, China, Taiwan Unknown Harriet 60 None None None Nadine 36 Marshall Islands None None Agnes 84 South China Unknown Kit 6 Philippines, South China, Vietnam Unknown Unknown Nina 102 Philippines, South China, Vietnam Unknown Tess 66 Philippines, South China, Vietnam None None Winnie 36 Mariana Islands None None Faye 12 Mariana Islands None None Gordon 30 Philippines, South China, Taiwan Unknown Unknown Mac 54 Philippines, South China Unknown Unknown Wayne 12 Philippines None None
1980s NameDuration as aSevere tropical stormDuration(hours)Sustainedwind speedsPressureAreas affectedDeathsDamage(USD) Carmen 12 None None None Forrest 30† Caroline Islands, Philippines Unknown Unknown Georgia 24 China Unknown Unknown Herbert 6 Philippines, South China Unknown Unknown Ruth 18 South China, Vietnam, Laos Unknown Thelma 30 None None None Gerald 12 Mariana Islands, Caroline Islands None None Ike 48 East China, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands None Kelly 66 Philippines, South China, Vietnam Lynn 48† Philippines, South China None Maury 18 Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, East China None Ogden 18 Japan, South Korea None None Phyllis 12 None None None Susan 84 None None None Vanessa 18 None None None Mamie 12 Philippines, Vietnam Winona 24 Philippines, South China Hope 36 Vietnam Unknown Unknown Roger 30 Philippines None None Ben 12 Japan None None Ida 66 Mariana Islands, Japan None None Joe 42 Philippines, South China None None Lex 42 Philippines, Indochina > None Ruth 18 Caroline Islands None None Thelma 12 Caroline Islands None None
1990s NameDuration as aSevere tropical stormDuration(hours)Sustainedwind speedsPressureAreas affectedDeathsDamage(USD) Koryn 60 Mariana Islands, Caroline Islands None None Nathan 30 Philippines, South China, Vietnam None Tasha 48 South China, Vietnam None Winona 60 Japan None None Nell 12 Vietnam, Cambodia None None Sharon 12 Caroline Islands, Philippines None None Brendan 60 Philippines, Taiwan, South China None None Gladys 144 Japan, Korean Peninsula Luke 54 Japan None Verne 72 Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands None Zelda 72 Marshall Islands None None Axel 60 Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands None None Gary 24 Philippines, South China Irving 24 Japan, South Korea Polly 51 Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, East China Ted 84 Philippines, Taiwan, East China, Korean Peninsula, East China Colleen 174† Philippines, Indochina Unknown Unknown Irma 24 Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands None Lewis 54 Philippines, South China, Vietnam None None Nathan 53 Mariana Islands, Japan None None Percy 39 Mariana Islands, Japan None None Steve 60 Mariana Islands, Ryukyu Islands None None Zola 15 Japan None None Hattie 12 Marshall Islands None None Nell 66 Philippines None None Owen 54 Caroline Islands, Philippines None Russ 30 China Zeke 18 None None None Bobbie 24 Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands None None Gary 30 Philippines, China None Helen 18 Philippines, South China None Lois 54 South China, Indochina None None Sibyl 78 Philippines, China Ted 12 Philippines, South China None None Yvette 6 Philippines, Indochina Unknown Unknown Dan 66 Caroline Islands, Philippines None None Frankie 12 South China, Vietnam Joy 30 None None None Willie 42 South China, Indochina None Beth 84 Philippines, Vietnam None Fern 96 Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands None Victor 48 China Yule 54 Marshall Islands None None Zita 24 South China Fritz 18 Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Linda 24 Vietnam, Thailand Penny 12 Philippines, South China None Stella 48 Mariana Islands, Japan Kate 66 Philippines None None Neil 30 Philippines None Sam 54 Philippines, South China Dora 12 Wake Island None None Tanya 12 Wake Island None None Virgil 6 None None None York 60 Philippines, South China Ann 36 East China None None Gloria 30 None None None
2000s The JMA tracked a total of 42 severe tropical storms from 2000 through to 2009. Fortunately, many of these storms did not affect any landmass, however there were a few notable storms like Kammuri in 2002 and Bilis in 2006 which both impacted mainland China, killing hundreds of people and causing total combined damages of nearly US$5 billion. Bilis ended up killing a total of 859 people, making it one of the deadliest storms in China, and also, being known as the tenth wettest tropical cyclone in the country.
NameDuration as aSevere tropical stormDuration(hours)Sustainedwind speedsPressureAreas affectedDeathsDamage(USD) Bolaven 6 Philippines, Ryukyu Islands, South Korea None None Sonamu 24 Japan None None Bebinca 90† Philippines, South China None Cimaron 6 Philippines, Taiwan None Durian 36 South China, Vietnam Utor 66 Philippines, South China, Vietnam Yutu 36 Philippines, South China, Vietnam None Noguri 36 Taiwan, Japan None Nakri 6 East China, Taiwan, Japan None Kammuri 18 China Bavi 30 None None None Maysak 30 None None None Linfa 30 Philippines, Japan Nangka 24 Taiwan, Philippines, Japan None None Koni 42 Philippines, South China, Vietnam Melor 12 Taiwan, Philippines, Japan None Omais 12 Caroline Islands None None Chanthu 18 Philippines, Indochina Sarika 42 Mariana Islands None None Kulap 30 Caroline Islands None None Roke 18 Caroline Islands, Philippines Banyan 60 Japan None None Sanvu 24 Philippines, Taiwan, East China None None Guchol 78 None None None Bolaven 54 Philippines None None Bilis 102 Caroline Islands, Taiwan, East China Bopha 33 Taiwan, East China None Wukong 72 Japan, South Korea None Bebinca 24 Mariana Islands, Japan, None Danas 48 None None None Lekima 72 Philippines, Vietnam Podul 30 None None None Faxai 24 Japan Matmo 6 Philippines, Japan None None Halong 48† Philippines, Japan Kammuri 12 Philippines, South China, Taiwan, Vietnam Phanfone 6 None None None Vongfong 42 Japan None Maysak 18 Philippines, Vietnam None Linfa 54 Philippines, Japan Krovanh 54 Japan None None Dujuan 120 Mariana Islands None None
2010s From 2010 to 2019, the JMA tracked a total of 52 severe tropical storms. In December 2011, Severe Tropical Storm Washi impacted the southern part of the Philippines, killing a total of 2,546 people, making it one of the deadliest tropical cyclones to hit the country. Mekkhala in January 2015 also affected the Philippines, but was notable for interrupting Pope Francis’ visit to the country. Nine months later saw the most damaging severe tropical storm of the decade, where Etau mainly affected Japan, causing damages of up to ¥294 billion (US$2.44 billion) due to extreme flooding and various landslides. Moreover, Tropical Storm Pewa moved into the Northwest Pacific basin from the Central Pacific and was classified as a severe tropical storm by the JMA.
NameDuration as aSevere tropical stormDuration(hours)Sustainedwind speedsPressureAreas affectedDeathsDamage(USD) Dianmu 45 Japan, South Korea Lionrock 42 Philippines, Taiwan, South China None Malou 30 Japan None None Meranti 12 Taiwan, East China Meari 96 Philippines, Japan, South Korea Nock-ten 48 Philippines, Indochina Merbok 78 None None None Talas 168 Japan Washi 6 Philippines Sanvu 66 Mariana Islands None Talim 18 Taiwan Khanun 12 Japan, Korean Peninsula Kirogi 6 None None None Ewiniar 72 Mariana Islands None None Maliksi 30 Mariana Islands None None Gaemi 6 Philippines, Indochina Maria 24 Mariana Islands None None Sonamu 30 Philippines, Vietnam, Borneo None Rumbia 6 Philippines, South China Jebi 24 Philippines, South China, Vietnam Trami 60 Philippines, East China, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands Pewa 18 None None None Kong-rey 27 Philippines, Taiwan, Japan Pabuk 114 Mariana Islands None None Tapah 30 Wake Island, Japan None None Nakri 42 Japan, Korean Peninsula Fengshen 66 Japan None None Kammuri 18 Mariana Islands None None Mekkhala 30 Philippines Linfa 36 Philippines, Taiwan, South China Etau 18 Japan Choi-wan 36 Wake Island, Japan None None Mirinae 6 South China, Indochina Nida 48 Philippines, Taiwan, South China, Vietnam Omais 96 Mariana Islands, Japan, Russia Far East None None Chanthu 60 Japan, Russia Far East None Aere 30 Philippines, Taiwan, South China, Indochina Tokage 12 Philippines, Vietnam Merbok 12 Philippines, South China None Nanmadol 54 Japan Talas 18 Vietnam, Hainan Pakhar 12 Philippines, South China, Vietnam Mawar 36 Philippines, South China None Saola 63 Caroline Islands, Japan None Maliksi 66 Philippines, Ryukyu Islands, Japan None Ampil 54 Ryukyu Islands, East China Wukong 18 Japan, South Korea None None Leepi 42 None None None Usagi 42 Caroline Islands, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia Bailu 48 Philippines, Taiwan, South China Matmo 18 Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand Fung-wong 30 Philippines, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands None None
2020s As of 2025, 15 severe tropical storms have developed this decade.