Typhoon

weather · ocean · powerful storms

Spinning giant storm. A typhoon is a tropical cyclone, which means it's a giant spinning storm that forms over warm ocean water. It's the same type of storm called a hurricane in other parts of the world, but the name typhoon is used for storms in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean near Asia.

Seriously strong winds. Typhoons have sustained winds of at least 119 kilometers per hour, or about 74 miles per hour. That's fast enough to blow roofs off buildings and snap trees like twigs!

Happening near Asia. Almost one third of all tropical cyclones in the world happen in the Northwestern Pacific Basin, the region between 180° and 100°E longitude. Countries like Japan, the Philippines, and Hong Kong are often in the path of these powerful storms.

Watched by many countries. A special weather center in Japan keeps track of typhoons and gives them names. The names come from a list that 18 different countries helped create, because so many countries have areas that could be hit by typhoons each year.