Typhoons in Taiwan 🌪️

After the intense Typhoon Champi, everything finally seems to be returning to normal as of Sunday. Phew - This one was really no joking matter. 💨

Hope everyone is doing fine. Though I have heard some quote unquote "trends", on typhoons from Taiwanese locals that I made me do a quick search.

｡𖦹°‧ Some have pretty good scientific backing behind them that I thought it would be interesting to share :

1. Typhoons that come after the summer months (June/July/Aug/Sept) tend to be bigger and more dangerous.

Interestingly, there is quite a bit of evidence behind this. A 2025 paper outlines the mechanism and mentions that in autumn, typhoons travel more equatorward and encounter more favourable ocean sub-surface conditions for intensification. Compared to summer, the thermodynamic disequilibrium between the ocean surface and the lower atmosphere is more prominent.

1. In recent years, the Typhoons have been coming later in the year than before.

There seems to be a dispute over this as:

A 2023 paper identifies a significant seasonal advance of intense typhoons since the 1980s in most tropical oceans, with earlier-shifting rates of 3.7 and 3.2 days per decade for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, respectively.

Another 2025 paper finds a significant delay of the typhoon season in China, shifting later at a rate of 5 to 8 days per decade over the satellite era 1979−2023. 

∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° ) ?

👀 We know that El Niño plays a big role in typhoons. And given the Super El Niño this year with all the Indonesian forest fires, I guess its not a surprise that this year’s typhoons are also stronger it's a grim outlook. I guess my only other questions is: how much did global warming play a role in this? or are they more independent climate change? 🌧️