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2010 Pacific typhoon season

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Through South Korea and El Niño–Southern Oscillation

The season ran throughout 2010, though most tropical cyclones tend to develop between June and October. The season's first named storm, Omais, developed on March 24 while the season's last named storm, Chaba dissipated or became extratropical on October 30. During the season only three storms were notable. Typhoon Kompasu was the strongest storm to make landfall over in South Korea in 15 years. In September, Typhoon Fanapi struck Taiwan and China, causing heavy damage in the two countries. No storms made landfall in mainland Japan, only the second such occurrence since 1988. During October, Typhoon Megi reached its peak intensity with a minimum barometric pressure of 885 hPa, making it one of the most intense typhoons ever recorded. In addition, a rare subtropical storm had developed during December and intensified into Tropical Storm Omeka where it crossed the basin.

The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean to the north of the equator between 100°E and 180th meridian. Within the northwestern Pacific Ocean, there are two separate agencies that assign names to tropical cyclones which can often result in a cyclone having two names. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) will name a tropical cyclone should it be judged to have 10-minute sustained wind speeds of at least 65 km/h (40 mph) anywhere in the basin, whilst the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°N–25°N regardless of whether or not a tropical cyclone has already been given a name by the JMA. Tropical depressions that are monitored by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) are given a number with a "W" suffix.


Seasonal forecasts

Each season several national meteorological services and scientific agencies forecast how many tropical cyclones, tropical storms, and typhoons will form during a season and/or how many tropical cyclones will affect a particular country.

City University of Hong Kong

Since the 2000 Pacific typhoon season, the Guy Carpenter Asia-Pacific Climate Impact Centre (GCACIC), of the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), have issued forecasts of activity for each upcoming typhoon season. Forecasts on the number of tropical cyclones, tropical storms and typhoons there would be during 2010 in the Western Pacific were released in April and June. For the first time this year the GCACIC issued forecasts in May and July, which predicted how many tropical cyclones would make landfall in South China, and pass within 100 km (62 mi) of either the Korean Peninsula or Japan during 2010.

In its April 2010 forecast; GCACIC predicted that 28 tropical cyclones, 24 tropical storms, and 16 typhoons would form in the western north Pacific this year. However, in its June forecast the GCACIC reported that they now only expected 27 tropical cyclones, 23 tropical storms, and 15 typhoons, to form during the season. As a result of their predictions the GCACIC also predicted that tropical cyclone activity would be below average for the twelfth year in a row. In May the GCACIC forecasted that between May and December, six tropical cyclones would make landfall on Southern China and another six tropical cyclones would make landfall on or pass within 100 km (62 mi) of either the Korean Peninsula or Japan. In July the GCACIC forecast that between July and December three tropical cyclones would make landfall on Southern China, while four tropical cyclones would make landfall on or pass within 100 km (62 mi) of either the Korean Peninsula or Japan.

Tropical Storm Risk Consortium

Since the 2000 Pacific typhoon season, the Tropical Storm Risk Consortium (TSR) of the University College of London have issued forecasts of activity for each upcoming typhoon season. Forecasts on the number of tropical storms, typhoons and intense typhoons there would be during 2010 in the Western Pacific were released in March, May, July and August. In its March forecast TSR predicted that the season would see activity close to the average with 26 tropical storms, 16 typhoons and seven intense typhoons developing during the season. In its May forecast, while lowering their initial prediction for the amount of tropical storms and typhoons, TSR continued to predict that the season would see activity close to the average, with 24 tropical storms, 15 typhoons and nine intense typhoons developing during the season. In its July forecast TSR significantly lowered their forecast and reported that they now expected activity to be 20% below average, with 23 tropical storms 14 typhoons and seven intense typhoons developing during the season. In its August forecast TSR predicted that activity would be 25% – 30% below average with 23 tropical storms, 13 typhoons and six intense typhoons developing during the season. TSR also predicted that if their August forecast came true then the season would be in the lowest 25% of seasons.

National meteorological service predictions

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported on January 7 that they were expecting a total of 19 tropical cyclones to pass through the Philippine area of responsibility during 2010. On March 23 the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), predicted that less than six tropical cyclones would affect Hong Kong during the season. As a result of being under the influence of a weakening El Niño, the HKO also predicted that the chances of a tropical cyclone affecting Hong Kong before June was not high. After Vietnam was hit by Tropical Depression 01W in January, the Vietnamese National Center for Hydro Meteorological forecasts predicted in May that 6–7 tropical cyclones would affect Vietnam during 2010. While the Thai Meteorological Department predicted that one or two tropical cyclones would affect Thailand between August and November. On June 30, the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan predicted that the 2010 season would be below its normal climatic average of 26.6, and predicted that 20–23 tropical storms, would occur over the Western Pacific during 2010. The Central Weather Bureau also predicted that between two and four tropical storms would affect Taiwan during 2010. After the slow start to the season, on July 5, PAGASA reported that they now only expected 13–15 tropical cyclones to pass through the region.

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