In the western North Pacific, a tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher is called a typhoon. It is the same type of storm known as a hurricane in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific.

The western Pacific produces more intense tropical cyclones on average than any other basin, partly because of the vast expanse of warm water and favorable atmospheric conditions. Typhoons can reach extreme intensities, with some recording the highest wind speeds and lowest pressures ever measured.

Impacts on East and Southeast Asia include destructive winds, torrential rain, landslides, and storm surge. Forecasting centers in the region issue warnings using the typhoon terminology familiar to local populations. The storms often recurve and affect higher latitudes as they move poleward.

Historical typhoons have shaped coastal engineering and disaster-preparedness practices across the basin.