2015 Pacific typhoon season | |
---|---|
Seasonal boundaries | |
First system formed | January 2, 2015 |
Last system dissipated | December 23, 2015 |
Strongest storm | |
Name | Soudelor |
• Maximum winds | 215 km/h (130 mph) (10-minute sustained) |
• Lowest pressure | 900 hPa (mbar) |
Seasonal statistics | |
Total depressions | 38, 1 unofficial |
Total storms | 27, 1 unofficial |
Typhoons | 18 |
Super typhoons | 9 (unofficial)[nb 1] |
Total fatalities | 349 total |
Total damage | $14.84 billion (2015 USD) |
Related articles | |
The 2015 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly above average season that produced twenty-seven tropical storms (including two that crossed over from the Eastern/Central Pacific), eighteen typhoons, and nine super typhoons. The season ran throughout 2015, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and November. The season's first named storm, Mekkhala, developed on January 15, while the season's last named storm, Melor, dissipated on December 17. The season saw at least one named tropical system forming in each of every month, the first time since 1965. Similar to the previous season, this season saw a high number of super typhoons. Accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) during 2015 was extremely high, the third highest since 1970, and the 2015 ACE has been attributed in part to anthropogenic warming, and also the 2014-16 El Niño event, that led to similarly high ACE values in the East Pacific.[1]
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)[nb 2] 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 the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) 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)[nb 3][nb 1] are given a number with a "W" suffix.
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