Super Typhoon Champi Sets 2026 Storm Speed Record

Super Typhoon Champi reached wind speeds of approximately 185 miles per hour (around 290 kilometers per hour) on Tuesday afternoon EST, marking the highest wind speed recorded for any storm this year.

By Wednesday morning EST, Super Typhoon Champi's winds had decreased to 175 miles per hour. Forecasters expect the storm to weaken over the next day. It is currently situated about 430 nautical miles south of Kadena Air Base in Japan, moving northwest, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

The western Pacific experiences more intense storms than other regions globally. Champi highlights the significant storm activity in the Pacific compared to the Atlantic. For instance, Hurricane Isaias, the strongest storm in the North Atlantic so far this year, had maximum winds of 120 mph (193 kph). In contrast, the northeastern Pacific saw Hurricane Polo reach about 178 mph (286 kph) in September. Northwestern Pacific storms like April’s Typhoon Sinlaku and July’s Typhoon Bavi also approached similar strengths. Champi is the 25th storm in the northwestern Pacific this year.

A cyclone qualifies as a typhoon or hurricane when its wind speeds reach at least 74 mph (119 kph). The classification depends on the storm's location. In the Northern Hemisphere, Pacific cyclones west of the international date line are designated typhoons, while those east of it are classified as hurricanes.

This year has seen notable cyclone activity. The Atlantic has been unusually calm, with Hurricane Isaias being the season’s first Atlantic hurricane, forming later than any previously recorded hurricane since record-keeping began. Meanwhile, the Hawaiian Islands have experienced a higher-than-usual number of hurricanes this season.

These weather patterns are partly influenced by El Niño, a climate phenomenon affecting global weather. El Niño years typically correlate with reduced hurricane activity in the Atlantic and increased activity in certain Pacific areas.