<\/p>\n
Tropical cyclone activity in the Northwest Pacific Basin<\/a> has been elevated since April 2026, when Sinlaku<\/a> surged to super typhoon strength and battered Micronesia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Twenty-five named storms later, the basin still hummed with activity in late October.<\/p>\nWhen the EPIC<\/a> (Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera) on the DSCOVR<\/a>\u00a0(Deep Space Climate Observatory) satellite captured this image (above) on October 29, 2026, Super Typhoon In-fa<\/a> churned near the Mariana Islands. At the same time, the remnants of Typhoon Champi<\/a> approached Alaska amid a parade of storms<\/a> moving across the Bering Sea. In-fa is the fifth typhoon<\/a> to affect the Mariana Islands this year.<\/p>\nThe MODIS<\/a> (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA\u2019s Terra<\/a> satellite captured the image of In-fa below on October 30, when the storm was just west of the island chain. In-fa was unusually intense at the time of the image, with a nearly circular shape and large eye\u2014a collection of characteristics that meteorologists use to identify a subset of tropical cyclones known as annular storms<\/a>. These storms typically lack prominent outer spiral-shaped rainbands\u2014a common feature of standard tropical cyclones\u2014which is why meteorologists have a habit of calling annular storms \u201cdoughnuts\u201d<\/a> or \u201ctruck tires.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\nAnnular storms are rare, accounting for just 4 percent of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific, according to one analysis<\/a>. Their eyes average about 45 kilometers (30 miles) in diameter, compared to about 25 kilometers for standard tropical cyclones, and the storms typically maintain their strength longer in unfavorable conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIn-fa was still a tropical cyclone<\/a> when EPIC captured the image at the top of the page, but Champi\u2019s leftovers had gone through the process of extratropical transition<\/a> and become a whole different type of storm as they entered the Bering Sea\u2019s busy storm track. Tropical cyclones are warm-core<\/a> storms fueled by the heat and moisture of warm ocean water, but extratropical cyclones<\/a> typically have cold cores<\/a> and draw energy from temperature contrasts between warm and cold air masses.<\/p>\nUnlike tropical cyclones, extratropical cyclones typically develop fronts and huge, spiraling cloud bands shaped like commas<\/a>. \u201cOne of the calling cards of extratropical transitions is the expansion of a storm\u2019s wind field,\u201d said Gary Partyka, a meteorologist at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center. \u201cIt\u2019s not that the winds necessarily grow stronger, but they cover a much larger area,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nIn this case, there likely would still have been a midlatitude storm over the Bering Sea, possibly with large, comma-shaped clouds on October 30, even without Champi\u2019s remnants, he added. \u201cBut it looks like Champi became intertwined with and helped intensify that system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nChampi\u2019s transformation came after a long and destructive tour through the West Pacific, during which the typhoon achieved maximum sustained winds of nearly 300 kilometers (185 miles) per hour, prompting some observers to call it one of the strongest storms<\/a> of the season.<\/p>\nDespite narrowly skirting Taiwan and Guam, the powerhouse storm brought damaging winds and intense rains to both places, as well as to parts of China and Japan. When the remnants hit Alaska, the state avoided catastrophic damage on the scale of what happened after ex-typhoon Halong struck<\/a> in October 2025<\/a>, but some areas did see high winds and heavy rain and snowfall, according to news reports<\/a>.<\/p>\nChampi is the fourth ex-typhoon to enter Alaskan waters this year, noted University of Alaska Fairbanks meteorologist and climatologist Rick Thoman<\/a>, following Bang-Lang in August, Dujuan in September, and Choi-wan in early October. The autumns of 1997 and 2015\u2014both very strong El Ni\u00f1o years\u2014had three each, he added. Roughly 60 ex-typhoons have impacted the state since 1970<\/a>, according to Thoman.<\/p>\nPartyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
When the EPIC<\/a> (Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera) on the DSCOVR<\/a>\u00a0(Deep Space Climate Observatory) satellite captured this image (above) on October 29, 2026, Super Typhoon In-fa<\/a> churned near the Mariana Islands. At the same time, the remnants of Typhoon Champi<\/a> approached Alaska amid a parade of storms<\/a> moving across the Bering Sea. In-fa is the fifth typhoon<\/a> to affect the Mariana Islands this year.<\/p>\nThe MODIS<\/a> (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA\u2019s Terra<\/a> satellite captured the image of In-fa below on October 30, when the storm was just west of the island chain. In-fa was unusually intense at the time of the image, with a nearly circular shape and large eye\u2014a collection of characteristics that meteorologists use to identify a subset of tropical cyclones known as annular storms<\/a>. These storms typically lack prominent outer spiral-shaped rainbands\u2014a common feature of standard tropical cyclones\u2014which is why meteorologists have a habit of calling annular storms \u201cdoughnuts\u201d<\/a> or \u201ctruck tires.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\nAnnular storms are rare, accounting for just 4 percent of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific, according to one analysis<\/a>. Their eyes average about 45 kilometers (30 miles) in diameter, compared to about 25 kilometers for standard tropical cyclones, and the storms typically maintain their strength longer in unfavorable conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIn-fa was still a tropical cyclone<\/a> when EPIC captured the image at the top of the page, but Champi\u2019s leftovers had gone through the process of extratropical transition<\/a> and become a whole different type of storm as they entered the Bering Sea\u2019s busy storm track. Tropical cyclones are warm-core<\/a> storms fueled by the heat and moisture of warm ocean water, but extratropical cyclones<\/a> typically have cold cores<\/a> and draw energy from temperature contrasts between warm and cold air masses.<\/p>\nUnlike tropical cyclones, extratropical cyclones typically develop fronts and huge, spiraling cloud bands shaped like commas<\/a>. \u201cOne of the calling cards of extratropical transitions is the expansion of a storm\u2019s wind field,\u201d said Gary Partyka, a meteorologist at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center. \u201cIt\u2019s not that the winds necessarily grow stronger, but they cover a much larger area,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nIn this case, there likely would still have been a midlatitude storm over the Bering Sea, possibly with large, comma-shaped clouds on October 30, even without Champi\u2019s remnants, he added. \u201cBut it looks like Champi became intertwined with and helped intensify that system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nChampi\u2019s transformation came after a long and destructive tour through the West Pacific, during which the typhoon achieved maximum sustained winds of nearly 300 kilometers (185 miles) per hour, prompting some observers to call it one of the strongest storms<\/a> of the season.<\/p>\nDespite narrowly skirting Taiwan and Guam, the powerhouse storm brought damaging winds and intense rains to both places, as well as to parts of China and Japan. When the remnants hit Alaska, the state avoided catastrophic damage on the scale of what happened after ex-typhoon Halong struck<\/a> in October 2025<\/a>, but some areas did see high winds and heavy rain and snowfall, according to news reports<\/a>.<\/p>\nChampi is the fourth ex-typhoon to enter Alaskan waters this year, noted University of Alaska Fairbanks meteorologist and climatologist Rick Thoman<\/a>, following Bang-Lang in August, Dujuan in September, and Choi-wan in early October. The autumns of 1997 and 2015\u2014both very strong El Ni\u00f1o years\u2014had three each, he added. Roughly 60 ex-typhoons have impacted the state since 1970<\/a>, according to Thoman.<\/p>\nPartyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The MODIS<\/a> (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA\u2019s Terra<\/a> satellite captured the image of In-fa below on October 30, when the storm was just west of the island chain. In-fa was unusually intense at the time of the image, with a nearly circular shape and large eye\u2014a collection of characteristics that meteorologists use to identify a subset of tropical cyclones known as annular storms<\/a>. These storms typically lack prominent outer spiral-shaped rainbands\u2014a common feature of standard tropical cyclones\u2014which is why meteorologists have a habit of calling annular storms \u201cdoughnuts\u201d<\/a> or \u201ctruck tires.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\nAnnular storms are rare, accounting for just 4 percent of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific, according to one analysis<\/a>. Their eyes average about 45 kilometers (30 miles) in diameter, compared to about 25 kilometers for standard tropical cyclones, and the storms typically maintain their strength longer in unfavorable conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIn-fa was still a tropical cyclone<\/a> when EPIC captured the image at the top of the page, but Champi\u2019s leftovers had gone through the process of extratropical transition<\/a> and become a whole different type of storm as they entered the Bering Sea\u2019s busy storm track. Tropical cyclones are warm-core<\/a> storms fueled by the heat and moisture of warm ocean water, but extratropical cyclones<\/a> typically have cold cores<\/a> and draw energy from temperature contrasts between warm and cold air masses.<\/p>\nUnlike tropical cyclones, extratropical cyclones typically develop fronts and huge, spiraling cloud bands shaped like commas<\/a>. \u201cOne of the calling cards of extratropical transitions is the expansion of a storm\u2019s wind field,\u201d said Gary Partyka, a meteorologist at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center. \u201cIt\u2019s not that the winds necessarily grow stronger, but they cover a much larger area,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nIn this case, there likely would still have been a midlatitude storm over the Bering Sea, possibly with large, comma-shaped clouds on October 30, even without Champi\u2019s remnants, he added. \u201cBut it looks like Champi became intertwined with and helped intensify that system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nChampi\u2019s transformation came after a long and destructive tour through the West Pacific, during which the typhoon achieved maximum sustained winds of nearly 300 kilometers (185 miles) per hour, prompting some observers to call it one of the strongest storms<\/a> of the season.<\/p>\nDespite narrowly skirting Taiwan and Guam, the powerhouse storm brought damaging winds and intense rains to both places, as well as to parts of China and Japan. When the remnants hit Alaska, the state avoided catastrophic damage on the scale of what happened after ex-typhoon Halong struck<\/a> in October 2025<\/a>, but some areas did see high winds and heavy rain and snowfall, according to news reports<\/a>.<\/p>\nChampi is the fourth ex-typhoon to enter Alaskan waters this year, noted University of Alaska Fairbanks meteorologist and climatologist Rick Thoman<\/a>, following Bang-Lang in August, Dujuan in September, and Choi-wan in early October. The autumns of 1997 and 2015\u2014both very strong El Ni\u00f1o years\u2014had three each, he added. Roughly 60 ex-typhoons have impacted the state since 1970<\/a>, according to Thoman.<\/p>\nPartyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Annular storms are rare, accounting for just 4 percent of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific, according to one analysis<\/a>. Their eyes average about 45 kilometers (30 miles) in diameter, compared to about 25 kilometers for standard tropical cyclones, and the storms typically maintain their strength longer in unfavorable conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIn-fa was still a tropical cyclone<\/a> when EPIC captured the image at the top of the page, but Champi\u2019s leftovers had gone through the process of extratropical transition<\/a> and become a whole different type of storm as they entered the Bering Sea\u2019s busy storm track. Tropical cyclones are warm-core<\/a> storms fueled by the heat and moisture of warm ocean water, but extratropical cyclones<\/a> typically have cold cores<\/a> and draw energy from temperature contrasts between warm and cold air masses.<\/p>\nUnlike tropical cyclones, extratropical cyclones typically develop fronts and huge, spiraling cloud bands shaped like commas<\/a>. \u201cOne of the calling cards of extratropical transitions is the expansion of a storm\u2019s wind field,\u201d said Gary Partyka, a meteorologist at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center. \u201cIt\u2019s not that the winds necessarily grow stronger, but they cover a much larger area,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nIn this case, there likely would still have been a midlatitude storm over the Bering Sea, possibly with large, comma-shaped clouds on October 30, even without Champi\u2019s remnants, he added. \u201cBut it looks like Champi became intertwined with and helped intensify that system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nChampi\u2019s transformation came after a long and destructive tour through the West Pacific, during which the typhoon achieved maximum sustained winds of nearly 300 kilometers (185 miles) per hour, prompting some observers to call it one of the strongest storms<\/a> of the season.<\/p>\nDespite narrowly skirting Taiwan and Guam, the powerhouse storm brought damaging winds and intense rains to both places, as well as to parts of China and Japan. When the remnants hit Alaska, the state avoided catastrophic damage on the scale of what happened after ex-typhoon Halong struck<\/a> in October 2025<\/a>, but some areas did see high winds and heavy rain and snowfall, according to news reports<\/a>.<\/p>\nChampi is the fourth ex-typhoon to enter Alaskan waters this year, noted University of Alaska Fairbanks meteorologist and climatologist Rick Thoman<\/a>, following Bang-Lang in August, Dujuan in September, and Choi-wan in early October. The autumns of 1997 and 2015\u2014both very strong El Ni\u00f1o years\u2014had three each, he added. Roughly 60 ex-typhoons have impacted the state since 1970<\/a>, according to Thoman.<\/p>\nPartyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
In-fa was still a tropical cyclone<\/a> when EPIC captured the image at the top of the page, but Champi\u2019s leftovers had gone through the process of extratropical transition<\/a> and become a whole different type of storm as they entered the Bering Sea\u2019s busy storm track. Tropical cyclones are warm-core<\/a> storms fueled by the heat and moisture of warm ocean water, but extratropical cyclones<\/a> typically have cold cores<\/a> and draw energy from temperature contrasts between warm and cold air masses.<\/p>\nUnlike tropical cyclones, extratropical cyclones typically develop fronts and huge, spiraling cloud bands shaped like commas<\/a>. \u201cOne of the calling cards of extratropical transitions is the expansion of a storm\u2019s wind field,\u201d said Gary Partyka, a meteorologist at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center. \u201cIt\u2019s not that the winds necessarily grow stronger, but they cover a much larger area,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nIn this case, there likely would still have been a midlatitude storm over the Bering Sea, possibly with large, comma-shaped clouds on October 30, even without Champi\u2019s remnants, he added. \u201cBut it looks like Champi became intertwined with and helped intensify that system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nChampi\u2019s transformation came after a long and destructive tour through the West Pacific, during which the typhoon achieved maximum sustained winds of nearly 300 kilometers (185 miles) per hour, prompting some observers to call it one of the strongest storms<\/a> of the season.<\/p>\nDespite narrowly skirting Taiwan and Guam, the powerhouse storm brought damaging winds and intense rains to both places, as well as to parts of China and Japan. When the remnants hit Alaska, the state avoided catastrophic damage on the scale of what happened after ex-typhoon Halong struck<\/a> in October 2025<\/a>, but some areas did see high winds and heavy rain and snowfall, according to news reports<\/a>.<\/p>\nChampi is the fourth ex-typhoon to enter Alaskan waters this year, noted University of Alaska Fairbanks meteorologist and climatologist Rick Thoman<\/a>, following Bang-Lang in August, Dujuan in September, and Choi-wan in early October. The autumns of 1997 and 2015\u2014both very strong El Ni\u00f1o years\u2014had three each, he added. Roughly 60 ex-typhoons have impacted the state since 1970<\/a>, according to Thoman.<\/p>\nPartyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Unlike tropical cyclones, extratropical cyclones typically develop fronts and huge, spiraling cloud bands shaped like commas<\/a>. \u201cOne of the calling cards of extratropical transitions is the expansion of a storm\u2019s wind field,\u201d said Gary Partyka, a meteorologist at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center. \u201cIt\u2019s not that the winds necessarily grow stronger, but they cover a much larger area,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nIn this case, there likely would still have been a midlatitude storm over the Bering Sea, possibly with large, comma-shaped clouds on October 30, even without Champi\u2019s remnants, he added. \u201cBut it looks like Champi became intertwined with and helped intensify that system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nChampi\u2019s transformation came after a long and destructive tour through the West Pacific, during which the typhoon achieved maximum sustained winds of nearly 300 kilometers (185 miles) per hour, prompting some observers to call it one of the strongest storms<\/a> of the season.<\/p>\nDespite narrowly skirting Taiwan and Guam, the powerhouse storm brought damaging winds and intense rains to both places, as well as to parts of China and Japan. When the remnants hit Alaska, the state avoided catastrophic damage on the scale of what happened after ex-typhoon Halong struck<\/a> in October 2025<\/a>, but some areas did see high winds and heavy rain and snowfall, according to news reports<\/a>.<\/p>\nChampi is the fourth ex-typhoon to enter Alaskan waters this year, noted University of Alaska Fairbanks meteorologist and climatologist Rick Thoman<\/a>, following Bang-Lang in August, Dujuan in September, and Choi-wan in early October. The autumns of 1997 and 2015\u2014both very strong El Ni\u00f1o years\u2014had three each, he added. Roughly 60 ex-typhoons have impacted the state since 1970<\/a>, according to Thoman.<\/p>\nPartyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
In this case, there likely would still have been a midlatitude storm over the Bering Sea, possibly with large, comma-shaped clouds on October 30, even without Champi\u2019s remnants, he added. \u201cBut it looks like Champi became intertwined with and helped intensify that system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Champi\u2019s transformation came after a long and destructive tour through the West Pacific, during which the typhoon achieved maximum sustained winds of nearly 300 kilometers (185 miles) per hour, prompting some observers to call it one of the strongest storms<\/a> of the season.<\/p>\nDespite narrowly skirting Taiwan and Guam, the powerhouse storm brought damaging winds and intense rains to both places, as well as to parts of China and Japan. When the remnants hit Alaska, the state avoided catastrophic damage on the scale of what happened after ex-typhoon Halong struck<\/a> in October 2025<\/a>, but some areas did see high winds and heavy rain and snowfall, according to news reports<\/a>.<\/p>\nChampi is the fourth ex-typhoon to enter Alaskan waters this year, noted University of Alaska Fairbanks meteorologist and climatologist Rick Thoman<\/a>, following Bang-Lang in August, Dujuan in September, and Choi-wan in early October. The autumns of 1997 and 2015\u2014both very strong El Ni\u00f1o years\u2014had three each, he added. Roughly 60 ex-typhoons have impacted the state since 1970<\/a>, according to Thoman.<\/p>\nPartyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Despite narrowly skirting Taiwan and Guam, the powerhouse storm brought damaging winds and intense rains to both places, as well as to parts of China and Japan. When the remnants hit Alaska, the state avoided catastrophic damage on the scale of what happened after ex-typhoon Halong struck<\/a> in October 2025<\/a>, but some areas did see high winds and heavy rain and snowfall, according to news reports<\/a>.<\/p>\nChampi is the fourth ex-typhoon to enter Alaskan waters this year, noted University of Alaska Fairbanks meteorologist and climatologist Rick Thoman<\/a>, following Bang-Lang in August, Dujuan in September, and Choi-wan in early October. The autumns of 1997 and 2015\u2014both very strong El Ni\u00f1o years\u2014had three each, he added. Roughly 60 ex-typhoons have impacted the state since 1970<\/a>, according to Thoman.<\/p>\nPartyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Champi is the fourth ex-typhoon to enter Alaskan waters this year, noted University of Alaska Fairbanks meteorologist and climatologist Rick Thoman<\/a>, following Bang-Lang in August, Dujuan in September, and Choi-wan in early October. The autumns of 1997 and 2015\u2014both very strong El Ni\u00f1o years\u2014had three each, he added. Roughly 60 ex-typhoons have impacted the state since 1970<\/a>, according to Thoman.<\/p>\nPartyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Partyka described 2026 as a \u201cparticularly active year\u201d for Pacific tropical cyclones, increasing the chances that Alaska would be affected by storms that have gone through extratropical transitions. The strong El Ni\u00f1o underway<\/a> in the Pacific is a \u201clikely contributor\u201d to the increased activity, he added.<\/p>\nEl Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
El Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. In the Northwest Pacific, the phenomenon tends to cause storms to more readily curve northward rather than continuing westward to East Asia and Southeast Asia, some experts say<\/a>, bringing more storms toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\nNASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using data from\u00a0DSCOVR EPIC<\/a>\u00a0and MODIS data from NASA\u00a0EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 29, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOctober 30, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources <\/h2>\n\nAccuWeather (2026, October 26) Super Typhoon In-fa is the 5th typhoon to affect the Mariana Islands this year<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\nCamargo, S. & Sobel, A. (2005) Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensity and ENSO<\/a>. Journal of Climate, <\/em>18(15), 2996\u20133006.<\/li>\nColorado State University (2026) Real-Time Northwest Pacific Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2026<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nDW (2026, September 23) How El Nino is shaping tropical storms worldwide<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nFox Weather (2026, October 31) Brewing Super El Ni\u00f1o helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2008) Objective Identification of Annnular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKnaff, T., et al. <\/em>(2003) Annular Hurricanes<\/a>. Weather and Forecasting, 18, 204-223.<\/em><\/li>\nKYUK (2026, October 28) Ex-typhoon Champi tracks toward Bristol Bay, impacts expected across Western Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 30) Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nNational Weather Service (2026, October 29) Marianas Synopsis<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nPlumb & Thoman (2025, November 13) Typhoon Halong hits Alaska<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\nThoman, R. via Bluesky (2026, October 29) Ex-typhoon Champi into the SW Bering Sea Thu AM<\/a>. Accessed November 2, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nSuper Typhoon Bavi<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Trio of Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nLala Batters Hawaii<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 3 min read <\/div>\nThe powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\nArticle<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\n
JPEG (2.12 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
JPEG (2.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n
The third category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026 crossed the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam before continuing toward Asia.<\/p>\n
The Pacific was buzzing with storms while the Atlantic was notably quiet.<\/p>\n
The powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawai\u02bbi as a category\u2026<\/p>\n
Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n