In brief
In an unprecedented meteorological occurrence, four tropical storms—Yinxing, Toraji, Usagi, and Man-yi—are simultaneously affecting the North Pacific and South China Sea, as experts report this phenomenon has never been recorded before in November.
Four tropical storms are wreaking havoc across the North Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, marking a historic occurrence as weather experts confirm that this is the first time four storms have formed simultaneously in November. The cyclone trio that includes Typhoons Yinxing, Toraji, Usagi, and Man-yi has either made landfall in the Philippines or is nearing the country, resulting in severe weather conditions throughout the week. Typically, while typhoons can form year-round in the region, the peak activity months run from July through October, with an annual average of 20 storms affecting the Philippines. Observations since 1961 show that the highest number of storms concurrently tracked in November was three, last recorded in 2009, according to Olivia Shuk-ming Lee from Hong Kong Observatory. Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration forecaster, Gene Huang, noted that even during summer, having four storms active at once is highly uncommon, attributing the unusual weather patterns in November to longer-lasting high-pressure areas that trigger storm formation. While the link between this unprecedented storm activity and climate change remains inconclusive, experts are monitoring rising sea surface temperatures, which reached record highs last year. The Philippines has already faced significant destruction and over a hundred fatalities this storm season. Last week, Typhoon Yinxing struck the archipelago as a Category 4 storm, prompting the evacuation of more than 160,000 citizens. Following closely, Typhoon Toraji made landfall on Monday, leaving tens of thousands without power. This powerful storm is now moving toward Hong Kong, leading to the cancellation of kindergarten classes there. Usagi is forecasted to make landfall on Thursday along the northeastern part of Luzon, the country's most populous island, while Man-yi is expected to arrive over the weekend. In response to the situation, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured the public that the government is prepared to assist affected areas, stating that rescue teams are already positioned and ready to respond post-storm.
