Typhoon Champi bears down on Taiwan and Japan after October 20 Category 5 peak
Champi’s forecast route takes it past eastern Taiwan towards Japan, with no direct impact on Thailand expected
- Typhoon Champi reached a Category 5 peak, maintaining this strength for three days until October 20.
- The storm is forecast to weaken as it approaches eastern Taiwan, where it is expected to bring very heavy rain on October 23.
- After passing Taiwan, Champi is projected to weaken further into a tropical storm before bringing heavy rain to Japan on October 25-26.
Typhoon Champi is forecast to bring very heavy rain to eastern Taiwan on October 23 before turning towards Japan, where heavy rain is expected on October 25–26, according to a weather outlook report. The storm is expected to weaken along its route after reaching Category 5 strength.
Champi is not expected to have a direct impact on Thailand although a separate cyclone could develop in the Andaman Sea and affect rainfall patterns in the South.
Champi reached Category 5 strength over the Pacific
Champi was classified as Typhoon No. 30 of 2026 and described the Pacific storm as the largest and most powerful of the year. The report put its maximum sustained winds at 298km/h and said it maintained Category 5 strength for three full days, from October 18 to 20.
The outlook for Champi and the possible Andaman cyclone drew on weather information from Tropical Storm Risk, the Japan Meteorological Agency, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Windy and Thailand’s Meteorological Department.
Champi forecast to weaken before reaching Japan
The outlook projected that Champi would weaken as it approached Okinawa and eastern Taiwan, before turning north-east towards Japan. The forecast sequence was:
- October 22: Champi was forecast to weaken to Category 3 as it approached the Okinawa islands, bringing very heavy rain.
- October 23: Champi was expected to weaken through Category 2 to Category 1 while moving close to eastern Taiwan. Very heavy rain was forecast for the eastern side of the island before the storm turned north-east.
- October 25: Champi was forecast to weaken into a tropical storm and make landfall in Japan, bringing heavy rain to Nagasaki, Fukuoka and nearby areas.
- October 26: Champi was expected to bring further heavy rain and potentially damaging conditions to Osaka, Kyoto and surrounding areas.
- October 27: Champi was forecast to move away from Japan’s coast and gradually dissipate.
Possible Andaman cyclone could alter southern Thailand’s rainfall
A separate cyclone could form in the Andaman Sea well to the west of Ranong province. The report said the developing system could change wind patterns and draw moisture away from southern Thailand, temporarily reducing rainfall during October 22–24.
Thai weather agency forecasts that frequent, persistent rain would return to southern Thailand after that period and advised residents to follow weather updates and prepare for changing conditions.
