Strengthening Resilience: Typhoon Committee Reviews 2024 Impacts and Sets Strategic Goals for Future Preparedness

Lessons learned from the turbulent 2024 season and preparations for the upcoming cyclone period were key topics at the annual session of the Typhoon Committee.

The Western North Pacific region, the world’s most active tropical cyclone basin, experienced a total of 26 named storms in 2024, with 13 intensifying into typhoons. These storms caused severe destruction, highlighting the crucial need for robust early warning systems and disaster preparedness strategies.

Lessons learned from the turbulent 2024 season and preparations for the upcoming cyclone period were key topics at the annual session of the Typhoon Committee. This intergovernmental body, jointly established by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (ESCAP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), concluded its session on February 20 in Manila, Philippines, with a reinforced commitment to enhancing regional collaboration and resilience against extreme weather events.

Unprecedented Storm Activity in the Philippines

The Philippines, which hosted the session for the first time in 19 years, faced an extraordinary challenge in 2024, as six tropical storms struck the nation within a mere five weeks. These storms led to over 100 fatalities and agricultural losses exceeding 7 billion Philippine Pesos (approximately USD 120 million). While the overall season remained statistically average, November set a record as the most active month for tropical cyclones in the region.

Speaking at the opening of the session, Cyrille Honoré, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction and the Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems Office at WMO, emphasized the destructive power of typhoons and the necessity of coordinated disaster risk reduction. "Typhoons vividly demonstrate the devastating impacts of extreme weather—disrupting lives, damaging infrastructure, and testing our resilience. These challenges reinforce the critical need for collective responsibility and collaboration in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery," he stated.

Advancing the Early Warnings For All Initiative

The meeting underscored the importance of the Early Warnings For All initiative, which aims to ensure that every person worldwide has access to early warning systems by the end of 2027. This initiative focuses on improving forecast accuracy, strengthening risk reduction strategies, and enhancing communication technologies, including Artificial Intelligence and satellite-based observation systems, to mitigate the impact of tropical cyclones.

WMO oversees five regional committees for tropical cyclone monitoring, with the Typhoon Committee covering the Western North Pacific region. The Tokyo Typhoon Center serves as the WMO Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) for this area.

Key Committee Decisions and Future Strategies

During the session, the Typhoon Committee reviewed the significant impacts of tropical cyclones in 2024 and assessed progress under its Strategic Plan (2022-2026). The Committee approved recommendations from its four working groups—Meteorology, Hydrology, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Training and Research—to align with the UN’s Early Warning for All Initiative. Additionally, an updated operational plan and an annual budget to support these efforts were endorsed.

The session also laid the groundwork for the next Strategic Plan (2027-2031), ensuring a continued focus on building regional resilience against typhoons and extreme weather events.

Retiring Storm Names Due to Extreme Damage

Acknowledging the destruction caused by several storms, the Committee decided to retire the names EWINIAR, YAGI (also requested by China), Krathon, Trami, Kong-Rey, Toraji, Usagi, and Man-Yi. These names will be replaced in the next annual session by new names proposed by the respective contributing countries.

WMO maintains a rotating list of storm names for each tropical cyclone basin, retiring those associated with particularly deadly or costly cyclones in the interest of public safety and awareness.

Looking Ahead

With extreme weather events becoming increasingly complex due to climate change and atmospheric phenomena like El Niño and La Niña, the Typhoon Committee emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation, multi-faceted disaster management approaches, and technological advancements to protect vulnerable communities.

DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. reaffirmed the importance of these efforts, stating, "This session of the Typhoon Committee is a crucial platform for us to translate policies into concrete solutions. Our collective efforts must become more collaborative and dynamic to address the growing threats posed by tropical cyclones."

By strengthening regional resilience and investing in cutting-edge forecasting technologies, the Typhoon Committee continues its mission to safeguard lives, economies, and the environment in one of the world’s most cyclone-prone regions.