Brief
Super Typhoon Champi records strongest winds of 2026 in Pacific
Champi reached 185 mph winds in the Philippine Sea, the highest recorded for any 2026 cyclone.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Super Typhoon Champi produced wind speeds of about 185 mph (around 290 km/h) on Tuesday afternoon EST, the strongest winds recorded for any storm this year, according to forecasters cited by Scientific American.
What happened
On Tuesday afternoon, the cyclone in the Philippine Sea reached peak sustained winds of roughly 185 mph. By Wednesday morning, the system’s winds had eased to 175 mph, and NOAA expects further weakening over the next day. The storm was located about 430 nautical miles south of Kadena Air Base in Japan and was moving northwest, as reported by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
What the reports add
The article notes that the western Pacific is currently the most active basin for strong storms, contrasting the Pacific’s turbulence with the comparatively quiet Atlantic season, where Hurricane Isaias peaked at 120 mph according to Colorado State University’s cyclone database. It also references earlier 2026 Pacific storms—Hurricane Polo in September (178 mph) and Typhoon Sinlaku in April and Typhoon Bavi in July—whose wind speeds were similar to Champi’s.
What was said
Scientific American quoted NOAA as saying the typhoon is expected to weaken within the next 24 hours. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center provided the storm’s position and heading. Colorado State University’s cyclone database was cited for the Atlantic comparison.
How it came about
The article links Champi’s intensity to the broader pattern of an El Niño year, which typically suppresses Atlantic activity while enhancing Pacific storm formation. It also references Scientific American’s earlier coverage of the unusually quiet Atlantic season and the high number of Pacific hurricanes affecting the Hawaiian islands.
Key facts
- Champi reached wind speeds of about 185 mph (290 km/h) on Tuesday afternoon EST. (scientificamerican.com)
- By Wednesday morning, Champi’s winds had decreased to 175 mph and were expected to weaken further. (scientificamerican.com)
- The storm was located roughly 430 nautical miles south of Kadena Air Base in Japan, moving northwest. (scientificamerican.com)
- NOAA provided the forecast of weakening, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center supplied the position data. (scientificamerican.com)
- The Atlantic’s strongest 2026 storm, Hurricane Isaias, peaked at 120 mph, per Colorado State University’s cyclone database. (scientificamerican.com)
Sources
- [1] scientificamerican.com — originally reported as “Super Typhoon Champi sets the record for strongest storm of 2026”
