A review of the 2013 hurricane, tropical cyclone and typhoon season

2013 was the second most active year of the last six years for hurricanes, tropical cyclones and typhoons. There were slight decreases in the number of storms recorded and decreases in the number of hurricanes, tropical cyclones and typhoons from 2012 but a substantial increase in the number of category 5 events, four of which occurred in the NW Pacific region. There were above-average Southwest Indian cyclone, Northwest Pacific typhoon and East Pacific hurricane seasons and average or below average activity in the other regions. Typhoon Haiyan, because of the very high fatality numbers in the Philippines with 7401 dead or missing, generated the most media attention and an international relief effort. Typhoon Fitow generated the most damage of any individual event, in excess of $10 billion mostly in South China. Typhoon Haiyan had a very exceptional lowest recorded central pressure of 895 hPa and also generated the highest recorded wind speeds of 230km/h along with Cyclone Bruce and Cyclone Hellen.