2006 Pacific typhoon season
The 2006 Pacific typhoon season was a near-average season that produced a total of 23 named storms, 15 typhoons, and six super typhoons. The season ran throughout 2006, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Chanchu, developed on May 9, while the season's last named storm, Trami, dissipated on December 20. Also, this season was more active, costly, and deadly than the previous season.
2006 Pacific typhoon season
On March 4, a tropical depression formed out of a wave close to the equator southeast of Palau. The JTWC upgraded it to Tropical Storm 01W at 3 p.m. UTC the same day. The JTWC downgraded it back to a depression on March 5 due to shear, and it never regained tropical storm strength before dissipating on March 7.
On May 8, the JMA started to track a tropical depression about 175 km (110 mi) northeast of Palau, and later the JTWC followed suit giving the designation of "02W". By the next day, 02W had intensified into a tropical storm, with the JMA naming it "Chanchu". The PAGASA had also declared that Chanchu had entered their area, giving the local name "Caloy". Chanchu reached typhoon intensity and made its first landfall over in Samar on May 11, and several hours later, it struck Mindoro at Category 2 typhoon intensity. As Chanchu emerged to the South China Sea, and moved northward, the storm explosively intensified into a Category 4 typhoon and reached peak intensity with 10-minute sustained winds of 175 km/h (110 mph) on May 15. By May 17, Chanchu rapidly weakened into a severe tropical storm as it made its landfall over in Shantou, Guandong. Both the JMA and the JTWC issued its final advisory on May 18 as it became extratropical.