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 December 8, the JMA upgraded Utor to a severe tropical storm. It intensified further and was upgraded to a typhoon by the JMA on the morning of December 9, with PAGASA and JTWC doing the same. The storm made landfall shortly after noon local time the same day. After crossing the Philippines, Utor took a track similar to Typhoon Chebi in November, first moving northwest then threatening to take aim at Hong Kong. It restrengthened to an 85-kn typhoon, before it slowed as it tracked in a weak steering environment within a weakness in the subtropical ridge. It then weakened as wind shear increased and dry air entrainment occurred. The JMA downgraded it to a severe tropical storm on December 13, and to a tropical storm the same day. The next day the JTWC downgraded the storm to a tropical storm and issued its last advisory.