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.
2005 Pacific typhoon season
On January 12, a tropical disturbance developed within an area of light vertical wind shear. This allowed deep convection to develop over a broad low-level circulation. The next day, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) as the system continued to develop. Later that day, they issued their first advisory on Tropical Depression 01W while the storm was located about 215 km (130 mi) southwest of Chuuk. Several hours later, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) also designated the system as a tropical depression. Early on January 15, the JTWC upgraded 01W to a tropical storm as the system turned towards the north. The northward movement was the result of the system traveling along the edge of a low to mid-level ridge located to the east. About 12 hours later, the JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm and gave it the name "Kulap"; which was contributed by Thailand and is the Thai word for rose. Kulap gradually intensified over the next two days, reaching its peak intensity with winds of 95 km/h (60 mph ) around 1800 UTC on January 17, making it a severe tropical storm according to the JMA. However, at the same time the JMA assessed Kulap to have reached its peak intensity, the JTWC classified it as a minimal typhoon with winds of 120 km/h (75 mph ). Shortly after reaching its peak intensity, the storm began to undergo an extratropical transition and weaken. Late on January 18, the JTWC issued their final advisory on Kulap despite the storm remaining tropical. The JMA considered Kulap to have been a tropical storm until early the next day. The storm dissipated as a weak extratropical system around 1200 UTC on January 19. Between January 13 and 14, the storm produced heavy rains over the island of Chuuk. Upwards of 300 mm (12 in) of rain fell during the two-day span, of which 166.6 mm (6.5 in) fell in 24 hours.