Storms near Northern Mariana Islands
The record holds 392 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of the Northern Mariana Islands between 1890 and 2026. The busiest month is September, with 98 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached category 5 strength. 119 of the storms have no wind speed in the record.
- 392storms within 50 km
- 57major (category 3 to 5) near here
- 108at category 1 strength or more
A storm counts once, however many times it came close. The category is the storm's strongest point within 50 km, which can be weaker than its peak elsewhere.
How strong were the storms near Northern Mariana Islands?
| Category near here | Storms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical depression | 75 | 19% |
| Tropical storm | 90 | 23% |
| Category 1 | 35 | 9% |
| Category 2 | 16 | 4% |
| Category 3 | 22 | 6% |
| Category 4 | 23 | 6% |
| Category 5 | 12 | 3% |
| Unknown intensity | 119 | 30% |
The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (western Pacific).
Northern Mariana Islands storms over time
The 2020s only run to 2026, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1890, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 2 |
| 1900s | 8 |
| 1910s | 19 |
| 1920s | 9 |
| 1930s | 30 |
| 1940s | 29 |
| 1950s | 28 |
| 1960s | 50 |
| 1970s | 36 |
| 1980s | 49 |
| 1990s | 53 |
| 2000s | 28 |
| 2010s | 36 |
| 2020s | 15 |
Earlier decades hold fewer storms partly because they were harder to see. Before weather satellites (about the 1960s) many storms that stayed at sea went unrecorded, so compare decades with care.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 6 |
| Feb | 2 |
| Mar | 2 |
| Apr | 9 |
| May | 12 |
| Jun | 12 |
| Jul | 52 |
| Aug | 73 |
| Sep | 98 |
| Oct | 87 |
| Nov | 25 |
| Dec | 14 |
Strongest storms near Northern Mariana Islands
- Hagibis (2019)4 October 2019 to 14 October 2019, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 915 hPa
- Bavi (2026)1 July 2026 to 14 July 2026, peak Category 5 (154 kt), 901 hPa, provisional
- Carmen (1965)1 October 1965 to 11 October 1965, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 914 hPa
- Jebi (2018)26 August 2018 to 7 September 2018, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 915 hPa
- Yutu (2018)20 October 2018 to 3 November 2018, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 900 hPa
- Keith (1997)26 October 1997 to 9 November 1997, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 910 hPa
Most recent storms near Northern Mariana Islands
- Choi-Wan (2026)30 September 2026 to 7 October 2026, Category 2 (84 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (134 kt), 912 hPa, provisional
- Saudel (2026)18 August 2026 to 28 August 2026, Category 3 (105 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 944 hPa, provisional
- Peilou (2026)5 August 2026 to 13 August 2026, Unknown intensity near here, peak Tropical storm (39 kt), 991 hPa, provisional
- Bavi (2026)1 July 2026 to 14 July 2026, peak Category 5 (154 kt), 901 hPa, provisional
- Higos (2026)22 June 2026 to 27 June 2026, peak Tropical storm (54 kt), 989 hPa, provisional
Many of these storms killed people and destroyed homes. The figures are the official record's, and this page says nothing about their human cost.
Northern Mariana Islands ranks number 11 among countries and territories for the number of storms.
Notable storms near Northern Mariana Islands with their own pages
- Hagibis (2019)4 October 2019 to 14 October 2019, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 915 hPa
- Bavi (2026)1 July 2026 to 14 July 2026, peak Category 5 (154 kt), 901 hPa, provisional
- Carmen (1965)1 October 1965 to 11 October 1965, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 914 hPa
- Jebi (2018)26 August 2018 to 7 September 2018, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 915 hPa
- Yutu (2018)20 October 2018 to 3 November 2018, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 900 hPa
- Keith (1997)26 October 1997 to 9 November 1997, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 910 hPa
- Chaba (2004)17 August 2004 to 5 September 2004, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 910 hPa
- Dot (1961)7 November 1961 to 16 November 1961, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 930 hPa
- Bess (1982)21 July 1982 to 6 August 1982, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 900 hPa
- Winnie (1997)5 August 1997 to 25 August 1997, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 915 hPa
- Oliwa (1997)28 August 1997 to 19 September 1997, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 915 hPa
- Joan (1997)11 October 1997 to 25 October 1997, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 905 hPa
Northern Mariana Islands regions
Regions (first-level divisions) that storms have come within 50 km of at least 5 times, most storms first.
| Region | Storms | Strongest near the region |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Islands | 258 | Category 5 |
| Rota | 83 | Category 5 |
| Saipan | 76 | Category 5 |
| Tinian | 75 | Category 5 |