Storms near South Korea
The record holds 193 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of South Korea between 1911 and 2026. The busiest month is August, with 85 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached category 3 strength. 53 of the storms have no wind speed in the record.
- 193storms within 50 km
- 5major (category 3 to 5) near here
- 38at 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 South Korea?
| Category near here | Storms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical depression | 33 | 17% |
| Tropical storm | 69 | 36% |
| Category 1 | 26 | 13% |
| Category 2 | 7 | 4% |
| Category 3 | 5 | 3% |
| Category 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Category 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown intensity | 53 | 27% |
The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (western Pacific).
South Korea storms over time
The 2020s only run to 2026, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1911, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 6 |
| 1920s | 2 |
| 1930s | 12 |
| 1940s | 16 |
| 1950s | 19 |
| 1960s | 19 |
| 1970s | 18 |
| 1980s | 18 |
| 1990s | 26 |
| 2000s | 20 |
| 2010s | 25 |
| 2020s | 12 |
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 | 0 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 0 |
| Apr | 0 |
| May | 1 |
| Jun | 6 |
| Jul | 49 |
| Aug | 85 |
| Sep | 45 |
| Oct | 6 |
| Nov | 1 |
| Dec | 0 |
Strongest storms near South Korea
- Emma (1956)1 September 1956 to 11 September 1956, Category 3 (105 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (135 kt), 930 hPa
- Faye (1995)12 July 1995 to 25 July 1995, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 950 hPa
- Maemi (2003)4 September 2003 to 16 September 2003, Category 3 (105 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 910 hPa
- Sarah (1959)10 September 1959 to 23 September 1959, Category 3 (100 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (165 kt), 905 hPa
- Kompasu (2010)27 August 2010 to 6 September 2010, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 960 hPa
- Lingling (2019)30 August 2019 to 12 September 2019, Category 2 (90 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 940 hPa
Most recent storms near South Korea
- Bavi (2026)1 July 2026 to 14 July 2026, Tropical depression (29 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (154 kt), 901 hPa, provisional
- Pulasan (2024)15 September 2024 to 24 September 2024, Tropical depression (30 kt) near here, peak Tropical storm (55 kt), 992 hPa
- Jongdari (2024)18 August 2024 to 22 August 2024, Tropical depression (30 kt) near here, peak Tropical storm (35 kt), 996 hPa
- Khanun (2023)26 July 2023 to 11 August 2023, Tropical storm (55 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 930 hPa
- Hinnamnor (2022)27 August 2022 to 9 September 2022, Category 2 (90 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 920 hPa
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.
South Korea ranks number 19 among countries and territories for the number of storms.
Notable storms near South Korea with their own pages
- Emma (1956)1 September 1956 to 11 September 1956, peak Category 4 (135 kt), 930 hPa
- Faye (1995)12 July 1995 to 25 July 1995, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 950 hPa
- Maemi (2003)4 September 2003 to 16 September 2003, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 910 hPa
- Sarah (1959)10 September 1959 to 23 September 1959, peak Category 5 (165 kt), 905 hPa
- Kompasu (2010)27 August 2010 to 6 September 2010, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 960 hPa
- Lingling (2019)30 August 2019 to 12 September 2019, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 940 hPa
- Hinnamnor (2022)27 August 2022 to 9 September 2022, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 920 hPa
- Helen (1964)27 July 1964 to 5 August 1964, peak Category 4 (130 kt), 930 hPa
- Nari (2007)11 September 2007 to 18 September 2007, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 935 hPa
- Sanba (2012)10 September 2012 to 18 September 2012, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 900 hPa
- Chaba (2016)24 September 2016 to 7 October 2016, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 905 hPa
- Haishen (2020)30 August 2020 to 10 September 2020, peak Category 4 (135 kt), 910 hPa
South Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|
| South Jeolla | 107 | Category 3 |
| North Gyeongsang | 82 | Category 3 |
| South Gyeongsang | 80 | Category 3 |
| Gangwon | 77 | Category 2 |
| Gyeonggi | 75 | Category 1 |
| North Jeolla | 66 | Category 2 |
| South Chungcheong | 60 | Category 1 |
| Jeju | 58 | Category 3 |
| North Chungcheong | 55 | Category 2 |
| Ulsan | 41 | Category 3 |
| Busan | 37 | Category 3 |
| Daegu | 37 | Category 2 |
| Gwangju | 34 | Category 1 |
| Incheon | 31 | Category 1 |
| Daejeon | 28 | Tropical storm |
| Seoul | 27 | Category 1 |
| Sejong | 26 | Tropical storm |