Another Cat 5: What Does This Record Storm Season Mean?
Super Typhoon Champi has intensified to a formidable Category 5 storm, just hours after lashing Guam as a Category 4. While Guam largely avoided catastrophic damage, the storm's surge to 165 mph winds highlights a troubling trend. Champi marks the ninth Category 5 tropical cyclone globally so far in 2026, a number well above the historical average. This alarming frequency of powerful storms underscores the growing urgency of global warming and the need for stronger climate action.
Super Typhoon Champi intensified to a Category 5 storm with 165 mph sustained winds shortly after passing Guam, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Although the island was spared a direct hit, the storm is predicted by JTWC to regain Category 5 status, fueled by unusually warm sea surface temperatures ranging from 29-30 degrees Celsius (84-86 degrees Fahrenheit). This heat in our oceans provides more energy for storms to grow stronger and last longer, making already dangerous weather events even more destructive.
Guam has a long history with typhoons, but 2026 has been particularly harsh. Champi is the third major typhoon this year to come close to the U.S. territory, following Super Typhoon Bavi, which devastated Rota Island in July, and Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which caused over $1.5 billion in damage to the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam in April. Sinlaku was the tenth Category 4 or 5 tropical cyclone to make landfall in a U.S. state or territory in the past decade, matching the number of such landfalls on the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coasts over the preceding 57 years.
Globally, 2026 is seeing an unprecedented number of Category 5 storms, with Champi being at least the ninth, and possibly tenth. This far exceeds the average of 5.3 Category 5 storms per year from 1990-2025. Numerous studies, including those referenced by the IPCC, indicate that while the overall number of tropical cyclones may not be increasing, the proportion that reaches Category 4 or 5 strength is growing significantly. These most powerful storms are the most deadly and destructive, making the increasing trend a critical concern for communities worldwide, emphasizing the urgent need for global climate action and sustainable solutions to protect vulnerable populations.