Darilaut – Super Typhoon Champi, which recorded the strongest sustained wind speeds globally in 2026, weakened slightly east of Taiwan—or southwest of Japan—on Friday morning (October 23).
Classified as a “Very Strong Typhoon,” Champi was located 440 km southeast of Taipei and 404 km east of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and 580 km southwest of Naha, Okinawa, Japan.
The storm—designated as Japan’s 30th typhoon of the season—is currently moving northwest at a speed of 15 km/h (9 knots).
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reports that the system has a central pressure of 950 hPa (hectopascals).
According to the JMA, Champi’s maximum sustained wind speed near its center is 45 meters per second (85 knots), with peak instantaneous gusts reaching 60 meters per second (120 knots).
The area experiencing winds of 50 knots or greater extends 330 km (180 nautical miles) to the northwest and 280 km (150 nautical miles) to the southeast. Meanwhile, the area with strong winds of 30 knots or greater spans 850 km (450 nautical miles) to the north and 650 km (350 nautical miles) to the south, the JMA stated.
Strongest Sustained Winds of 2026
Data from the Copernicus Marine Service indicates that Super Typhoon Champi generated waves reaching 10 meters in height east of the Philippines.
The visualizations provided by the Copernicus Marine Service are based on data from October 21, 2026.
According to the Copernicus Marine Service, this super typhoon reached an intensity equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale—the highest possible category—with maximum sustained wind speeds reaching 296 km/h. “This is the strongest sustained wind speed recorded for any tropical cyclone worldwide throughout 2026,” stated the Copernicus Marine Service.
Champi Moving Slowly
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) reported that as of 2:00 a.m. on Friday, Typhoon Champi was located approximately 450 kilometers southeast of Taipei. The system is expected to move in a north-northwesterly direction at a speed of about 18 kilometers per hour toward the waters east of Taiwan.
Once east of Taiwan, there is a higher probability that the cyclone will turn northward, crossing the East China Sea toward the region near Kyushu (Japan) and Korea.
Nevertheless, the HKO noted that there remains a possibility the cyclone could track along the coasts of Taiwan and Zhejiang.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) reported that maximum significant wave heights have reached 12.2 meters (40 feet). Currently, Champi is moving slowly, exhibiting a trochoidal path as it enters a weak steering environment—situated just south of a large gap in the steering flow within the deeper layers of the atmosphere.
According to the JTWC, the system is expected to maintain a forward speed of 10–15 km/h (6–8 knots) over the next 12 to 24 hours.
Forecasts indicate that Champi’s core will remain offshore, near the northeastern tip of Taiwan, as it begins to recurve.