Super Typhoon Champi is the strongest storm of 2026, with winds reaching 296 km/h. It moved past Guam on Sunday and now heads toward Taiwan and eastern China. Heavy rain and damaging winds are expected from Thursday, October 22, through Sunday, October 25, causing risks of flooding and structural damage.
Super Typhoon Champi is moving across the western Pacific and is forecast to bring heavy rain, damaging winds, and coastal inundation.
Super Typhoon Champi has become the world's strongest tropical cyclone of 2026 in terms of wind speed, with peak winds reaching 296 km/h. The powerful storm is moving across the western Pacific Ocean and is forecast to bring heavy rain, damaging winds and flooding to Taiwan and eastern China in the coming days.
Champi passed within 12 miles of Guam's southern tip on Sunday. Although the core of its strongest winds remained mostly offshore, the storm damaged homes and knocked down trees on the island. The full extent of the damage in Guam's southern region has not yet been assessed.
The American Red Cross supported 15 shelters across four islands, with more than 1,000 residents taking refuge from the storm. Multiple communities lost power and water, while as many as 170 wells were reported to be out of operation.
Guam, home to around 150,000 people, is the largest island in the chain. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands comprises 14 islands north of Guam, with a population of approximately 50,000, most of whom live on Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
Champi is the third typhoon to affect the Northern Mariana Islands in six months, following Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April and Super Typhoon Bavi in July.
According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls, Champi is over the Philippine Sea, south-southeast of Iwo Jima, and moving west-northwest. The storm is expected to maintain this direction through Thursday before encountering a less favorable environment that could weaken it.
Champi is forecast to bring heavy rain to Taiwan from Thursday night, October 22, through Saturday, October 24. Eastern China could experience heavy rainfall from Friday night, October 23, through Sunday, October 25.
Rainfall totals could reach 450 mm, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax forecast of 900 mm. Eastern Taiwan is expected to receive the heaviest rainfall, increasing the risk of flooding, mudslides, structural damage, and transport disruptions.
The storm is also expected to bring strong winds to Taiwan and eastern China between Thursday night and Sunday. Wind gusts could reach 225 km/h, with the strongest conditions expected in eastern Taiwan. These winds could cause structural damage, extended power outages, and further transportation delays.
Coastal inundation is also likely in eastern Taiwan. The combined threat from rain, wind and coastal inundation is rated 3 on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Tropical Cyclones in Taiwan and 1 in eastern China.
Champi previously recorded peak winds of 296 km/h and a central pressure of 895 millibars. Hurricane Polo had earlier held the year's strongest-storm title by wind speed, with winds of 285 km/h and a lower central pressure of 892 millibars.