Residents in Shanghai braved strong winds and rain with umbrellas and raincoats on August 9, 2026, as Typhoon Dolphin, the year’s 13th typhoon, affected the city. Photo: IC

Typhoon Peilou, the 16th typhoon of the year, formed in the western North Pacific on Sunday afternoon, creating a rare situation in which three typhoons – Dolphin, Chan-hom and Peilou – were active simultaneously, weather.com.cn reported on Sunday. 

Typhoon Peilou formed at a tropical storm level. At 2 pm, the typhoon’s center was located over the western North Pacific, about 740 kilometers north-northwest of Saipan, Guam, packing winds of up to 65 kilometers per hour near its center, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday. 

Typhoon Peilou is expected to move eastward at 25 to 30 kilometers per hour and gradually strengthen, according to CCTV. 

The name “Peilou” comes from China’s Macao, and refers to a common migratory bird found in the region.

As Typhoon Kujira dissipated after being absorbed by Typhoon Dolphin, now there still remain three typhoons simultaneously. 

According to Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, early August is a peak period for typhoon activity, which typically sees the most typhoon formations of the year. Therefore, the occurrence of multiple typhoons, including severe typhoons, during this period is normal. 

By this time, the ocean has absorbed and accumulated energy for more than six months, while atmospheric circulation is also favorable for the formation and development of typhoons, Ma told the Global Times on Sunday. 

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, on Sunday afternoon, bringing strong winds up to 42 meters per second and heavy torrential rain to the coastal regions amid a red alert – the highest level in the country's typhoon warning system – issued for it earlier that day.