Typhoons favor Aug. 8 holiday: 77 years of data show 'White Dolphin' shouldn't assume it's alone

Taiwan's Father's Day, celebrated on August 8, appears to be a statistically favored time for typhoons to make landfall or influence the island, based on an analysis of 77 years of meteorological data. Meteorologist Lin De-en highlighted this trend, humorously warning the current typhoon, 'White Dolphin,' not to 'play the victim' by arriving on the holiday.

Lin explained that the increased likelihood of typhoons impacting Taiwan around this time is due to prevailing weather patterns. Specifically, the Pacific high-pressure system tends to extend westward, creating steering currents that guide typhoons towards the island. Easterly winds on the southern side of this high-pressure system, or southwesterly environmental winds, are more likely to bring typhoons in Taiwan's direction.

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Typhoons love the holiday, Father's Day! Statistics from the past 77 years show that among the typhoons generated in the Northwest Pacific and South China Sea, those that invade or affect Taiwan most often choose that holiday to arrive, not the Mid-Autumn Festival, but Father's Day!

Historical data from 1949 to 2025 reveals that 15 typhoons have affected Taiwan around the Father's Day period. Notably, seven of these occurred within the last 32 years. Among them, three caused significant devastation: Typhoon Soudelor in 2015, Typhoon Morakot in 2009, and Typhoon Doug in 1994. This historical context underscores the potential impact of typhoons during this specific time of year.

The current Typhoon White Dolphin was located approximately 3,900 kilometers east of Taipei early on August 1, moving northwestward towards the waters south of Japan and near the Ryukyu Islands. While its direct impact on Taiwan is not yet certain, the historical data serves as a reminder of the island's vulnerability to typhoons during the summer months, particularly around early August.

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From the average meteorological fields, during this period, the environmental Pacific high-pressure system clearly extends westward, serving as a key role in guiding the steering flow for typhoons moving towards Taiwan.