Hurricane Calendar · On this day
Hurricanes on May 18 in history (1842 to 2026)
117 storms on record were active on May 18 between 1877 and 2024. On this date 9 formed, 12 reached their peak recorded wind, 10 came ashore and 16 ended. The strongest storm active on May 18 was Typhoon Mawar (2023), with a peak 1-minute sustained wind of 165 kt (190 mph), recorded by JTWC.
Dates are calendar dates in UTC. Typhoons and cyclones are the same kind of storm as hurricanes, named by region. Archive of September 29, 2026.
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Typhoon Chan-Hom (2003)
First recorded position: May 18, 2003, 00:00 UTC. Peak: 85 kt · 10-minute (JMA). Western Pacific, May 18 to 28, 2003.
In Hurricane Calendar, replay Chan-Hom along its recorded track, with the wind at each step and the agency that measured it.
Came ashore on May 18
10 storms, most recent first. Recorded landfalls come from the National Hurricane Center's best track; elsewhere a coast crossing is estimated from the track and labelled.
| Year | Storm | Ocean | Where and when | Wind at landfall | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Typhoon Chanchu | Western Pacific | Landfall near Shantou, Guangdong, China May 18, 2006 | Not recorded | Editor-reviewed, sourced |
| 1986 | Cyclone Namu | South Pacific → Australian region → South Pacific | Coast crossing (estimated) near 9.7°S, 160.8°E May 18, 1986, 18:00 UTC | 80 kt (92 mph), 10-minute, MetService NZ | Estimated from the track |
| 1986 | Cyclone Namu | South Pacific → Australian region → South Pacific | Coast crossing (estimated) near 9.4°S, 161.5°E May 18, 1986, 12:00 UTC | 70 kt (81 mph), 10-minute, MetService NZ | Estimated from the track |
| 1962 | Typhoon Hope | Western Pacific | Coast crossing (estimated) near 16.7°N, 122.5°E May 18, 1962, 21:00 UTC | Not recorded | Estimated from the track |
| 1958 | Unnamed storm · 1958 | North Indian | Coast crossing (estimated) near 22.6°N, 91.5°E May 18, 1958, 15:00 UTC | Not recorded | Estimated from the track |
| 1955 | Unnamed storm · 1955 | North Indian | Coast crossing (estimated) near 11.7°N, 80.1°E May 18, 1955, 00:00 UTC | Not recorded | Estimated from the track |
| 1951 | Hurricane Able | Atlantic | Near 27.0°N, 77.9°W May 18, 1951, 12:00 UTC | 75 kt (86 mph), 1-minute, NHC | NHC best track |
| 1943 | Unnamed storm · 1943 | North Indian | Coast crossing (estimated) near 12.4°N, 80.2°E May 18, 1943, 12:00 UTC | Not recorded | Estimated from the track |
| 1906 | Unnamed storm · 1906 | Western Pacific | Coast crossing (estimated) near 15.6°N, 121.7°E May 18, 1906, 00:00 UTC | Not recorded | Estimated from the track |
| 1887 | Unnamed tropical storm · 1887 | Atlantic | Coast crossing (estimated) near 18.1°N, 78.4°W May 18, 1887, 00:00 UTC | 45 kt (52 mph), 1-minute, NHC | Estimated from the track |
| 1877 | Unnamed storm · 1877 | North Indian | Coast crossing (estimated) near 15.5°N, 80.6°E May 18, 1877, 12:00 UTC | Not recorded | Estimated from the track |
Formed on May 18
9 storms had their first recorded position on this date.
| Season | Storm | Ocean | First position | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Typhoon Mawar | Western Pacific | 5.4°N, 150.9°E | 115 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2003 | Typhoon Chan-Hom | Western Pacific | 4.0°N, 147.9°E | 85 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1956 | Unnamed hurricane · 1956 | Eastern Pacific | 13.3°N, 113.1°W | Category 1 · Saffir-Simpson (NHC) |
| 1974–75 | Cyclone Denise | Australian region | 12.0°S, 106.2°E | 45 kt · 10-minute (BoM) |
| 2019–20 | Cyclone Mangga | Australian region | 4.0°S, 95.1°E | 35 kt · 10-minute (BoM) |
| 1962 | Unnamed storm · 1962 | Western Pacific | 10.5°N, 109.6°E | Not recorded |
| 1940 | Unnamed storm · 1940 | North Indian | 11.8°N, 82.7°E | Not recorded |
| 1959 | Unnamed storm · 1959 | North Indian | 8.8°N, 70.7°E | Not recorded |
| 1887 | Unnamed storm · 1887 | Western Pacific | 12.3°N, 116.3°E | Not recorded |
Reached peak wind on May 18
12 storms recorded their highest wind on this date, as the responsible agency measured it.
| Season | Storm | Ocean | Peak wind | Lowest pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cyclone Amphan | North Indian | 130 kt (150 mph), 3-minute, IMD | 920 hPa (IMD) |
| 1980 | Typhoon Ellen | Western Pacific | 105 kt (121 mph), 10-minute, JMA | 930 hPa (JMA) |
| 1999 | Unnamed cyclone · 1999 | North Indian | 105 kt (121 mph), 3-minute, IMD | 946 hPa (IMD) |
| 1985–86 | Cyclone Namu | South Pacific → Australian region → South Pacific | 80 kt (92 mph), 10-minute, MetService NZ | 955 hPa (MetService NZ) |
| 1961 | Typhoon Alice | Western Pacific | 75 kt (86 mph), 1-minute, JTWC | 980 hPa (JMA) |
| 2018 | Cyclone Sagar | North Indian | 45 kt (52 mph), 3-minute, IMD | 994 hPa (IMD) |
| 1989–90 | Cyclone Ikonjo | Southwest Indian | 52 kt (60 mph), 10-minute, Météo-France | 976 hPa (Météo-France) |
| 1992 | Unnamed cyclone · 1992 | North Indian | 35 kt (40 mph), 3-minute, IMD | 992 hPa (IMD) |
| 1956 | Unnamed hurricane · 1956 | Eastern Pacific | 75 kt (86 mph), 1-minute, NHC | Not recorded |
| 1887 | Unnamed tropical storm · 1887 | Atlantic | 50 kt (58 mph), 1-minute, NHC | Not recorded |
| 2021–22 | Cyclone Gina | South Pacific | 35 kt (40 mph), 10-minute, FMS | 998 hPa (FMS) |
| 2003 | Unnamed tropical depression · 2003 | Western Pacific | 30 kt (35 mph), 1-minute, JTWC | 1000 hPa (JTWC) |
Ended on May 18
16 storms had their last recorded position on this date.
| Season | Storm | Ocean | Last position | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Typhoon Vongfong | Western Pacific | 24.4°N, 127.0°E | May 8 to 18, 2020 |
| 1991 | Typhoon Walt | Western Pacific | 46.0°N, 158.0°E | May 4 to 18, 1991 |
| 2018–19 | Cyclone Ann | South Pacific → Australian region | 7.0°S, 128.1°E | May 9 to 18, 2019 |
| 1990 | Hurricane Alma | Eastern Pacific | 14.0°N, 127.3°W | May 12 to 18, 1990 |
| 1916 | Unnamed tropical storm · 1916 | Atlantic | 45.0°N, 70.5°W | May 13 to 18, 1916 |
| 1981–82 | Cyclone Claudia | Australian region → South Pacific → Australian region | 11.0°S, 159.2°E | May 11 to 18, 1982 |
| 1995 | Unnamed tropical depression · 1995 | North Indian | 26.0°N, 93.0°E | May 14 to 18, 1995 |
| 2004 | Unnamed tropical storm · 2004 | Western Pacific | 11.0°N, 110.9°E | May 14 to 18, 2004 |
| 1967 | Unnamed storm · 1967 | North Indian | 22.4°N, 94.5°E | May 14 to 18, 1967 |
| 1955 | Unnamed storm · 1955 | North Indian | 11.8°N, 79.8°E | May 16 to 18, 1955 |
Show 6 more storms
| Season | Storm | Ocean | Last position | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Unnamed storm · 1948 | North Indian | 20.7°N, 92.0°E | May 15 to 18, 1948 |
| 1966 | Unnamed storm · 1966 | North Indian | 16.9°N, 93.0°E | May 16 to 18, 1966 |
| 1964 | Unnamed storm · 1964 | Western Pacific | 14.0°N, 142.3°E | May 16 to 18, 1964 |
| 1960 | Unnamed storm · 1960 | North Indian | 14.8°N, 56.0°E | May 10 to 18, 1960 |
| 1910 | Unnamed storm · 1910 | Western Pacific | 25.7°N, 131.3°E | May 15 to 18, 1910 |
| 1884–85 | Unnamed storm · 1885 | Southwest Indian | 23.5°S, 67.1°E | May 11 to 18, 1885 |
Also active on May 18
74 more storms were active on this date, the most notable first. Storms listed above are not repeated.
| Season | Storm | Ocean | Dates | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Cyclone Tauktae | North Indian | May 13 to 19, 2021 | 100 kt · 3-minute (IMD) |
| 1976 | Typhoon Pamela | Western Pacific | May 14 to Jun 1, 1976 | 130 kt · 1-minute (JTWC) |
| 2008 | Tropical storm Halong | Western Pacific | May 14 to 24, 2008 | 60 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1986 | Typhoon Lola | Western Pacific | May 14 to 25, 1986 | 120 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2004 | Typhoon Nida | Western Pacific | May 13 to 22, 2004 | 95 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2015 | Typhoon Dolphin | Western Pacific | May 6 to 24, 2015 | 100 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2002 | Typhoon Hagibis | Western Pacific | May 13 to 22, 2002 | 95 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2007 | Typhoon Yutu | Western Pacific | May 15 to 25, 2007 | 95 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1996 | Typhoon Bart | Western Pacific | May 7 to 20, 1996 | 95 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1966 | Typhoon Irma | Western Pacific | May 10 to 22, 1966 | 120 kt · 1-minute (JTWC) |
| 1976 | Typhoon Olga | Western Pacific | May 10 to 31, 1976 | 100 kt · 1-minute (JTWC) |
| 1982 | Typhoon Pat | Western Pacific | May 16 to 24, 1982 | 90 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1997 | Unnamed cyclone · 1997 | North Indian | May 13 to 20, 1997 | 90 kt · 3-minute (IMD) |
| 1990 | Typhoon Marian | Western Pacific | May 9 to 21, 1990 | 70 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2022–23 | Cyclone Fabien | Southwest Indian | May 11 to 26, 2023 | 90 kt · 10-minute (Météo-France) |
| 1985 | Typhoon Gay | Western Pacific | May 16 to 28, 1985 | 80 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2005 | Hurricane Adrian | Eastern Pacific | May 17 to 21, 2005 | Category 1 · Saffir-Simpson (NHC) |
| 1989 | Typhoon Brenda | Western Pacific | May 14 to 21, 1989 | 65 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2004 | Unnamed cyclone · 2004 | North Indian | May 14 to 19, 2004 | 90 kt · 3-minute (IMD) |
| 1980 | Typhoon Dom | Western Pacific | May 5 to 22, 1980 | 85 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1994 | Typhoon Page | Western Pacific | May 8 to 19, 1994 | 70 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1964 | Typhoon Tess | Western Pacific | May 12 to 27, 1964 | 85 kt · 1-minute (JTWC) |
| 1990–91 | Cyclone Lisa | Australian region → South Pacific | May 4 to 19, 1991 | 60 kt · 10-minute (BoM) |
| 2010 | Cyclone Laila | North Indian | May 16 to 21, 2010 | 55 kt · 3-minute (IMD) |
| 2016 | Cyclone Roanu | North Indian | May 17 to 22, 2016 | 45 kt · 3-minute (IMD) |
Show 49 more storms
| Season | Storm | Ocean | Dates | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Hurricane Alma | Atlantic | May 17 to 27, 1970 | Category 1 · Saffir-Simpson (NHC) |
| 2003 | Unnamed cyclone · 2003 | North Indian | May 8 to 19, 2003 | 75 kt · 3-minute (IMD) |
| 1998 | Unnamed cyclone · 1998 | North Indian | May 13 to 20, 1998 | 60 kt · 3-minute (IMD) |
| 1987–88 | Cyclone Herbie | Australian region | May 17 to 21, 1988 | 50 kt · 10-minute (BoM) |
| 1980 | Tropical storm Forrest | Western Pacific | May 16 to 29, 1980 | 55 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1948 | Typhoon Lana | Western Pacific | May 16 to 20, 1948 | 80 kt · 1-minute (JTWC) |
| 2023–24 | Cyclone Ialy | Southwest Indian | May 12 to 22, 2024 | 65 kt · 10-minute (Météo-France) |
| 2000 | Tropical storm Longwang | Western Pacific | May 17 to 24, 2000 | 45 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1986 | Tropical storm Mac | Western Pacific | May 16 to 30, 1986 | 40 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2004 | Tropical storm Omais | Western Pacific | May 15 to 22, 2004 | 50 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2006–07 | Cyclone Pierre | Australian region | May 15 to 23, 2007 | 40 kt · 10-minute (BoM) |
| 1996 | Tropical storm Cam | Western Pacific | May 16 to 26, 1996 | 40 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 2020 | Tropical storm Arthur | Atlantic | May 16 to 21, 2020 | 55 kt · 1-minute (NHC) |
| 2010 | Cyclone Bandu | North Indian | May 15 to 22, 2010 | 40 kt · 3-minute (IMD) |
| 1991 | Tropical storm Andres | Eastern Pacific | May 16 to 20, 1991 | 55 kt · 1-minute (NHC) |
| 1971 | Tropical storm Carla | Western Pacific | May 17 to 24, 1971 | 50 kt · 1-minute (JTWC) |
| 1887 | Unnamed tropical storm · 1887 | Atlantic | May 15 to 20, 1887 | 60 kt · 1-minute (NHC) |
| 1984 | Tropical storm Alma | Eastern Pacific | May 17 to 21, 1984 | 50 kt · 1-minute (NHC) |
| 2012 | Tropical storm Aletta | Eastern Pacific | May 13 to 20, 2012 | 45 kt · 1-minute (NHC) |
| 1935 | Unnamed tropical storm · 1935 | Atlantic | May 15 to 19, 1935 | 50 kt · 1-minute (NHC) |
| 1889 | Unnamed hurricane · 1889 | Atlantic | May 16 to 22, 1889 | Category 1 · Saffir-Simpson (NHC) |
| 1951 | Unnamed tropical storm · 1951 | Eastern Pacific | May 17 to 21, 1951 | 45 kt · 1-minute (NHC) |
| 1933 | Unnamed tropical storm · 1933 | Atlantic | May 14 to 19, 1933 | 45 kt · 1-minute (NHC) |
| 1993 | Tropical storm Jack | Western Pacific | May 14 to 23, 1993 | 35 kt · 1-minute (JTWC) |
| 1994 | Unnamed tropical depression · 1994 | Western Pacific | May 14 to 27, 1994 | 30 kt · 1-minute (JTWC) |
| 2023–24 | Unnamed cyclone · 2024 | Southwest Indian | May 17 to 21, 2024 | 40 kt · 1-minute (JTWC) |
| 1979 | Unnamed tropical storm · 1979 | Western Pacific | May 17 to 26, 1979 | 40 kt · 10-minute (JMA) |
| 1996 | Unnamed tropical depression · 1996 | Eastern Pacific | May 15 to 19, 1996 | 30 kt · 1-minute (NHC) |
| 1966–67 | Storm Kathy | Southwest Indian | May 12 to 21, 1967 | Not recorded |
| 1969 | Unnamed storm · 1969 | North Indian | May 13 to 19, 1969 | Not recorded |
| 1962 | Unnamed storm · 1962 | North Indian | May 13 to 22, 1962 | Not recorded |
| 1951–52 | Unnamed storm · 1952 | Southwest Indian | May 10 to 28, 1952 | Not recorded |
| 1947 | Unnamed storm · 1947 | Western Pacific | May 17 to 19, 1947 | Not recorded |
| 1943 | Unnamed storm · 1943 | Western Pacific | May 10 to 20, 1943 | Not recorded |
| 1932 | Unnamed storm · 1932 | Western Pacific | May 17 to 20, 1932 | Not recorded |
| 1930 | Unnamed storm · 1930 | Western Pacific | May 17 to 19, 1930 | Not recorded |
| 1925 | Unnamed storm · 1925 | North Indian | May 12 to 20, 1925 | Not recorded |
| 1901 | Unnamed storm · 1901 | Western Pacific | May 14 to 23, 1901 | Not recorded |
| 1896 | Unnamed storm · 1896 | Western Pacific | May 11 to 19, 1896 | Not recorded |
| 1893 | Unnamed storm · 1893 | Western Pacific | May 12 to 19, 1893 | Not recorded |
| 1979 | Unnamed storm · 1979 | Western Pacific | May 17 to 20, 1979 | Not recorded |
| 1974 | Unnamed storm · 1974 | North Indian | May 17 to 22, 1974 | Not recorded |
| 1971 | Unnamed storm · 1971 | Western Pacific | May 16 to 19, 1971 | Not recorded |
| 1963 | Unnamed storm · 1963 | North Indian | May 17 to 26, 1963 | Not recorded |
| 1925–26 | Unnamed storm · 1926 | Australian region → South Pacific | May 15 to 19, 1926 | Not recorded |
| 1933 | Unnamed storm · 1933 | North Indian | May 13 to 19, 1933 | Not recorded |
| 1918–19 | Unnamed storm · 1919 | Australian region → South Pacific | May 14 to 20, 1919 | Not recorded |
| 1910 | Unnamed storm · 1910 | Western Pacific | May 15 to 19, 1910 | Not recorded |
| 1904 | Unnamed storm · 1904 | Western Pacific | May 17 to 21, 1904 | Not recorded |
Questions about May 18
What is the strongest storm on record on May 18?
Of the storms active on May 18, Typhoon Mawar (2023) had the highest peak wind recorded by a U.S. agency: 165 kt (190 mph), 1-minute sustained (JTWC). That is the storm's peak over its whole life, which may fall on another day. Agencies that average wind over 10 minutes report lower numbers for the same storm.
Has a storm ever made landfall on May 18?
Yes. 10 storms on record came ashore on May 18. The most recent was Typhoon Chanchu (2006): landfall near Shantou, Guangdong, China. Some coast crossings are estimated from the track, and each one is labelled.
How many storms were active on May 18?
117 storms on record were active on May 18, in 78 different years from 1877 to 2024. The count uses calendar dates in UTC and covers every ocean basin in NOAA's IBTrACS archive and the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2.
Replay every May 18 storm on its track. See the whole track, the wind at each step and the agency that measured it, on your phone.
Get it on Google PlaySources. Storm tracks and events from NOAA's best-track archives, exactly as the Hurricane Calendar app shows them. Dates are calendar dates in UTC. Each wind speed keeps the agency that recorded it and its averaging period; nothing is converted between agencies. A missing value is shown as not recorded, never as zero. Storms that may still have been active when the archive was updated are left out.
- International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) v04r01, all basins (CSV), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Retrieved 2026-09-26.
- HURDAT2 Atlantic hurricane database, 1851-2025 (released 2026-09-12), NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC). Retrieved 2026-09-26.
- HURDAT2 Northeast and North Central Pacific hurricane database, 1949-2025 (released 2026-09-14), NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) and Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC). Retrieved 2026-09-26.