Which Typhoons Have Had the Most Severe Impact on Shanghai in History?
TyphoonSays·防御问答 · District of Typhoon · 更新 at 2026-07-23
The typhoons that have had the most severe impact on Shanghai throughout history mainly fall into two categories: those that made direct landfall in Shanghai or passed closely along its coast, and those that made landfall in Zhejiang Province but whose core circulation deeply affected Shanghai. These typhoons have left a heavy legacy of disaster in Shanghai and have been a major driving force behind the continuous strengthening of the city's disaster prevention systems.
I. Major Typhoons Affecting Shanghai in the Mid-to-Late 20th Century
- July 1949 Typhoon (Gloria): One of the most devastating typhoons to hit the East China region around the time of the founding of the People's Republic of China, this typhoon made landfall near Shanghai. It caused significant casualties and severe urban waterlogging, and is regarded in meteorological historical records as a landmark event in Shanghai's typhoon disaster history.
- August 1956 Typhoon (Wanda): Made landfall in Xiangshan, Zhejiang, but its strong wind circle covered Shanghai, bringing gale-force winds and heavy rain. This caused water levels in the Huangpu River to rise, creating immense pressure on flood control defenses along the banks.
- August 1977 Typhoon (Babe): One of the few typhoons in history to make direct landfall in Chongming, Shanghai. It brought sustained heavy rainfall and strong coastal winds, causing serious damage to agriculture and coastal levees.
These early typhoon disasters directly spurred the initial construction of Shanghai's levees, drainage systems, and meteorological monitoring networks.
II. Representative Typhoons Affecting Shanghai in the 21st Century
- 2012 Haikui: Made landfall in Xiangshan, Zhejiang. Although it did not make direct landfall in Shanghai, its core circulation enveloped the city for an extended period, bringing rare widespread heavy rainfall. Severe waterlogging occurred in parts of the urban area, making it one of the most representative typhoon events in Shanghai in the past decade.
- 2018 Ampil: One of the few typhoons since the 21st century to make direct landfall on the Shanghai coast
This article is typhoonsay's original copy content, and the local policy standards are based on the local government's latest release.