When is Shanghai's typhoon season? How many typhoons typically affect the city each year?
TyphoonSays·防御问答 · District of Typhoon · 更新 at 2026-07-23
Shanghai's Typhoon Season: June to October, with Peak Activity from July to September
Based on climatic patterns, the coastal East China region where Shanghai is located is primarily affected by typhoons from June to October each year. Among these months, July, August, and September represent the peak period for landfalls or significant impacts. This aligns with the overall active season of tropical cyclones in the Northwest Pacific and is closely related to the prevailing summer wind directions in Shanghai and the northward shift of the subtropical high.
In rare years, typhoons may exert peripheral influence on Shanghai in May or November, but the probability is low, and they typically do not cause severe wind and rain. It is important to note that the start and end dates of the typhoon season are long-term averages. The specific occurrence and timing of typhoons in any given year depend on that year's atmospheric circulation patterns and should not be applied rigidly.
Number of Typhoons Typically Affecting Shanghai Per Year
Based on multi-year averages, approximately 1 to 3 typhoons significantly affect Shanghai each year. This includes direct landfalls, close passes along the coast, and cases where typhoons make landfall in Zhejiang or Jiangsu provinces and move northward to impact Shanghai. There is considerable interannual variability: some years see no direct landfalls, while others may experience two or three in succession. Direct landfalls in Shanghai are actually relatively rare; most impacts come in the form of "peripheral effects," bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall.
Determining whether a typhoon "affects" Shanghai depends mainly on whether the city falls within its gale-force wind circle (Level 7 winds) and whether it brings significant wind and rain processes, rather than solely on the landfall location.
Warning Levels and Key Preparedness Measures for Residents
China's typhoon warning system, standardized by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), consists of four levels: Blue, Yellow, Orange, and Red, with Red being the highest. A Red warning usually indicates that significant impacts from a tropical cyclone are possible or already occurring within 6 hours. The higher the warning level, the stronger the public response should be.
Residents can refer to the following guidelines:
- Measures such as school closures, work suspensions, and transport halts are subject to notifications issued by local authorities. Emergency trigger standards vary by location and industry. Such measures are typically activated only when a Red Typhoon Warning is issued or when flood and typhoon control emergency responses reach a certain level.
- Before the typhoon arrives, check windows and doors in advance, clear hanging objects and flower pots from balconies, and prepare flashlights, drinking water, common medications, and power banks.
- During the impact period, try to avoid going outdoors. Stay away from billboards, tower cranes, temporary construction barriers, and low-lying areas prone to waterlogging.
- Residents living in old houses, low-lying areas, or along the coastline should comply with evacuation and resettlement arrangements organized by sub-district offices and community committees.
Monitor Real-Time Tracks and Forecasts
Typhoon tracks and intensity adjustments can change rapidly, and numerical forecasts often deviate from actual conditions. It is recommended to rely on official releases from the CMA and the Shanghai Meteorological Service. Real-time typhoon tracks can be queried on TyphoonSays (taifengshuo.com), where you can access the latest position, wind circle impact ranges, landfall forecasts, and wind/rain assessments.
This article is typhoonsay's original copy content, and the local policy standards are based on the local government's latest release.