Will Shanghai Experience Direct Typhoon Landfall? A Century of Typhoon Records in Shanghai

Direct typhoon landfalls in Shanghai are rare but not unprecedented. Since 1949, only a handful of typhoons have made direct landfall in the city. This article reviews the records of typhoons that have impacted Shanghai, such as In-Fa, Ampil, and Chanthu.

Shanghai: The Megacity Typhoons "Go Around"?

Many Shanghainese have the impression that typhoons always "graze" the city without hitting it directly. There is some truth to this: located at the mouth of the Yangtze River at a relatively northern latitude, most westward-moving typhoons make landfall in South China, while recurving typhoons often head straight for Japan and the Korean Peninsula from the East China Sea. Since 1949, the number of typhoons making direct landfall in Shanghai has been in the single digits, such as the 1977 typhoon (Pudong) and Typhoon 8913 in 1989. In 2018, Ampil, Jongdari, and Rumbia rarely struck Shanghai and its surrounding areas in a triple hit within a single summer.

But "No Landfall" Does Not Mean "No Disaster"

Most typhoon-related disasters in Shanghai come from typhoons that pass close by:

• Typhoon Winnie (9711, 1997): Directly attacked East China, causing a rare storm surge in Shanghai since the founding of the PRC, with breaches and overflow occurring at multiple points along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek.
• Matsa (2005): After making landfall in Zhejiang, it moved northward. Shanghai saw widespread rainfall exceeding 200 mm, leading to extensive waterlogging across the city.
• In-Fa (2021): After making landfall twice in Zhejiang, it moved slowly northward. Shanghai experienced days of wind and rain, with cumulative rainfall breaking records at many stations.
• Chanthu (2021): It "drifted" and circled in the East China Sea for three days, leading to two school suspensions and city-wide alert status in Shanghai.
• Bebinca (2024): Made landfall in Lingang, Pudong, as a severe typhoon, becoming the strongest typhoon to make landfall in Shanghai since 1949.

Three Major Vulnerabilities in Shanghai's Typhoon Defense

• Storm Surge + Astronomical High Tide: The Huangpu River is a tidal river section. If a typhoon coincides with the lunar high tide, the pressure on the urban flood control walls becomes immense.
• Super-high-rises and Glass Curtain Walls: The wind acceleration effect is significant among high-rise clusters like Lujiazui, posing a high risk of falling objects from heights.
• Subways and Underpasses: Urban waterlogging caused by extreme rainfall makes low-lying underpasses historically prone to accidents.

Typhoon Preparedness Advice for Shanghai Residents

• Stay away from buildings with glass curtain walls and billboards during typhoon impacts; secure flower pots and clutter on balconies in advance.
• Pay attention to the combined effects of storm surge warnings and rainfall warnings. Residents living on lower floors along Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River should heed flood control announcements.
• Subway suspensions and underpass closures are protective measures; do not take risks by wading through flooded areas.