296 km/h: Super Typhoon Champi is now the strongest storm on Earth in 2026
In terms of wind speed, Super Typhoon Champi is the most powerful storm on Earth in 2026 so far, achieving the top storm spot with its peak winds of 296 km/h--the equivalent of a Category 5 storm
Super Typhoon Champi has now grown into the world’s strongest tropical cyclone of 2026, with respect to wind speed.
The system in the western Pacific Ocean became a powerhouse with its peak winds of of 296 km/h, the equivalent of a Category 5 storm.
Hurricane Polo previously held the title for world’s strongest tropical cyclone in 2026, in terms of wind speed. The storm peaked with maximum, sustained winds of 285 km/h and a minimum, central pressure of 892 mb--which is still lower than Champi's (895 mb)--making Polo stronger in that regard.
Such a low air pressure made Polo the second-most intense hurricane on record in the eastern Pacific.
Champi is also now the world’s seventh Category 5 storm of the year.
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The typhoon also had a very healthy structure on radar as it passed Guam early Sunday morning local time.
Sea surface temperatures in this section of the western Pacific are running around 30°C, which is slightly warmer than normal for this time of year. The environment around the typhoon features deep moisture, calm winds, low wind shear. and enough upper-level support to vent air away from the storm.
The massive Champi will continue to track west towards Taipei before turning northwest later this week.
It will enter a more unfavourable environment, so Champi is forecast to weaken to a Category 4 or 3 storm by Thursday and Friday.
All of those ingredients, plus the storm’s own internal organization, are critical for a tropical cyclone to maintain its composure and continue strengthening.
What will the Canadian impacts be?
The massive storm is tugging on the jet stream, having an influence on weather patterns across the globe.
Champi took a more westerly track towards Taiwan. Downstream, impacts to Canada are expected, reinforcing an end-of-October and early-November pattern we have previously been forecasting.
In Ontario and Quebec, the weather is expected to become more changeable and unsettled at times during the middle of and late next week, lingering into the following week.
Warmer-than-normal temperatures are expected to dominate, but quick interruptions are also expected.
With files from Dennis Mersereau, a digital journalist and weather specialist at The Weather Network, and Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist at The Weather Network.