During 2014, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year, a total of 117 tropical cyclones had formed this year to date. 79 tropical cyclones had been named by either a Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) or a Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC). The most active basin in 2014 was the Western Pacific, which documented 23 named systems, while the Eastern Pacific, despite only amounting to 22 named systems, was its basin's most active since 1992. Conversely, both the North Atlantic hurricane and North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons experienced the fewest cyclones reaching tropical storm intensity in recorded history, numbering 9 and 3, respectively. Activity across the southern hemisphere's three basins—South-West Indian, Australian, and South Pacific—was spread evenly, with each region recording seven named storms apiece. So far, 26 Category 3 tropical cyclones formed, including ten Category 5 tropical cyclones in the year, becoming as the third-most intense tropical cyclone activity on record, only behind with 1997 and 2018.
The strongest of these tropical cyclones was Typhoon Vongfong, which strengthened to a minimum barometric pressure of 900 mbar (hPa; ) before striking the east coast of Japan. The costliest and deadliest tropical cyclone in 2014 was Typhoon Rammasun, which struck China in July, causing US$8.08 billion in damage. Rammasun killed 222 people; 106 in Philippines, 88 in China and 28 in Vietnam.
Global atmospheric and hydrological conditions
During January 2014, after surveying various climate models, the World Meteorological Organization warned that there was an enhanced possibility of a weak El Niño event happening during 2014. Over the next few months the climate of the Pacific Ocean started to exhibit features that suggested the impending onset of an El Niño event. Over the ocean, these features included: a rapid fall of the sea level in western Micronesia, as well as a large area of enhanced sea surface temperatures that were present at low latitudes near the International Date Line. In the atmosphere these features included persistent westerly winds at equatorial latitudes, which were displaced eastwards towards the Marshall Islands. A large area of atmospheric convection was present at a low latitude near the International Date Line, in association with the development of an unusual amount of early season tropical cyclones near the Marshall Islands. As a result of some of these conditions, an El Niño Watch was issued by the United States Climate Prediction Center (NOAA's CPC) and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society within their March 2014 diagnostic discussion.
Over the next few months, the atmosphere failed to respond in order to reinforce the developing El Niño, with the monsoon trough remaining weak and tropical cyclone activity slowing, while no episodes of strong westerly winds at a low latitude occurred. Some of the oceanic indicators of El Niño also failed to develop further, with a cooling of sea and sub surface temperatures over the tropical Pacific occurring. However, by the end of 2014, several of the El Niño indexes that were used to judge the state of the ENSO state, indicated that weak El Niño conditions had developed over the Pacific Ocean. As a result, a few of the international meteorological agencies, including the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Hong Kong Observatory reported that an El Niño event had developed during 2014, while others such as the Fiji Meteorological Service considered 2014 to be a near miss. At this time it was thought that the ENSO state would continue to hover at the borderline El Niño conditions, before easing back into neutral ENSO conditions.
Summary
North Atlantic Ocean
The 2014 Atlantic hurricane season was one of the least active seasons since 2009, with only eight named storms but had an average activity season in terms of hurricanes and a slightly below average season in terms of major hurricanes
Systems
A total of 114 systems formed globally in 2014 with 71 of them causing significant damage, deaths, and/or setting records for their basin.
January
The month of January was very active with 18 systems, starting with Ian bringing damages in Fiji and Tonga. Adding on, Lingling was the first disturbance in the West Pacific, affecting Philippines. Colin became the strongest tropical cyclone in the month of January this 2014, but it stayed well from land. 14 more disturbances formed on different basins, 6 are named by their respective meteorological agencies.
