Rare "Zombie Typhoon" Trend Sparks Buzz in Japan as Weakened Storm Revives in South China Sea

A former tropical storm that had weakened into a tropical depression has regained strength over open waters and is expected to revert into a full-fledged typhoon, drawing widespread attention across Japanese social media. The phrase "becoming a typhoon" began trending on X (formerly Twitter) as users shared their astonishment and curiosity over this rare meteorological phenomenon.

According to announcements by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and other weather bureaus, former Typhoon No. 18, which had degraded into a tropical depression after moving toward mainland China, drifted into the South China Sea and began gathering strength again. Meteorologists forecast that the system will intensify back to typhoon status within 24 hours. The revival of a system that previously dissipated into a tropical depression is colloquially known as a "resurrection typhoon" or "zombie storm," occurring only once every few years.

Under meteorological conventions, when such a system reattains typhoon-grade winds, it does not receive a new sequential number; instead, it reclaims its original designation as Typhoon No. 18. This classification rule prompted intrigued reactions online, with users commenting, "I had no idea names get carried over like that," and "I learned something new today."

Social media erupted with amazed remarks, including, "That storm has some serious guts to bounce back like that," "Is it coming back like a boomerang?" and "This year's typhoons are full of wild tricks." With multiple other low-pressure systems and potential tropical disturbances active in the surrounding waters, weather authorities continue to urge vigilance and advise the public to monitor track forecasts closely.

The Context

In Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency tracks typhoons sequentially by number each calendar year (e.g., Typhoon No. 1, Typhoon No. 2), unlike the internationally designated storm names used across the Western Pacific. Typhoons are a regular natural hazard in East Asia from late summer through autumn, bringing severe winds and torrential rain. However, cases where a weakened depression re-intensifies into a named tropical cyclone after losing strength are uncommon, which often captures public interest due to the unusual nature of the storm track and the technical rules governing tropical cyclone naming conventions.