Super Typhoon Malou (Hazel)

Super Typhoon Malou (also known as Typhoon Marce in the Philippines) is a catastrophic, deadly typhoon that devastated parts of Southeast and East Asia from mid-to-late October. Decimating parts of the Philippines, China, and Taiwan at Super Typhoon strength, it is considered the most intense and costliest typhoon in recorded history, beating Typhoon Haiyan in terms of destruction in the Philippines and Typhoon Tip in terms of strength and intensity.

Malou's predecessor can be traced back to an area of disturbed weather 236 nautical miles south-southeast of Guam on October 7, of which formed into a tropical depression two days later. Moving west, the depression attained tropical storm status as observed by a reconaissance flight into the developing system, and was given the name "Malou." Shifting its track west-northwest, Malou intensified rapidly as it was upgraded to a Category 2 typhoon by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), with Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) following suit. As Malou moved over favorable conditions with the water reaching almost 32 degrees celsius in temperature and little to no wind shear at all, it intensified into a Category 4 within 8 hours, moving within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

On October 14, Typhoon Malou achieved Super Typhoon status as it moved closer to the Philippines. It shifted to a west-southwest track, directly threatening the Bicol Region. Super Typhoon Malou explosively intensified and attained Category 5 status with winds up to  145 knots (260 km/h; 160 mph) and a relatively low barometric pressure of up to as low as 895 millibars, matching Haiyan's barometric pressure as it made landfall in Tolosa, Leyte. Typhoon Malou made landfall on Capalonga, Camarines Norte at this intensity. Typhoon Malou, after emerging on Tayabas Bay, weakened to a Category 4 super typhoon and reverted to its westerly track. It made several more devastating landfalls throughout Luzon.