October 14, 2025 – A ferocious ocean-born storm has carved a path of destruction from Japan to Alaska, leaving communities reeling in its wake. What began as a broad convective disturbance southeast of Iwo Jima has evolved into one of the most unusual and far-reaching storms of the 2025 Pacific season.
On October 3, satellite imagery revealed a sprawling area of convection approximately 264 nautical miles (489 km) southeast of Iwo Jima. No well-defined center existed yet, but the building thunderstorm activity hinted at something more to come. The environment was just barely hospitable—with 15–20 knots of wind shear, sea surface temperatures of 28–29 °C, and moderate upper-level outflow.
By October 4, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) classified the system as a tropical depression. Persistent deep convection soon obscured the center, prompting the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to issue a formation alert. Nine hours later, the system was upgraded to Tropical Depression 28W, and by early October 5, it had become Tropical Storm Halong.
Over the next two days, the storm intensified rapidly. The development of a clear eye and enhanced outflow led JTWC to upgrade it to a typhoon. On October 7, JMA followed suit—and soon, Halong exploded into Category 4 intensity, featuring a textbook, symmetrical eye.
As Halong passed by on October 8, the Izu Islands bore the full force of the storm:
- Hachijojima recorded 197 km/h sustained winds and 349 mm (13.7 inches) of rain in just 12 hours—setting a record high since measurements began in 2003.
- 2,700 water service customers and 2,200 power customers were knocked offline.
- Aogashima also faced outages, though on a smaller scale.
- Roads were rendered impassable by flooding, landslides, and fallen trees.
By midday, the JMA lowered its emergency alerts. Still, it cautioned residents: dangerous slope conditions and remnants of saturated ground posed continued landslide risk.
As Halong moved northeast, it began to weaken under 25–30 knots of shear and dry air. On October 10, JTWC issued its final advisory, declaring the storm had “gone extratropical.” JMA monitored the system until 22:10 JST, when it formally declared Halong fully extratropical.
But far from done, the system re-intensified over the Bering Sea, carrying hurricane-force winds, storm surge, and record rainfall into Western Alaska, especially around the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) Delta.
BETHEL, Alaska – New footage and reports have revealed the full horror of Halong’s impact on coastal communities:
Bethel Friends of Canines ·Fb
— Auntie Pam (@Cekr4u2) October 13, 2025
·
Please keep western Alaska in your thoughts and if you see ways to help, please do. Several coastal communities have been hit severely hard, some evacuated to inner communities, homes have fallen, flooding so bad houses are floating away, or with… pic.twitter.com/GZrorIrzTR
The remnants of Typhoon Halong took an unexpectedly sharp eastward turn over the weekend, slamming into Southwest Alaska and triggering some of the worst coastal flooding in recent memory. Communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta — including Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, and Napakiak — were among the hardest hit, as hurricane-force winds and powerful storm surge swept homes off their foundations, downed power lines, and left residents scrambling for safety. In Kwigillingok, one man described how his house floated away with his four children inside before coming to rest against a bridge, blocking their exit with debris.
The storm’s unusual track spared locations like Nome and St. Lawrence Island from the worst impacts, while directing the brunt of its force inland and along the Kuskokwim River. Wind gusts reached 107 mph in Kusilvak, with waves covering roads in Bethel and surrounding low-lying neighborhoods. In Kotzebue, winds were expected to peak overnight with floodwaters rising 3 to 5 feet above the normal high tide line. Emergency shelters were opened, and residents — especially elders — were relocated to safer ground in multiple villages including Shaktoolik and Unalakleet.
ALASKA EMERGENCY: New video shows the powerful flooding ongoing in western Alaska from the remnants of Typhoon Halong, which has caused widespread damage, displacing families as first responders continue to search for unaccounted people. https://t.co/MYCPgjGPwV pic.twitter.com/Wv66bUVB92
— FOX Weather (@foxweather) October 13, 2025
As the system pushes north toward the Beaufort Sea, the immediate threat is easing, but concerns remain about infrastructure damage, coastal erosion, and continued wet weather. Another weaker storm is forecast to enter the region midweek, and with the ground already saturated, even minor precipitation could prolong recovery. Emergency officials continue to urge caution, especially in communities where roads are flooded, power is down, and access to medical care is limited.
Troopers confirmed one fatality in Kwigillingok, and three people remain missing, while all residents of Kipnuk have been accounted for. Search efforts are underway by the Alaska State Troopers, Air/Army National Guard, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Helicopters have airlifted generators and fuel to isolated communities.
Meteorologists warn that Halong may rival or even surpass the destruction of Ex‑Typhoon Merbok in 2022, which earlier inflicted serious damage across Western Alaska.
This storm’s legacy is formidable—not just for its rapid Pacific intensification nor its reawakening as a deadly extratropical cyclone, but for the dramatic human toll it has wrought across two very different worlds.
