The current typhoon season in the Northwest Pacific Ocean is shaping up to be one of the most intense on record as the El Niño system strengthens, according to the latest projection by commercial forecaster Tropical Storm Risk. Storms that form over the Northwest Pacific can hit countries including China, Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. Twenty typhoons are forecast to form in the region, of which 13 will be intense, Tropical Storm Risk said. This strong ocean-sky coupling helps create conditions that raise the likelihood of an extremely active typhoon season. Asia’s typhoon season typically runs from June to October, though the destructive storms can also form in other months.