LIST: Philippine tropical cyclone names in 2026

MANILA, Philippines – Local names are assigned to all tropical cyclones that form within or enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) alternately uses four regular sets of local names. Each regular set has 25 names, arranged alphabetically.

There is also a corresponding auxiliary set for each regular set, with 10 names each, in case there are more than 25 tropical cyclones in a particular year.

For 2026, these are the regular and auxiliary sets:

Generally, the sets above were last used in 2022 and will also be used in 2030, 2034, 2038, and so on, except for names that have been retired or will be retired.

In 2026, there are four new names: Ada, Francisco, Kiyapo, and Pilandok. They are the replacement names for 2022’s Tropical Storm Agaton (Megi), Severe Tropical Storm Florita (Ma-on), Super Typhoon Karding (Noru), and Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (Nalgae), respectively.

When a tropical cyclone causes at least 300 deaths and/or P1 billion worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure, its name will be retired. The retired name will then be replaced by another name starting with the same letter.

Meanwhile, international names for tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea are assigned by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center Tokyo-Typhoon Center, operated by the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The international names come from a list contributed to by several countries, including the Philippines.

Only tropical cyclones that reach at least tropical storm category are given international names. Tropical depressions do not get international names, but they do get local names inside PAR. – Acor Arceo/Rappler.com