The 1987 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1987, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November.^[1] These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west pacific basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Tropical depressions that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility are assigned a name by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or PAGASA. This can often result in the same storm having two names.

A total of 24 tropical cyclones formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 23 became tropical storms. Tropical cyclones formed every month this year, outside of February, March, and May. Of the 24, 18 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 6 reached super typhoon strength. Six of the tropical cyclones this year moved through the Philippines.

Storms

A total of 24 tropical cyclones formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 23 became tropical storms. Of the 24, 18 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 6 reached super typhoon strength. Six of the tropical cyclones this year moved through the Philippines.^[2]

Typhoon Orchid (Auring)

On January 3, a small and persistent area of thunderstorms near the International Dateline was first detected.^[3] During the next few days, it slowly increased in organization and thunderstorm activity after which a small and ragged central dense overcast formed and upper level outflow improved.^[3] A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) was issued late on January 7 for the disturbance.^[3] The JTWC then issued their first warning on Tropical Depression 01W during the afternoon of January 7.^[3] The next morning, on January 8, an aircraft reconnaissance mission reported tropical storm winds and the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm and named Orchid.^[3] Orchid continued to gradually strengthen until it reached its peak intensity of 110 mph (175 km/h) on January 11 as a small typhoon.^[3] After reaching peak intensity, Orchid weakened rather quickly and by January 14, it had degenerated into an area of low pressure.^[3]

Orchid caused "extensive damage" on Ulithi Atoll but no deaths were reported.^[3] In the wake of the typhoon, the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency declared parts of the Federated States of Micronesia as a disaster area.^[4]