In the past century, the development of tropical cyclone (TC) forecasting technology in China has experienced several main stages, from cloud identification, weather chart analysis, to statistical forecasting, statistics–dynamic forecasting, numerical forecasting, and their integrated application. As a result, the capability in forecasting TCs in China has significantly improved in both accuracy and stability, with noticeable stepwise features corresponding to the developments in forecasting technology. Looking ahead, forecasting of TCs has entered a new phase to break through the bottlenecks of fine structure and long lead time forecasting. Advancing the TC physics understanding is converging with improved AI capabilities, catalyzing a foreseen leap in TC forecasting technology.

Tropical cyclones (TCs), including tropical depressions and different categories of typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclonic storms, mostly originate over the oceans in the absence of direct observations. Thus, detailed monitoring and analysis of TCs has always been an unsolved problem. In the recent 20 years, great changes have taken place in domestic and foreign TC monitoring techniques, imposing a significant impact on TC operations and research. Some new technologies and products gradually emerge to support operations, with improved monitoring accuracy. In this paper, the progress on TC monitoring and analysis via meteorological satellites, radars, and airplanes in China and the world is reviewed, compared, and summarized, with special focuses on multisatellite fusion observations, in situ aircraft measurements, and some unconventional observation equipment such as rockets, saildrones, and underwater gliders. On this basis, the paper points out future directions for improving TC monitoring and analysis in aid of better TC forecast and early warning.