2001 opened with Tropical Storm Soulik, from the previous season, active in the Philippine Sea. Soulik strengthened into the first typhoon seen this year and reached its peak intensity as a Category 3-equivalent typhoon on January 3, before quickly dissipating the next day. The formation of Tropical Depression 01W (Auring), however, officially initiated the start of the annual typhoon season on February 17. No tropical cyclones developed until after two months later, when another tropical depression had developed to the southeast of the Philippines. Tropical cyclogenesis gradually increased when May arrived – with three tropical systems developing. Two of these systems were only recognised as minor tropical depressions, while the other strengthened to the first official named storm of this year, Cimaron, which moved through the Philippine archipelago in the middle of the month.
