On October 20, the official Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) estimated peak 10‑minute winds of 155 km/h (96 mph), while the unofficial Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) estimated peak 1‑minute winds of 250 km/h (160 mph), making Babs an unofficial super typhoon.

Babs turned northward once in the South China Sea, later weakening due to unfavorable conditions and transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on October 27 in the Taiwan Strait.

Heavy rainfall affected much of Luzon and the northern Philippines, causing widespread flooding and landslides that isolated towns.

Torrential rainfall in Taiwan, reaching 1,306 mm (51.4 in) in Yilan City, flooded towns and caused landslides; there were three deaths on the island.

A tropical disturbance developed east-southeast of Guam on October 11, just four days after Typhoon Zeb originated in the same area.

The American-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a tropical cyclone formation alert on October 12, indicating development was imminent.

[1] However, the system did not develop into a tropical depression until 06:00 UTC on October 14, based on analysis from the Japan Meteorological Agency – the official warning center for the western Pacific Ocean.

Later that day, the storm reached 1‑minute winds of 85 km/h (53 mph),[1] and it entered the area of responsibility of PAGASA – the Philippine weather agency – which gave it the local name Loleng.

Around the time of peak intensity, Babs made landfall on the Philippine island of Catanduanes, where a weather station recorded a minimum barometric pressure of 928 mbar (27.4 inHg) in Virac.

The typhoon weakened further while crossing central Luzon, and it passed about 75 km (47 mi) north of Metro Manila before emerging into the South China Sea on October 23.

Turning northeastward into the Taiwan Strait, even stronger wind shear caused Babs to fall apart, and the storm weakened into a tropical depression just off the southeast coast of China.

[2] Shortly after Babs entered the PAGASA area of responsibility, government workers began closely tracking the storm and warned residents to be prepared.

[11] Officials advised residents in Metro Manila to remain indoors; government buildings and schools were closed, while Ninoy Aquino International Airport halted all domestic flights.

[13] On Mount Pinatubo, the rains resulted in a 1.5 m (4.9 ft) high landslide consisting of volcanic material, although nearby rivers at flood stage contained it.

[3] Workers at the Ambuklao and Binga dams had to release waters after the storm, which flooded rice fields and fish ponds along the Agno River.

[20] In Catanduanes where it first struck, several hours of torrential rainfall in the hills caused the Bato River to rise 9 m (30 ft), which reached as high as the houses' roofs in some areas.

[16] In the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, the storm knocked over many coconut trees,[3] and flooding damaged about 88,000 ha (220,000 acres) of rice fields in Nueva Ecija.

[27] Due to the interaction between the monsoon and the storm, Babs produced gusty winds across Hong Kong, with a peak gust of 121 km/h (75 mph) recorded at two locations.

[13] The dissipating remnants of Babs interacted with the winter monsoon to drop heavy rainfall on Taiwan, particularly in the northern and eastern portions of the island.

This led to flooding in eastern Taiwan, reaching waist-deep heights in some locations,[1] which forced hundreds to leave their home.

[14] The rains also caused landslides that isolated villages,[1] and a swollen Keelung River cut off two towns east of Taipei.

[30] The storm killed three people on the island,[3] including a fishermen swept away by high waves,[14] and a couple buried under a landslide.

[35] A few days after Babs struck the Philippines, then-Philippine president Joseph Estrada declared four provinces as a state of calamity and ordered the release of ₱200 million (PHP) in emergency funds.

[16] After Babs passed the hardest hit areas, workers were initially unable to distribute food and medicine due to ferry service being halted.