Regarded as the worst typhoon to affect Zhejiang in 160 years, it originated as an area of disturbed weather over the open West Pacific on August 13.

Late on August 19, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the principal organization in the West Pacific, estimated 10-minute sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph).

After peaking in intensity, Fred veered to the north of Taiwan and struck the China mainland near Wenzhou early on August 21.

A significant storm surge combined with astronomical high tides to inflict catastrophic damage to coastal infrastructure.

Protection mechanisms failed, allowing an overwhelming surge of water to flow into 189 towns, including the port city of Wenzhou.

A tropical upper-tropospheric trough moved in tandem to the north of the storm, although it is unclear what effect this feature may have had on the cyclone's strength.

At 18:00 UTC on August 16, the JMA upgraded Fred to a typhoon, a move replicated by the JTWC later that night as the storm first developed an eye on a weather satellite.

As the system abruptly changed direction, it began to weaken quickly according to its shrinking eye on satellite and surface observations scattered throughout the southern Ryukyu Islands.

It continued inland, weakening to a severe tropical storm early on August 22,[3] and dissipating over the Yangtze River valley near Wuhan around 06:00 UTC that day.

[1] The remnants of the storm curved northeast in combination with an approaching weather front, and impacts from those systems reached Japan on August 26–27.

[9] A plume of moisture associated with the typhoon extended northeast toward another area of low pressure and led to locally heavy rainfall up to 252 mm (9.9 in) in Ibaraki Prefecture.

[4] In advance of Typhoon Fred, some 130 illegal Chinese deckhands working on Taiwanese fishing boats were allowed to take shelter on the island.

Prior to Fred, these workers – hired as cheap labor and harbored on floating hotels – were barred from entering Taiwan.

However, following the deaths of several deckhands caused by a previous typhoon that capsized a ship offshore, these workers were allowed to seek refuge onshore.

[13] These waves induced a significant drop in phytoplankton along the northern coastline of Taiwan, disturbing coastal marine ecosystems.

This move followed a series of three typhoons that affected the region earlier in 1994, causing excessive flooding that left 20 people dead and $346 million in damage across the central and southern portions of Taiwan.

[3] The compounded effects of Fred and previous cyclones raised concerns that Taiwan's third quarter GDP growth would be negatively affected.

[15] As the storm approached, the Zhejiang Provincial Military Command urged officers of the People's Liberation Army to be on full alert, and contingents began evacuating residents.

[16] Fred's arrival came after a series of devastating floods throughout Southern China killed over 4,000 people and caused $6.1 billion in damage over preceding months.

The waiting hall of the Wenzhou Longwan International Airport was flooded to a depth of 1.5 m (4.9 ft), and the building was shut down for at least 15 days due to the destruction of critical equipment.

Furthermore, the combination of the surge and ongoing rainfall led to the overflowing of the Oujiang River, which soon consumed the fragile seawall that protected the most prosperous portions of Wenzhou.

Tides in the affluent areas rose to 1.5–2.5 m (4.9–8.2 ft), causing additional, severe flood damage to homes and businesses.

At the mouth of the Oujiang River, Lingkun, Jiangxin, and Qidu islands were submerged by a tide of 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) above ground level and remained inundated until the next day.

In the neighboring Jiangsu Province, trees were likewise toppled, electric poles were downed, and cotton fields were flattened in the cities of Shanghai and Suzhou.

[25] President Jiang Zemin and Premier Li Peng dispatched a delegation of high-ranking Chinese leaders to inspect damage and express sympathy to the victims of the storm.

Special work teams began the process of restoring electricity, telephone, railway service, and overarching transport throughout the region.

[21] The Chinese leader heading flood relief, Chen Junsheng, warned officials to be on alert for profiteering and looting.