The 21st named storm of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season, Higos developed on September 25 east of the Northern Marianas Islands.

Higos subsequently weakened and turned to the north-northeast toward Japan, making landfall in that country's Kanagawa Prefecture on October 1.

Before striking Japan, Higos produced strong winds in the Northern Marianas Islands while passing to their north.

Later, the remnants of Higos affected the Russian Far East, killing seven people involved in two shipwrecks offshore Primorsky Krai.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)[nb 2] first monitored an area of disturbed weather on September 25.

[2] At the time, the system consisted of a weak circulation, but with good outflow and located in an area of low wind shear.

[3] The storm gradually intensified while passing to the north of Saipan, and Higos attained typhoon status on September 27.

[2] At around 1100 UTC on October 1, Higos passed just east of the Miura Peninsula with winds of 130 km/h (81 mph), about 30 minutes before making landfall in the eastern portion of Kanagawa Prefecture near Yokosuka.

[4] Higos passed very near Tokyo around 1200 UTC that day,[3] becoming the third strongest typhoon to affect the city since World War II, according to the JTWC.

[3] The typhoon caused heavy crop damage in Agrigan and Alamagan, which led to food shortages on the islands.

[5] As a result, officials from Saipan sent a boat to the islands with food donated by the local Red Cross chapter.

The typhoon affected outlying islands of Japan, causing power outages due to strong winds.

[11] Storm debris injured several people, and a steel window frame struck and killed a man in Yokohama.