On October 23, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) began tracking a tropical depression approximately 190 nmi (350 km) north of Palau.

[8] Later that day, the PAGASA then upgraded Molave into a typhoon as it headed for Albay and Camarines Sur, prompting the raising of TCWS#3 for both and adjacent provinces.

[10][11] At 18:10 PHT (10:10 UTC), Molave made its first landfall on the San Miguel Island in Albay, with another one in Malinao just 40 minutes later.

Molave made landfall on Quảng Ngãi province, central Vietnam at 10:10 UTC+7 (03:10 UTC), October 28 with category 2 typhoon strength.

The JMA continued to track the system as a Tropical Depression over Cambodia until they issued their final advisory on October 30.

On October 24, 2020, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) warned of lahars down the slopes of Mayon Volcano in Bicol Region during the typhoon.

Nearly 1.3 million people are expected to evacuate in Vietnam, as Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered boats onshore and advised preparations for the security forces and residents in the area.

[29] The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in the Philippines received reports of damaged roads and bridges, flooding, and landslides that same day.

[32][33] A state of calamity was declared early on October 27 for the city of Batangas, due to "widespread destruction and substantial damage" caused by the storm.

[35] Floods caused by Typhoon Saudel in Quezon just a couple of days prior were immediately worsened by Molave.

[39] The Philippine government organized a disaster relief aid following the typhoon supplying ₱890.5 million worth of food and other items to those affected.

[37] The filming of GMA Network's television drama anthology series titled Tadhana in Laiya Beach in Batangas was disrupted by a storm surge.

[43] Molave brought heavy rains; Sơn Kỳ (Quảng Ngãi) received 470 mm (19 in) over 24 hours of rainfall.

[43] Immense rainfall triggered three landslides in Phước Sơn and Nam Trà My districts and buried some villages, with the recovery of at least 21 bodies under rubble.

[49][50] On October 27, the typhoon caused the MV Dayang Topaz to swerve uncontrollably and hit the structure of a drilling platform 14 nautical miles off Miri after one of its anchor cables snapped.