The 1985 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly above average season in terms of named storms, though most storms were weak and short-lived. The season had 28 named storms, 15 typhoons and 1 super typhoon. It ran year-round, thus ending the two-season run which began in 1983 that only had tropical cyclones forming between May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. A total of 57 tropical depressions formed this year, of which only 28 became tropical storms and were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. This made the season well above average. Additionally, tropical depressions that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility were assigned a name by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or PAGASA. This can often result in the same storm having two names. This year, a total of 17 storms were named this way.

The strongest cyclone of the season, Dot, reached category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale to the east of the Philippines. Typhoon Cecil was the deadliest storm of the season, accounting for nearly half of the deaths from western Pacific tropical cyclones in 1985. The season featured Odessa, Pat, and Ruby, a rare example of a tertiary Fujiwhara interaction.

A total of 29 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 28 became tropical storms. 17 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 1 reached super typhoon strength. Only four tropical cyclones moved through the Philippines this season, while eight moved into China, three moved into Vietnam, and three moved into Japan. Tropical cyclones brought Hong Kong 40 percent of its annual rainfall. The strongest cyclone of the season, Dot, reached category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale. However, it weakened slightly before moving into the Philippines at the high end of category 3 status. Typhoon Cecil was the deadliest storm of the season, accounting for nearly half of the deaths from western Pacific tropical cyclones in 1985.

The initial tropical disturbance formed on the west end of the near-equatorial, or monsoon, trough. Due to strong high pressure due its north, and the associated high winds associated with the northern Asian monsoon, strongest winds within the system were on its western periphery. Strong southerly winds aloft led to persistent vertical wind shear, which limited its intensification is it moved west to northwest. It passed nearby Yap, and caused crop damage as it passed by the island group.

This was the first tropical cyclone to form in the northwest Pacific basin in January in six years. Forming along the near equatorial trough, two circulations formed on either side of Guam. Elsie formed from the eastern circulation, appearing southwest of Pohnpei on January 4. On January 5, further convective development occurred which formed a low level circulation on January 6. Becoming a tropical depression late that day and a tropical storm on January 7, the system moved northwest, reaching its peak intensity late in the day. Thereafter, strong southerly winds aloft arrested development, and weakening began. Tropical depression status was regained on January 8, and its circulation dissipated early January 9.

A tropical depression formed 740 kilometres (460 mi) east of Luzon on April 22. Moving east-northeast for a couple days, the system dissipated on April 24 770 kilometres (480 mi) north-northwest of Guam.

Gay was the third tropical cyclone and first typhoon of the 1985 Pacific typhoon season. After over four months of inactivity, on May 16, a strong atmospheric circulation formed 380 nmi (700 km) west of Koror, now part of Palau. The circulation began to develop convection and by May 20 had organized into a depression. Heading north, the storm took two days to gain tropical storm strength, likely because a tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT) was so close to the north, restricting outflow. However, the trough soon weakened and outflow improved and the storm began to intensify faster. Gay became a typhoon early on May 23, continuing to intensify, Gay came under influence of a frontal boundary to the northwest and began to recurve to the northeast, through a weakness in the subtropical ridge created by the trough associated with the frontal boundary. This trough began to build and dig southeastward, pouring fuel into Gay's engine. Typhoon Gay reached its peak intensity of 100 knots (120 mph; 190 km/h) on May 24. As cool, dry air became entrained within Gay's circulation, the cyclone began to weaken. Gay underwent extratropical transition as it interacted with the frontal boundary. Gay became extratropical shortly after weakening to a tropical storm early on May 26.

This system formed within the northern portion of the monsoon trough on June 16. Strong northeast winds aloft kept its circulation center on the northeast side of its stronger thunderstorm activity. The system drifted generally northwest, making landfall on Hainan Island before dissipating. While never upgraded by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the Japanese Meteorological Agency considered the system a weak tropical storm,