1958 Pacific typhoon season

1958 Pacific typhoon season
First storm formed January 7, 1958
Last storm dissipated December 8, 1958
Strongest storm Super Typhoon Ida – 877 hPa (mbar),
Total storms 23
Typhoons 21
Super typhoons 8
Total fatalities Unknown
Total damage Unknown
Pacific typhoon seasons
1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960

The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the international date line. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 1958 Pacific hurricane season. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west pacific basin were assigned a name by the Fleet Weather Center on Guam.

Contents

Storms

Super Typhoon Ophelia

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS)
Duration January 7 – January 16
Intensity 260 km/h (160 mph) (1-min),  940 mbar (hPa)

On January 7, a tropical storm developed over the open waters of the western Pacific. It rapidly intensified, and reached winds of 140 mph the next day. Conditions became unfavorable, and steadily weakened to 105 mph winds. On the 12th, favorable conditions allowed Ophelia to reintensify, reaching a peak of 160 mph on the 13th. After maintaining that intensity for 18 hours, it quickly weakened as it drifted northward, and dissipated on the 16th. Typhoon Ophelia caused widespread destruction on Jaluit and other islands of the Western Pacific.[1] Ophelia also killed nine people when a USAF WB-50 crashed during a recon flight into the storm on January 15.[2]

Super Typhoon Phyllis

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS)
Duration May 25 – June 2
Intensity 295 km/h (185 mph) (1-min),  940 mbar (hPa)

On May 29, Super Typhoon Phyllis attained a peak of 185 mph, the strongest typhoon ever in the month of May. Phyllis remained over open waters, and dissipated on the 2nd to the southeast of Japan.

Typhoon Rita

Category 1 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration June 9 – June 13
Intensity 140 km/h (85 mph) (1-min),  985 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Susan

Category 3 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration June 13 – June 17
Intensity 185 km/h (115 mph) (1-min),  985 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Tess

Category 1 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration June 29 – July 6
Intensity 140 km/h (85 mph) (1-min),  1000 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Viola

Category 3 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration July 8 – July 15
Intensity 185 km/h (115 mph) (1-min),  965 mbar (hPa)

Super Typhoon Winnie

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS)
Duration July 12 – July 17
Intensity 280 km/h (175 mph) (1-min),  925 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Winnie formed on July 12 to the east of Luzon. It moved northwestward, rapidly intensifying to a Category 4 typhoon within 12 hours. The typhoon weakened slightly, but rapidly strengthened to a 175 mph super typhoon just before hitting eastern Taiwan on the 15th. Winnie rapidly weakened over the mountainous terrain, and after crossing the Formosa Strait Winnie hit southeastern China. It continued to weaken over land, and dissipated on the 17th.[3] Winnie caused 31 casualties and 53 injuries in Taiwan while crossing.[4]

Tropical Storm Betty

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration July 13 – July 16
Intensity 110 km/h (70 mph) (1-min),  985 mbar (hPa)

Super Typhoon Alice

Category 4 super typhoon (SSHS)
Duration July 14 – July 24
Intensity 240 km/h (150 mph) (1-min),  925 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Alice developed on July 14 in the open western Pacific Ocean. It moved to the northwest and attained typhoon status on the 16th. Alice rapidly intensified 19th to a 150 mph super typhoon, and after turning to the northeast it weakened. Alice hit southeastern Japan on the 22nd, and became extratropical on the 24th near the Kamchatka Peninsula.[3] Alice was responsible for 41 deaths (with 8 missing) and 61 injuries in Hokkaidō.[4]

Tropical Storm Cora

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration July 20 – July 23
Intensity 95 km/h (60 mph) (1-min),  995 mbar (hPa)

Super Typhoon Doris

Category 4 super typhoon (SSHS)
Duration July 22 – July 30
Intensity 240 km/h (150 mph) (1-min),  935 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Elsie

Category 1 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration August 5 – August 9
Intensity 140 km/h (85 mph) (1-min),  965 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Flossie

Category 2 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration August 21 – August 26
Intensity 165 km/h (105 mph) (1-min),  970 mbar (hPa)

On August 21, a tropical depression formed in the open ocean and moved northward. It reached tropical storm status later that day, and attained typhoon strength on the 22nd. Flossie peaked at 105 mph on the 22nd, and weakened to a 70 mph tropical storm just before hitting the southeastern coast of Japan on the 25th. Flossie turned to the east, and after becoming extratropical on the 26th the storm dissipated on the 27th.[3] The storm caused 15 casualties (with 30 missing) and 39 injuries in Tokyo.[4]

Super Typhoon Grace

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS)
Duration August 29 – September 5
Intensity 305 km/h (190 mph) (1-min),  905 mbar (hPa)

Super Typhoon Helen

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS)
Duration September 9 – September 20
Intensity 280 km/h (175 mph) (1-min),  920 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Helen, which formed on September 9, rapidly intensified to a 175 super typhoon on the 14th. It moved to the northeast, and steadily weakened until hitting southeastern Japan as a 105 mph typhoon on the 17th. It paralleled the Japanese coastline, and after turning northward it became extratropical on the 19th in the Sea of Okhotsk.[3] Helen's effects caused 24 fatalities (with 44 missing) and 108 injuries.[4]

Super Typhoon Ida

Main article: Typhoon Ida (1958)
Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS)
Duration September 20 – September 27
Intensity 325 km/h (200 mph) (1-min),  877 mbar (hPa)

On September 20, Tropical Storm Ida formed in the central Western Pacific. It moved to the west, rapidly strengthening to a 115 mph typhoon by the next day. On the 22nd Ida turned to the north and quickly intensified, reaching super typhoon status on the 23rd and peak winds of 200 mph on the 24th. Such winds are speculative, due to the lack of satellite or quality in measurements, but Ida was likely a formidable typhoon with a record low pressure (at the time) of 877 mbar.[5] Ida weakened as it continued to the north-northeast, and made landfall on southeastern Honshū with winds of 80 mph on the 26th. It became extratropical the next day, and dissipated on the 28th to the east of the country.[3] Ida caused torrential flooding to southeastern Japan, resulting in over 1,900 mudslides. Damage along the coastline was extensive, including two small villages that were washed away completely. Nearly 500,000 were left homeless,[6] 888 were killed, 496 were injured, and 381 were missing from the storm.[7]

Typhoon June

Category 1 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration September 20 – September 22
Intensity 120 km/h (75 mph) (1-min),  990 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression 24W

Tropical depression (SSHS)
Duration September 20 – September 22
Intensity 55 km/h (35 mph) (1-min),  Unknown

Typhoon Kathy

Category 3 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration October 21 – October 27
Intensity 185 km/h (115 mph) (1-min),  975 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Lorna

Category 3 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration October 23 – November 3
Intensity 205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min),  940 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Marie

Category 4 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration October 26 – November 3
Intensity 220 km/h (140 mph) (1-min),  940 mbar (hPa)

Super Typhoon Nancy

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS)
Duration November 21 – November 26
Intensity 260 km/h (160 mph) (1-min),  920 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Pamela

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration November 30 – December 4
Intensity 85 km/h (50 mph) (1-min),  1000 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Olga

Category 4 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration December 2 – December 8
Intensity 230 km/h (145 mph) (1-min),  950 mbar (hPa)

1958 storm names

  • Agnes
  • Bess
  • Carmen
  • Della
  • Elaine
  • Faye
  • Gloria
  • Hester
  • Irma
  • Judy
  • Kit
  • Lola
  • Mamie
  • Nina
  • Ophelia
  • Phyllis
  • Rita
  • Susan
  • Tess
  • Viola
  • Winnie
  • Alice
  • Betty
  • Cora
  • Doris
  • Elsie
  • Flossie
  • Grace
  • Helen
  • Ida
  • June
  • Kathy
  • Lorna
  • Marie
  • Nancy
  • Olga
  • Pamela
  • Ruby
  • Sally
  • Tilda
  • Violet
  • Wilda
  • Anita
  • Billie
  • Clara
  • Dot
  • Ellen
  • Fran
  • Georgia
  • Hope
  • Iris
  • Joan
  • Kate
  • Louise
  • Marge
  • Nora
  • Opal
  • Patsy
  • Ruth
  • Sarah
  • Thelma
  • Vera
  • Wanda
  • Amy
  • Babs
  • Charlotte
  • Dinah
  • Emma
  • Freda
  • Gilda
  • Harriet
  • Ivy
  • Jean
  • Karen
  • Lucille
  • Mary
  • Nadine
  • Olive
  • Polly
  • Rose
  • Shirley
  • Trix
  • Virginia
  • Wendy

See also

References

  1. ^ Bikini Atoll History
  2. ^ Deadly Hurricane Hunter Flights
  3. ^ a b c d e 1958 Best Track
  4. ^ a b c d Deadly Typhoon Information
  5. ^ Camille Info
  6. ^ Time.com
  7. ^ Digital Typhoon: Disaster Information

External links

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