1937 Great Hong Kong typhoon

1937 Great Hong Kong Typhoon
Category 3 (Saffir–Simpson scale)

Surface weather analysis of the typhoon on 1 September
Formed August 28, 1937
Dissipated September 4, 1937
Highest winds 1-minute sustained: 205 km/h (125 mph)
Lowest pressure 958 mbar (hPa); 28.29 inHg
Fatalities 11,021
Areas affected
Part of the 1937 Pacific typhoon season

The 1937 Great Hong Kong Typhoon was an unnamed typhoon in Hong Kong on 2 September 1937. It was one of the worst typhoons in Hong Kong history killing 11,000 people.[1] In Macau, 21 people died by this typhoon.

History

Hong Kong harbor at the time was the seventh busiest in the world. It was always busy with sampans, junks, ferries, cargo ships, ocean liners, yachts and warships. The typhoon wind was so strong that observatory instruments capable of registering winds up to 125 mph broke down.[2] Hong Kong Observatory have since recorded the wind with a mean wind average of 59 knots, 68 mph, 109 km/h. The maximum gust was at 130 knots, 149 mph, 240 km/h.[3] The piston of the anemometer hit the stops at 130 knots (240 km/h) and the true maximum gust could not be recorded.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Strzepek, Kenneth M., Smith, Joel B. [1995] (1995). As Climate Changes: International Impacts and Implications. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-46796-9.
  2. ↑ Time magazine. "Time magazine 1937 account." Hong Kong Typhoon: Monday, Sep. 13, 1937. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 HK weather gov. "Typhoon Wanda 27 August to 2 September 1962." Typhoon Wanda and other winds. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.

External links

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