1968 Pacific typhoon season

1968 Pacific typhoon season
Season summary map
First system formed April 5, 1968
Last system dissipated November 30, 1968
Strongest storm Agnes – 900 hPa (mbar), 280 km/h (175 mph)
Total depressions 31
Total storms 27
Typhoons 20
Super typhoons 4
Total fatalities Unknown
Total damage Unknown
Pacific typhoon seasons
1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970

The 1968 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1968, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

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 1968 Pacific hurricane season. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west pacific basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Tropical depressions in this basin have the "W" suffix added to their number. Tropical depressions that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility are 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.

Storms

31 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 27 became tropical storms. 20 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 4 reached super typhoon strength. No storms this season caused significant damage or deaths.

Typhoon Jean (Asiang)

Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration April 5 – April 19
Peak intensity 205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min)  935 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Kim (Biring)

Category 3 typhoon (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration May 28 – June 5
Peak intensity 185 km/h (115 mph) (1-min)  950 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Lucy (Konsing)

Category 3 typhoon (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration June 26 – July 3
Peak intensity 205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min)  935 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Mary

Category 4 super typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration July 19 – August 3
Peak intensity 240 km/h (150 mph) (1-min)  925 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Nadine (Didang)

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration July 20 – July 28
Peak intensity 110 km/h (70 mph) (1-min)  970 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Olive (Edeng)

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration July 21 – July 28
Peak intensity 85 km/h (50 mph) (1-min)  988 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Polly

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration August 3 – August 17
Peak intensity 100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min)  965 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Polly dropped heavy rains on the southern islands of Japan. 112 people were killed and 21 were missing from the floods and landslides caused by Polly's heavy rains.[1]

On August 18, two sightseeing buses were involved in the landslide in Shirakawa, Gifu, it fell to the Hida River, and 95 persons died and 9 persons became missing(->see the Japanese article).

Tropical Storm Rose (Gloring)

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration August 5 – August 15
Peak intensity 110 km/h (70 mph) (1-min)  970 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Shirley (Huaning)

Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration August 14 – August 24
Peak intensity 120 km/h (75 mph) (1-min)  960 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Trix (Isang)

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration August 22 – August 29
Peak intensity 100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min)  980 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Trix struck the southern islands of Kyūshū and Shikoku. Heavy flooding killed 25 people and left 2 missing.[1]

Tropical Storm Virginia

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration August 24 – August 26
(exited basin)
Peak intensity 95 km/h (60 mph) (1-min)  990 mbar (hPa)

Virginia was first noticed near the International Date Line, about 500 kilometers (310 mi) northwest of Midway Islands. The system organized and the first advisory was issued on August 25 at 0006Z, with winds of 35 knots (40 mph). 18 hours later, Virginia crossed the date line, with winds of 50 knots (60 mph). It later became extratropical on August 27 in the Gulf of Alaska.

Typhoon Wendy (Lusing)

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration August 27 – September 10
Peak intensity 260 km/h (160 mph) (1-min)  920 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Wendy, which formed on August 28 in the open Western Pacific, quickly intensified to a peak of 160 mph winds on the 31st. It steadily weakened as it moved westward, and passed by southern Taiwan on September 5 as a minimal typhoon. Wendy continued to weaken, and after crossing the South China Sea, Wendy dissipated over northern Vietnam on the 9th.

Typhoon Agnes

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration August 27 – September 10
Peak intensity 280 km/h (175 mph) (1-min)  900 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Bess

Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration August 31 – September 10
Peak intensity 120 km/h (75 mph) (1-min)  965 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Carmen

Category 3 typhoon (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration September 15 – September 24
Peak intensity 205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min)  935 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Della (Maring)

Category 4 typhoon (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration September 11 – September 25
Peak intensity 220 km/h (140 mph) (1-min)  930 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Della struck Kyūshū Island in southern Japan with winds of 100 mph. Della killed 11 throughout southern Japan.[1]

Typhoon Elaine (Nitang)

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration September 22 – October 2
Peak intensity 280 km/h (175 mph) (1-min)  910 mbar (hPa)

Super Typhoon Elaine, after peaking at 175 mph winds, weakened to hit extreme northern Luzon on September 28 as a 130 mph typhoon. It continued to the northwest, and after hitting southeastern China as a minimal tropical storm Elaine dissipated on October 1.

Typhoon Faye

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration September 30 – October 10
Peak intensity 270 km/h (165 mph) (1-min)  915 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Gloria (Osang)

Category 2 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration October 12 – October 24
Peak intensity 165 km/h (105 mph) (1-min)  955 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Hester

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration October 15 – October 21
Peak intensity 100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min)  995 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Irma

Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration October 18 – October 25
Peak intensity 150 km/h (90 mph) (1-min)  955 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Judy (Paring)

Category 4 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration October 21 – November 4
Peak intensity 220 km/h (140 mph) (1-min)  930 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Kit

Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration October 26 – November 5
Peak intensity 130 km/h (80 mph) (1-min)  960 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Lola

Category 3 typhoon (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration November 5 – November 12
Peak intensity 195 km/h (120 mph) (1-min)  940 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Mamie (Reming)

Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration November 9 – November 25
Peak intensity 120 km/h (75 mph) (1-min)  975 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Nina (Seniang)

Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Counterclockwise vortex
Duration November 15 – November 29
Peak intensity 130 km/h (80 mph) (1-min)  960 mbar (hPa)

Typhoon Ora (Toyang)

Category 4 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration November 19 – November 30
Peak intensity 220 km/h (140 mph) (1-min)  930 mbar (hPa)

Storm names

Western North Pacific tropical cyclones were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The first storm of 1968 was named Jean and the final one was named Ora.

  • Agnes 17W
  • Bonnie 18W
  • Carmen 19W
  • Della 20W
  • Elaine 21W
  • Faye 22W
  • Gloria 23W
  • Hester 24W
  • Irma 25W
  • Judy 26W
  • Kit 27W
  • Lola 28W
  • Mamie 29W
  • Nina 30W
  • Ora 31W
  • Phyllis
  • Rita
  • Susan
  • Tess
  • Viola
  • Winnie
  • Alice
  • Betty
  • Cora
  • Doris
  • Elsie
  • Flossie
  • Grace
  • Helen
  • Ida
  • June
  • Kathy
  • Lorna
  • Marie
  • Nancy
  • Olga
  • Pamela
  • Ruby
  • Sally
  • Therese
  • Violet
  • Wilda
  • Anita
  • Billie
  • Clara
  • Dot
  • Ellen
  • Fran
  • Georgia
  • Hope
  • Iris
  • Joan
  • Kate
  • Louise
  • Marge
  • Nora
  • Opal
  • Patsy
  • Ruth
  • Sarah
  • Thelma
  • Vera
  • Wanda
  • Amy
  • Babe
  • Carla
  • Dinah
  • Emma
  • Freda
  • Gilda
  • Harriet
  • Ivy
  • Jean 2W
  • Kim 3W
  • Lucy 6W
  • Mary 7W
  • Nadine 8W
  • Olive 9W
  • Polly 10W
  • Rose 12W
  • Shirley 13W
  • Trix 14W
  • Virginia 15W
  • Wendy 16W

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Digital Typhoon: Disaster Information

External links