The 1979 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly below-average season in terms of tropical cyclone activity, with only 24 named storms, 12 typhoons, and 4 super typhoons developing. However, it featured the largest and most intense tropical cyclone recorded globally, Typhoon Tip. The season also used both male and female names as tropical cyclone names for the first time. The season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1979, 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 1979 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.
Seasonal summary
54 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 24 became tropical storms. 13 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 4 reached super typhoon strength.
Systems Typhoon Alice
On December 31, 1978, a tropical depression developed over the low latitudes of the open West Pacific. It tracked northwestward, reaching tropical storm strength that night and typhoon strength on January 5, 1979. Alice turned to the west, and continued to intensify with generally favorable conditions to a peak of winds on January 8. Cooler, drier air to the north caused Alice to weaken to a minimal typhoon, but as it turned northwestward, it briefly re-strengthened on January 11 with sustained winds of . Upper-level winds, combined with the dry air significantly weakened Alice, and after stalling for three days, it finally dissipated on January 14. Alice caused extensive damage in the Marshall Islands.
Typhoon Bess (Auring)
Typhoon Bess was the third typhoon since 1959 to develop in the month of March. Bess began as a weak surface circulation on March 16. The circulation intensified into a tropical depression on March 19. Bess then reached tropical storm strength on March 21. Slow intensification occurred for 18 hours, before Bess reached its peak intensity of early on March 23. Bess held on to its peak intensity for 18 hours before vertical wind shear caused Bess to rapidly dissipate on March 25. Typhoon Bess remained away from land, and therefore caused no deaths or damage.
Typhoon Cecil (Bebeng)
Typhoon Cecil formed on the 10th from an easterly wave in early April. The storm then reached its maximum intensity as a category 1 typhoon on the 14th. Typhoon Cecil then dissipated on April 20. Cecil was also the first tropical cyclone in the Western Pacific to be given a male name. Typhoon Cecil stuck Leyte on April 15, damaging 57,087 homes, and leaving 8,900 homeless. Cecil caused ₱267 million (US$36.2 million) in damage and 30 deaths. 73 people were injured and 63 people were left missing.
Tropical Storm Dot (Karing)
A tropical disturbance developed on May 6. By May 10, the disturbance was upgraded to a tropical depression. It then was upgraded to a tropical storm on May 11. Dot then reached its peak intensity as a weak tropical storm the next day. Dot was downgraded to a tropical depression late on the 14th. The storm dissipated on May 17.
Tropical Depression 05W (Diding)
Initially, TD 05 drifted southwestward east of the Paracel Islands. TD 05 was not forecast to intensify significantly, but it merged with an extratropical frontal boundary near 22.N 124.8E and produced an improved satellite signature which included a banding-type eye.
Typhoon Ellis (Etang)
A tropical disturbance was first noted on satellite and synoptic data on June 25. The disturbance was upgraded to a tropical depression about 670 nautical miles east of Manila on July 1. It rapidly intensified into a tropical storm and moved west-northwest. Ellis was in a favorable position at that time and steady intensification occurred over the next 2 days. Ellis intensified into a typhoon on July 2 and reached its peak intensity of 100 mph on later that day. Continued intensification was anticipated at that time, but a slow weakening trend was actually observed. The storm passed close to the northern tip of Luzon on July 4 and caused damage to tobacco-rich regions of the Philippines. Ellis then entered the South China Sea and weakened to a severe tropical storm while still moving west-northwest. Ellis made landfall on the Chinese coast on July 6 about 164 nautical miles southwest of Hong Kong and dissipated rapidly over land thereafter. Damage caused by Ellis in Hong Kong was minimal. Ellis caused ₱100,000 (US$14,000) of damage.
Severe Tropical Storm Faye (Gening)
A closed surface circulation was detected on June 28 about southeast of Guam. The associated convective activity remained disorganized until July 1. A few hours later, the disturbance intensified into a tropical depression. On July 3, it was upgraded to a tropical storm and was named Faye. Faye was forecast to reach typhoon status in the next 18 hours. However, Faye weakened. Faye was then downgraded to a tropical depression on July 4. Faye then dissipated on July 7 at 17N, 129.60E.
Tropical Depression 08W
A storm that tracked into open waters.
Super Typhoon Hope (Ising)
A tropical depression formed southeast of Guam on July 24. It headed to the west-northwest, but upper-level shear from the TUTT caused the depression to dissipate on the 27th. It turned northward then westward, where it regenerated on the 28th. Intensification became more steady, with the depression reaching storm strength on the 28th and typhoon strength on the 29th. On the 31st, Hope reached a peak of 150 mph, but land interaction with Taiwan to the north weakened the storm. On August 2, Typhoon Hope struck southern China, about 10 miles east of Hong Kong. It weakened over the country while moving westward, but retained its satellite signature. Upon reaching the Bay of Bengal on the 7th, Hope restrengthened to a tropical storm, but moved over India and dissipated on the 8th. In Guangdong Province in China, the typhoon was responsible for around 100 deaths or missing people. Twelve people died along with 260 injured in Hong Kong. Hope was the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Hong Kong since Typhoon Rose in 1971. Hope caused ₱4 million (US$542,000) throughout the Philippines.
Severe Tropical Storm Gordon (Herming)
A tropical depression formed northeast of Luzon on July 25 and was subsequently named Gordon the following day. Gordon brushed Taiwan's coast before making landfall over Guangdong's eastern coast and dissipating inland. ₱3 million (US$400,000) was dealt in Luzon. The storm brought heavy rain with minor flooding in Hong Kong.
Tropical Depression 11W (Luding)
11W was tracked by PAGASA.
Typhoon Irving (Mameng)
The monsoon trough spawned a tropical depression on August 7 to the east of the Philippines. It tracked to the north then to the west. Steering currents weakened, causing the depression to loop to the north. It was able to strengthen there, reaching tropical storm status on the 11th and typhoon status on the 13th. Irving continued to the north, attaining a peak of 100 mph winds on the 15th.1979 ATCR TABLE OF CONTENTS Its broad, loose wind field prevented it from strengthening further, and Irving weakened as it continued northward. On the 17th, Irving hit southwest South Korea as a minimal typhoon, and merged with a frontal boundary over extreme eastern Russia on the 18th. Torrential rains led to 150 fatalities, with damage at $10–$20 million (1979 USD). In the Philippines, Irving caused ₱45 million (US$6.1 million) of damage and 24 deaths.
Super Typhoon Judy (Neneng)
A tropical disturbance organized into a tropical storm on August 15. It tracked to the northwest, becoming a tropical storm on the 17th. Judy rapidly intensified, reaching typhoon status on the 18th, peaking with winds of 155 mph and a central pressure of 887 mb according to the JTWC on the 20th. It also had an eye temperature of at 700 hPa height, making it the warmest eye of a tropical cyclone on record. The super typhoon began to weaken as it passed south of Okinawa, and neared the Chinese coast on the 23rd and 24th. Judy turned to the northeast, and brushed past South Korea as a tropical depression on the 26th, shortly before dissipating. Judy passed through Guam and other Pacific islands, but damage was reported light there. However, the storm brought heavy rain to Korea as a tropical depression, killing 111 and causing more damage to an area hit by Irving just weeks before.
Tropical Depression 14W
14W lasted three days from August 18–20 producing only minimal winds.
Tropical Storm Ken (Oniang)
A tropical disturbance developed on August 30 and became a tropical depression later that day. The depression was upgraded to a tropical storm and was named Ken. Ken reached peak winds of on September 3. The storm moved north and turned north-northeast, striking Shikoku late on the 3rd. Ken weakened over Japan and dissipated on September 4. Ken caused ¥1.259 billion (US$5.7 million) and caused two deaths.
Typhoon Lola
Around the same time the precursor to Tropical Storm Ken developed, a tropical disturbance developed south of Marcus Island. The disturbance became a tropical depression on the 2nd and a tropical storm on the 4th. Lola was upgraded to a typhoon early on September 5. The storm continued to intensify and reached peak intensity on September 6 with winds of . Lola weakened to a tropical storm on the 7th. The next day, Lola weakened to a tropical depression at 35.90N, 151.80E. Lola then transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 9 to the east of Japan.
Typhoon Mac (Pepang)
A weak surface circulation formed northeast of Yap on September 12, tracking westward. On September 16, the circulation gained tropical storm intensity and was named Mac. Mac attained peak intensity before making landfall in the Philippines, causing the storm to weaken. Frictional effects caused the storm to weaken over southern Luzon. Due to Tropical Storm Nancy's development, Mac's track was influenced into the South China Sea. Mac made landfall near Hong Kong and dissipated on September 24.
In the Philippines, eight people were killed and two people were left missing. Damage totaled to ₱72 million (US$9.76 million).
Tropical Storm Nancy
On September 17, a tropical disturbance rapidly developed into a tropical storm and was given the name Nancy. Weak steering currents allowed Nancy to track across the southern portion of Hainan and do a cyclonic loop. The weak currents allowed Nancy to make landfall in Vietnam before dissipating on September 22.
Typhoon Owen (Rosing)
A tropical disturbance developed south of Guam during September 19. The disturbance was upgraded to a tropical depression on September 22. It then was upgraded to a tropical storm the next day. Owen was upgraded to a typhoon on the 25th. Owen then reached its peak intensity on September 26 with winds of . Owen then started to weaken as the storm moved northward. By the 30th, Owen made landfall near Osaka, Japan and weakened to a tropical storm. Owen then transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 1. In Japan, Owen killed 12 people, injured another 83, and caused ¥107.4 billion (US$490 million).
Tropical Storm Pamela