1957 Pacific typhoon season

The 1957 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1957, 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 1957 Pacific hurricane season. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west Pacific basin were assigned a name by the Fleet Weather Center on Guam.

Storms

Twenty-one tropical storms developed in 1957 in the Northwestern Pacific. Tropical depressions were likely, but no records are known to exist that would mention any. Eighteen storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 6 reached super typhoon strength. An additional storm, Della, came across the Dateline from the Central Pacific, therefore it is not taken account in the total number of storms.

Tropical Storm 01W

Storm path

01W formed on January 3, shortly after the new year. It moved westward and strengthened to a tropical storm with a pressure of 995 mbar and a windspeed of 45 mph. But shear apparently came into action and weakened 01W to a tropical depression. It hit the Philippines on the 6^th with 35 mph winds and dissipated shortly thereafter on the 7^th

Super Typhoon Rose

Storm path

Ruth formed on January 21 and moved west-northwest, at the same time intensifying gradually. It continued to strengthen until it achieved a minimum central pressure of 952 mbar and 155 mph winds-equivalent to a strong category 4 hurricane. Shortly after, it weakened to a tropical depression. But the depression lingered northward until Rose dissipated on the 30^th, without affecting any land.

Typhoon Shirley

Storm path

Shirley formed on April 11, east of the Philippines. It moved north, until its peak of 115 mph winds and a pressure of 975 mbar was achieved. Soon after it moved to the northwest, but recurved to the north. But it ended up finding itself in wind shear, causing it to weaken. Shirley curved to the west-northwest and dissipated miles from the very northernmost tip of the Philippines on April 18.

Typhoon Trix

Storm path

Trix formed on May 2, well east of the Philippines. It moved north briefly, then continued a different course northwestward. It attained a pressure of 950 mbar and windspeeds of 140 mph during this change in course. But eventually, it curved northeast, a completely opposite direction. It remained that way for quite a long time, bringing Trix farther north and causing it to weaken. It dissipated on May 17, just over the dateline, without affecting any land.

Super Typhoon Virginia

Storm path

Virginia formed on June 18 in the open Pacific. It moved west and strengthened to super typhoon status with 175 mph winds and a minimum central pressure of 900 mbar. But after passing by the Philippines, it briefly weakened to a category 4 typhoon. But it once again strengthened to a category 5 typhoon. It retained category 5 status until its landfall the island of Taiwan. Virginia then continued to move north and then northeast until its dissipation on June 28.

Virginia was an early season typhoon, it destroyed 1,000 buildings and killed 86 people as it sliced through Taiwan and southern Japan. The storm left $20 million dollars (1957 USD) in damage.^{[citation needed]}

Virginia was originally name Virgini by the JTWC,^[1] which was a mistake. They have now changed its name to Virginia.

Typhoon Wendy

Storm path

Wendy formed on July 10, and took a western path. It was projected to make landfall in the Philippines, which it did do on the 14^th with 105 mph winds and a pressure of 985 mbar. After landfall, it weakened to a category one typhoon, but restrengthened after reaching the Pacific Ocean again. It battered Hong Kong when it struck it on July 16. Typhoon Wendy weakened over China and dissipated two days later. It killed 16 people and left millions of dollars in damage.^{[citation needed]}

Super Typhoon Agnes

Storm path

On August 12, the 7^th storm of the season formed-Agnes. It took a curvy path more or less in a northern direction until August 16. When that phase was over, she went in a northwest direction towards China. But something caused Agnes to curve towards the north for a brief time-sparing China from major destruction. But instead, Agnes passed over Ryūkyū Island with 155 mph winds and a minimum central pressure of 905 mbar. Soon after it passed over the island, Agnes weakened to tropical storm strength. On August 21, South Korea was struck by a 50 mph Agnes; their 1^th tropical cyclone of the season. It passed over the peninsula and briefly was over water before it hit Russia with 45 mph winds. Agnes became extratropical the next day over southern Russia. Its extratropical form continued for two more days until it dissipated in the center of the Sea of Okhotsk.

Tropical Storm 08W

Storm path

08W formed on August 14, becoming the 8^th of the season. It moved in a generally westward direction for a couple days until it struck Hainan on the 18^th with 65 mph winds and a minimum pressure of 984 mbar. It moved south over land, retaining its strength. It soon moved north again, but suddenly turned southwest for a brief time before it returned to its original path. It weakened to a tropical depression on August 20 and struck mainland China later that day. It almost became extratropical almost at the same time. Ex-08W lingered northeast until the 24^th, when the last of it was gone after ten days in existence.

Unnamed Tropical Storm

A disturbance close to Japan's coast developed into a tropical depression on August 22, and became a tropical storm 6 hours later. It manged to achieve a minimum central pressure of 998 mbar before it struck the southeastern portion of Japan. It weakened to a tropical depression shortly before landfall though, and became extratropical the next day. But its extratropical remnants continued to move north-northeast, then northeast, and then east-northeast until it dissipated on August 27.

Typhoon Bess

Storm path

Bess formed on August 26 close to the Marshall Islands. After moving westward, Bess attained category 3 status with 115 mph winds a pressure of 950 mbar. It hit southern Japan on the 6^th of September and later became extratropical over water on the 9^th. But the extratropical form of Bess continued east for one more day before it became disorganized enough to be declared dissipated.

Hurricane/Typhoon Della

A disturbance in the Intertropical Convergence Zone developed into Tropical Storm Della on September 1. Della moved west-northwestward, strengthening to a hurricane while west of Hawaii. There, it brought heavy surf to the western islands. The hurricane continued generally westward, moving to the southwest while crossing the International Date Line. It turned westward and the northwestward. During hits long northwestward trek, Della reached its peak intensity of 140 mph and a minimum central pressure of ≤960 mbar. On September 14, Della began to travel a completely opposite direction-northeast. It continued that direction for a number of days, until it reached the Dateline as a 70 mph tropical storm. As the storm was crossing the date line, it turned sharply to the north-northeast. A few days later, Della turned east-northeast and dissipated on the 18^th.

Typhoon Carmen

Storm path

Carmen formed on September 7, east of the Philippines. It slowly moved north and the west over the course of three days, until it strengthened to a tropical storm. Carmen headed south briefly before heading east-northeast, when it began to strengthen even more. Carmen reached winds of 125 mph and a pressure of 960 mbar. But shortly thereafter, the strengthening stopped, and it slowly weakened. On September 15, Carmen made landfall in southern China and dissipated the following day.

Typhoon Elaine

Storm path

On September 14, in the open Pacific, Elaine was formed. It moved in a generally northwestward direction while gaining strength. Its peak intensity was 140 mph and a pressure of 945 mbar. But it turned sharply to the northeast and lost strength. On its penultimate day as a tropical cyclone, it turned eastward and became extratropical the next day. Elaine's extratropical form continued one more day, and dissipated, one week since its formation, just over the Dateline.

Super Typhoon Faye

Storm path

Faye formed on September 17. It strengthened at a moderate pace until it had a pressure of 930 mbar and maximum winds of 160 mph. After weakening slightly, it struck Okinawa as a powerful Category 4 typhoon; Faye battered the island, which was still recovering from Typhoon Emma that struck the same area a year ago. 53 people died in its wake, while 79 were listed as missing. Faye also left $11.3 million (1957 USD)^{[citation needed]} in damage, straining the expensive budget caused by past and future typhoons that strike the island. Faye passed over the dateline and shortly after became extratropical on the last day of the month, but continued one more day as an extratropical system before it met its demise.

Typhoon Gloria

Storm path

Gloria formed on September 17. After crossing the Philippines as a category two, it brought strong winds to Macau.^[2] After landfall, it moved east and met its demise on September 24. It had a minimum central pressure of 980 mbar and maximum winds of 105 mph.

Super Typhoon Hester

Storm path

Hester formed on October 3 east of the Philippines. It moved north and strengthened to a typhoon with 150 mph winds and a pressure of 900 mbar. It became extratropical on October 11, moved east, and dissipated on October 13, just over the dateline. Hester never struck land, but it did throw the SS Ingleton off course.^{[citation needed]}

Typhoon Irma

Storm path

Irma formed on October 9, west of the Philippines. The tropical cyclone strengthened to a category one typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and a minimum central pressure 990 mbar. It moved west, and hit Vietnam with 80 mph winds and a minimum central pressure of 996 mbar. It dissipated on October 13, over the Thailand-Laos border.

Tropical Storm 16W

Storm path

Tropical Storm 16W formed on October 11. Later, it hit the Philippines as a tropical depression once, then again as a tropical depression, but actually strengthened to tropical storm strength while over land. It continued west-northwest until it struck China. It dissipated around the same moment it made landfall on the 15^th. 16W had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1000 mbar.

Super Typhoon Judy

Storm path

Judy formed on October 19, in the open Pacific. It moved westward and strengthened into a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph and a minimum central pressure of 960 mbar. She then began to curve north, therefore weakening. Judy passed by Japan, but far away enough to avoid damage. Soon after that, it began to move east and then east-northeast as a tropical storm. Judy dissipated on October 30, just over the dateline.

Super Typhoon Kit

Storm path

On November 4, Kit formed in the same general area as Super Typhoon Judy did. It moved westward and slowly strengthened. But after reaching tropical storm-strength, Kit's intensification rapidly quickened. She briefly became a category five super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph and a minimum central pressure of 910 mbar. After weakening slightly, Kit struck the northern Philippines as a category four on November 11. After exiting land, Kit restrengthened into a category one. It became extratropical on November 17, and dissipated the following day.

Super Typhoon Lola

Storm path

Lola formed on November 7 in the open Pacific. It moved west for a while before it shifted to a more northern position. It was shortly after that Lola had maximum sustained winds of 185 mph and a minimum central pressure of 900 mbar. Then Lola weakened and slowly curved east. It weakened to a tropical storm, then back to category one. But Lola was to far north to retain the strength and weakened even more. Lola dissipated on November 22, well over the Dateline. At some point, Lola hit Guam^[3] and caused areas in Merizo to flood four to five feet.^[4] In addition, damage was recorded in the Bikini Atoll after Lola passed near Kili Island. Crops were destroyed and the island's supply ship was sunk.^[5]

Typhoon Mamie

Storm path

On November 17, Tropical Storm Mamie developed over the open Pacific Ocean, in a way similar to Typhoon Lola's formation, but moved northwest instead. As soon as Mamie began to curved north, it attained its maximum sustained winds of 125 mph and minimum central pressure of 960 mbar. But then it moved east-northeast and rapidly weakened. Mamie moved north and became extratropical on November 24, and dissipated on the 25^th.

Season statistics

Meteorological statistics

This table includes the maxima of storms that formed west of the international dateline.

The color on the background of the storm's entry gives its strength at peak intensity, on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

Impact

This table summarizes the death toll for selected cyclones. This table is restricted to storms that threatened land only. The color behind the date and location of landfall indicates its strength at that landfall or near miss.

1957 storm names

The names use are the same as when they were last used, except for Virginia and Wendy, which replaced Vae and Wilma.

One eastern Pacific storm, Hurricane Della, crossed into this basin. It became Typhoon Della, keeping its original name (even though its name was from the West Pacific list) and "C" suffix. In addition, Hurricane Nina formed in the Central Pacific, and remained in the basin. It received a name on the West Pacific list; but doesn't count as part of the 1957 Pacific typhoon season.

See also

• List of Pacific typhoon seasons
• 1957 Atlantic hurricane season
• 1950-1969 Pacific hurricane seasons

External links

• Unisys West Pacific season tracks
• Unisys East Pacific season tracks
• Typhoon list, 1957
• List of DOD publishing organizations and basins covered for the entire 1945-2000 period.

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