The 1959 Pacific typhoon season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1959, 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 1959 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 had the "W" suffix added to their number.
The 1959 Pacific typhoon season featured 23 tropical cyclones, though operationally 59 total areas of investigation were classified by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC);[1] three systems were handled by the responsibility of FWB at Pearl Harbor and the USWB at Honolulu. Three systems were questionable due to lack of reconnaissance aircraft use. In total, the season featured 65 tropical cyclones and areas of investigation operationally, including central Pacific Hurricane Patsy, which was operationally believed to have crossed the International Date Line into the western Pacific.[1] The first annual tropical cyclone report for the western North Pacific Ocean was issued by the agency.[1]
Storms
Of the 23 tropical cyclones and 65 total areas of investigation, 17 storms attained typhoon status, which was below the yearly average of 19.[1] At least nine other tropical systems never exceeded tropical storm intensity operationally. Most of the systems were noted to have developed within the typical spawning grounds for typhoons originating from easterly waves within the Intertropical Convergence Zone; the exceptions were Ellen and Georgia which developed from cold-core troughs extending southward into the tropical latitudes.[1] Of the 17 typhoons that formed, five were first detected within 300 miles of the island of Guam. Three of the typhoons developed at a slow rate, while three others rapidly intensified to typhoon status within hours. Only four typhoons were small in diameter, while at least three typhoons developed to large sizes and became the dominant tropical features during the season.[1] Two of the typhoons—Joan and Vera—featured sea-level pressures below 900 millibars and were the most intense tropical cyclones during the season, each featuring winds of 190 mph (305 km/h) or greater.[1][2] Of the total number of typhoons, 215 reconnaissance missions were flown into the storms, including 3,799 observations and 391 total fixes. The average track error for each advisory for storms during the season was 63.9 miles for 12-hour forecasts and 301.6 miles for 48-hour forecasts.[1]
Tropical Storm 02W (Ruby)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
The first tropical storm of the season was detected by reconnaissance aircraft on February 27 about 500 miles south of Yap.
Tropical Storm 03W (Sally)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Typhoon 04W (Tilda)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Storm Wilda
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Typhoon 8W (Billie)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
An area of disturbed weather east of the Philippines organized into a tropical depression on July 12. Moving to the northwest, it quickly strengthened, reaching tropical storm status later on the 12th and typhoon strength on the 13th. After peaking at 105 mph, Billie crossed over northeastern Taiwan, quickly weakened, and made landfall on eastern China on the 15th. A trough of low pressure brought the storm northeastward, where after weakening to a tropical storm, it traversed the Yellow Sea and crossed the Korean Peninsula, losing tropical characteristics on the 18th. Typhoon Billie caused extreme flooding in northeastern Taiwan, causing $500,000 in property damage, leaving 10,000 homeless in the capital city of Taipei, and killing 1. In Japan, the outer edges of the typhoon caused torrential rains, killing 45 and destroying more than 65,000 houses.
115 mph Typhoon Ellen, which reached its peak while south of Japan on August 4, struck the southern part of the country on the 7th. It paralleled the southern portion of the archipelago, and became extratropical on the 9th over the open western Pacific Ocean. Ellen dropped up to 35 inches of rainfall on Japan, killing 11 and causing severe rice crop damage. Ellen's greatest effect, however, was on Taiwan, where torrential rains associated with the typhoon caused disastrous flooding that killed nearly 700, left tens of thousands homeless, and destroyed much of the transportation infrastructure in the central and southwestern part of the island. Some locations received almost 50 inches of rain in three days, exceeding local annual average totals. The heaviest rain event was on August 7th, when as much as 25 inches of rain fell in the mountains and western plains, causing rivers and streams to burst through levees and flood thousands of hectares of farmland, washing away rural villages, and causing widespread urban flooding as well in Taichung and other cities. The economic impact was particularly extensive and long-lasting due to the widespread flooding of farmland. In Taiwan the event is remembered as the "Great August 7 (8-7) Flood".
Typhoon 14W (Georgia)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Just 4 days after Ellen hit Japan, 105 mph Typhoon Georgia hit the southeastern portion of the country. After rapidly crossing the archipelago it dissipated in the Sea of Japan on August 15. Georgia brought more heavy rains to the country, causing 246 fatalities and leaving over 50,000 homeless. Georgia caused torrential damage to Japan's railroad network, and, combined with Typhoon Ellen, produced a damage total of $50 million (1959 USD).
Typhoon 18W (Iris)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Typhoon Iris, which formed on August 19 to the east of Luzon, passed near the northeastern portion of the island on the 21st as a minimal typhoon. It turned to the northwest, peaking at 105 mph before weakening to a tropical storm. Iris made landfall on southeastern China on the 22nd, and quickly dissipated. Typhoon Iris caused rough seas off the coast of Luzon, sinking at least two ships and killing 89 people. In China, the storm brought torrential rains, killing 720 people with 996 missing in the Fujian province in southeast China.
Typhoon 21W (Joan)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
On August 25, Tropical Storm Joan formed in the open Western Pacific, and attained typhoon status early the next day. As Joan moved to the west-northwest, it continued to rapidly intensify, reaching Super Typhoon status on the 28th and peak winds of 195 mph on the 29th. Such winds are dubious, due to the infancy of Reconnaissance Aircraft at the time and the lack of satellite images. Nevertheless, Joan was a powerful typhoon, and struck eastern Taiwan with estimated winds of 185 mph on the 29th. It rapidly weakened while crossing the island and the Formosa Strait, and dissipated over China on the 31st. Strong winds and heavy flooding caused 11 casualties and $3 million in crop damage. Property damage was extensive as well, with 3,308 houses destroyed from the typhoon. In China, 3 people were killed and 57 were injured from Joan.
Tropical Storm 20W (Kate)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Typhoon 22W (Louise)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Just 5 days after Joan hit Taiwan, 135 mph Typhoon Louise southeastern Taiwan, and quickly weakened as it moved northward. After weakening to a tropical depression over China, it restrengthened to a tropical storm before hitting North Korea and dissipating on September 7. Louise left 6 dead and over 6000 homeless.
Tropical Storm 26W (Nora)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Storm 27W (Opal)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Typhoon 29W (Patsy)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Typhoon 33W (Sarah)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Super Typhoon Sarah, which peaked at 190 mph on September 15, weakened to a 115 mph typhoon just before making landfall on southern South Korea on the 17th. It continued to the northeast, and dissipated on the 19th over northern Japan. In the Ryukyu Islands, Sarah's high winds and rain caused 6 deaths and destroyed 6,000 houses, causing $2 million in crop damage. In all of Korea, extreme flooding and storm surge killed 669 people and left 782,126 homeless. Extreme crop damage and property damage amounted to $100 million (1959 USD) ($638 million 2005 USD). Flooding in Japan killed 24, with thousands of houses either destroyed or damaged.
Typhoon Vera was one of Japan's worst typhoons ever, causing the deaths of 5,159 people and producing a damage total of $261 million dollars (1959 dollars).
Typhoon 40W (Amy)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Storm 41W (Babs)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Typhoon 42W (Charlotte)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
An area of low pressure organized into a tropical depression on October 9 to the east of the Philippines. It moved northwestward, quickly intensifying to typhoon status on the 10th. Charlotte continued to intensify, and reached a peak of 165 mph on the 13th before recurving to the northeast. Cooler, drier air weakened the typhoon, and after passing near Okinawa on the 16th it paralleled the southern coast of Japan offshore. The weakening storm turned to the east, and dissipated on the 19th. Charlotte brought a total of 24 inches of rain on Okinawa, causing landslides that damaged much of the island. Crop damage was severe, with 75% of the rice crop destroyed. The five feet of flooding in some areas damaged 618 homes and destroyed 275. In all, Charlotte caused 46 casualties and left 1,068 homeless.
Typhoon 43W (Dinah)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Just weeks after Super Typhoon Vera, another northward moving 170 mph Super Typhoon was moving northward through the Pacific Ocean. Dinah's turn to the northeast spared the country, and it became extratropical on October 21 to the east of the archipelago.
Typhoon 46W (Emma)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Typhoon 48W (Freda)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
A disturbance in the Intertropical Convergence Zone organized into a tropical storm to the east of the Philippines on November 13. Freda moved west-northwestward, attaining typhoon status the next day. As it paralleled the northeast coast of Luzon, it rapidly intensified to a 135 mph typhoon, and made landfall on the 16th with slightly weaker winds of 120, the weakening due to land interaction. Freda rapidly weakened as it crossed the island, and turned to the north. After passing close to Taiwan on the 18th, it accelerated to the north and became extratropical on the 20th. Freda brought torrential rains to the city of Manila, driving two vessels aground. Crop damage was heavy on the southern part of the island, while 7,600 were left homeless from the flooding. Freda caused 58 fatalities as it passed through the Philippines.
Typhoon 56W (Gilda)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
On December 18, 170 mph Super Typhoon Gilda made landfall on the eastern Philippines. It quickly crossed the archipelago, and weakened over the South China Sea. Gilda made landfall on southeastern Vietnam on the 21st as a tropical storm, and dissipated the next day. Gilda caused 23 casualties in the Philippines from extensive rainfall, and left nearly 60,000 homeless.
Typhoon 58W (Harriet)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
On December 30, just weeks after Gilda, 145 mph Typhoon Harriet hit the eastern Philippines. It weakened as it crossed the islands, and dissipated over the South China Sea on January 2. Harriet brought strong winds and rainfall to Luzon, causing considerable property and crop damage. In all, the typhoon killed 5 and left more than 12,000 homeless.
Tropical Depression Violet
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Depression 07W (Anita)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Storm Clara
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Depression 13W (Fran)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Depression 15W (Hope)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Depression Marge
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Depression 31W (Ruth)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Depression 36W (Thelma)
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
Tropical Storm Wanda
Duration
Unknown – Unknown
Peak intensity
Winds not specified;
1959 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 2W
Sally 3W
Tilda 4W
Violet 5W
Wilda 6W
Anita 7W
Billie 8W
Clara
Dot 6C
Ellen 12W
Fran 13W
Georgia 14W
Hope 15W
Iris 18W
Joan 21W
Kate 20W
Louise 22W
Marge
Nora 26W
Opal 27W
Patsy 29W
Ruth 31W
Sarah 33W
Thelma 36W
Vera 39W
Wanda 13C
Amy 40W
Babs 41W
Charlotte 42W
Dinah 43W
Emma 46W
Freda 48W
Gilda 56W
Harriet 58W
Ivy
Jean
Karen
Lucille
Mary
Nadine
Olive
Polly
Rose
Shirley
Trix
Virginia
Wendy
Two Central Pacific storms developed and were named Dot and Wanda. The policy at the time was to use the Western Pacific nomenclature for the basin.
