Quick facts for kids
1979 Pacific typhoon season
|
Season summary map |
First storm formed |
January 1, 1979 |
Last storm dissipated |
December 23, 1979 |
Strongest storm |
Tip most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded – 870 hPa (mbar), 305 km/h (190 mph) (1-minute sustained) |
Total storms |
23 |
Typhoons |
14 |
Super typhoons |
4 |
Total fatalities |
Unknown |
Total damage |
Unknown |
Pacific typhoon seasons
1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 |
The 1979 Pacific typhoon season has no official limits; it ran year-round in 1979, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December.
28 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 23 became tropical storms. 14 storms reached typhoon intensity. Four of these reached super typhoon strength.
Storms
Typhoon Alice
Category 3 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
January 1 – January 14 |
Intensity |
205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min), 930 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Alice began as a tropical disturbance on January 1. Alice then on the 9th started to turn northward and began to weaken. Alice then dissipated rapidly on January 14.
Typhoon Bess (Auring)
Category 2 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
March 19 – March 25 |
Intensity |
165 km/h (105 mph) (1-min), 958 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Cecil (Bebeng)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
April 10 – April 20 |
Intensity |
150 km/h (90 mph) (1-min), 965 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Dot (Katring)
Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
May 9 – May 16 |
Intensity |
75 km/h (45 mph) (1-min), 984 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Depression 05W (Diding)
Tropical depression (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
May 18 – May 24 |
Intensity |
55 km/h (35 mph) (1-min), 998 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Ellis (Etang)
Category 2 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
June 29 – July 6 |
Intensity |
155 km/h (100 mph) (1-min), 955 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Faye (Gening)
Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
July 1 – July 6 |
Intensity |
75 km/h (45 mph) (1-min), 998 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Depression 8W
Tropical depression (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
July 23 – July 25 |
Intensity |
35 km/h (25 mph) (1-min), 1004 mbar (hPa) |
Super Typhoon Hope (Ising)
Category 4 super typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
July 25 – August 3 |
Intensity |
240 km/h (150 mph) (1-min), 900 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Hope was a powerful typhoon that hit Hong Kong On August 2 killing 112.
Tropical Storm Gordon (Herming)
Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
July 26 – July 29 |
Intensity |
110 km/h (70 mph) (1-min), 980 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Depression 11W (Luding)
Tropical depression (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
August 3 – August 6 |
Intensity |
45 km/h (30 mph) (1-min), 997 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Irving (Mameng)
Category 2 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
August 8 – August 17 |
Intensity |
165 km/h (105 mph) (1-min), 954 mbar (hPa) |
Super Typhoon Judy (Neneng)
Category 4 super typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
August 16 – August 26 |
Intensity |
250 km/h (155 mph) (1-min), 887 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Depression 14W
Tropical depression (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
August 18 – August 20 |
Intensity |
35 km/h (25 mph) (1-min), 1006 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Ken (Oniang)
Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
September 1 – September 4 |
Intensity |
110 km/h (70 mph) (1-min), 985 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Lola
Category 2 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
September 2 – September 8 |
Intensity |
165 km/h (105 mph) (1-min), 950 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Mac (Pepang)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
September 15 – September 24 |
Intensity |
130 km/h (80 mph) (1-min), 984 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Nancy
Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
September 18 – September 22 |
Intensity |
85 km/h (50 mph) (1-min), 993 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Owen (Rosing)
Category 3 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
September 22 – October 1 |
Intensity |
205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min), 918 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Pamela
Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
September 24 – September 26 |
Intensity |
85 km/h (50 mph) (1-min), 1002 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Roger (Sisang)
Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
October 2 – October 7 |
Intensity |
85 km/h (50 mph) (1-min), 985 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Sarah (Trining-Uring)
Category 3 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
October 4 – October 15 |
Intensity |
205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min), 929 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Sarah was a strong tropical cyclone that formed in the monsoon trough on October 4. Sarah then struck Vietnam causing many deaths and damage to crops.
Super Typhoon Tip (Warling)
Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
October 4 – October 19 |
Intensity |
305 km/h (190 mph) (1-min), 870 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Tip was the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded.
Super Typhoon Vera (Yayang)
Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
November 2 – November 7 |
Intensity |
260 km/h (160 mph) (1-min), 915 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Wayne (Ading)
Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
November 8 – November 13 |
Intensity |
95 km/h (60 mph) (1-min), 990 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Depression 26W
Tropical depression (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
November 30 – December 2 |
Intensity |
55 km/h (35 mph) (1-min), 998 mbar (hPa) |
Typhoon Abby (Barang)
Category 3 typhoon (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
December 1 – December 14 |
Intensity |
205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min), 951 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Ben (Krising)
Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
Duration |
December 20 – December 23 |
Intensity |
110 km/h (70 mph) (1-min), 990 mbar (hPa) |
1979 storm names
Western North Pacific tropical cyclones were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The first storm of 1979 was named Alice and the final one was named Ben. The name Alice was retired after this season and replaced by Andy.
- Alice 1W
- Bess 2W
- Cecil 3W
- Dot 4W
- Ellis 6W
- Faye 7W
- Gordon 10W
- Hope 9W
- Irving 12W
- Judy 13W
- Ken 15W
- Lola 16W
- Mac 17W
- Nancy 18W
- Owen 19W
- Pamela 20W
- Roger 21W
- Sarah 22W
- Tip 23W
- Vera 24W
- Wayne 25W
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- Abby 27W
- Ben 28W
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Carmen
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Dom
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Ellen
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Forrest
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Georgia
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Herbert
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Ida
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Joe
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Kim
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Lex
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Marge
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Norris
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Orchid
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Percy
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Ruth
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Sperry
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Thelma
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Vernon
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Wynn
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Alex
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Betty
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Cary
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Dinah
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Ed
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Freda
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Gerald
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Holly
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Ike
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June
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Kelly
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Lynn
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Maury
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Nina
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Ogden
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Phyllis
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Roy
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Susan
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Thad
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Vanessa
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Warren
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Agnes
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Bill
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Clara
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Doyle
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Elsie
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Fabian
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Gay
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Hazen
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Irma
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Jeff
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Kit
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Lee
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Mamie
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Nelson
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Odessa
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Pat
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Ruby
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Skip
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Tess
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Val
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Winona
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