Typhoon Tip facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Typhoon Tip (Warling)

Typhoon Tip at its record peak intensity on October 12
Meteorological history
Formed	October 4, 1979
Extratropical	October 19, 1979
Dissipated	October 24, 1979
Unknown strength tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (JMA)
Highest winds	260 km/h (160 mph)
Lowest pressure	870 hPa (mbar); 25.69 inHg (Record lowest worldwide)
Category 5 tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds	305 km/h (190 mph)
Lowest pressure	870 hPa (mbar); 25.69 inHg (Record lowest worldwide)
Overall effects
Fatalities	99 total
Damage	$484 million (1979 USD)
Areas affected	Guam Philippines Japan
Part of the 1979 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Tip was an incredibly powerful and huge tropical cyclone. It holds the record for being the largest and most intense tropical storm ever recorded around the world. This amazing storm formed on October 4, 1979, near Pohnpei in Micronesia.

At first, another storm nearby slowed Tip's growth. But once that storm moved away, Tip grew very quickly. It passed by Guam and then became super strong. On October 12, Tip reached its peak power. It had winds of 305 km/h (190 mph) and the lowest air pressure ever recorded, 870 hPa (25.69 inHg). This low pressure means the storm was extremely intense.

Typhoon Tip was also enormous. Its wind field stretched 2,220 km (1,380 mi) wide. Imagine a storm nearly half the size of the entire United States! The Philippine weather agency, PAGASA, called it Warling for a short time.

After its peak, Tip slowly got weaker. It moved towards the northeast and eventually hit southern Japan on October 19. After hitting land, it changed into a different kind of weather system called an extratropical cyclone. The remains of Tip kept moving until they disappeared near the Aleutian Islands on October 24.

Scientists studied Typhoon Tip very closely. U.S. Air Force aircraft flew into the storm about 60 times to gather information. This helped them understand how such a massive storm works. Sadly, Tip caused a lot of damage. In Japan, heavy rain from the typhoon led to a fire at Camp Fuji. This tragic accident resulted in the loss of 13 lives and injuries to 68 people. The typhoon also caused widespread flooding in Japan. Sadly, 42 people lost their lives, and 44 others were reported missing from shipwrecks.

How Typhoon Tip Formed

In late September 1979, several weather systems started to form. These systems were in a large area of low pressure called a monsoon trough. This trough stretched from the Philippines all the way to the Marshall Islands.

One of these systems grew into what would become Typhoon Tip. It began as a small disturbance south of Pohnpei on October 3. At first, another tropical storm named Roger was nearby. Roger's strong winds made it hard for Tip to grow. Tip's early movements were a bit wobbly because of Roger.

However, on October 4, special reconnaissance aircraft flew into the system. They confirmed that a storm was indeed forming. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) then officially named it Tropical Depression Twenty-Three-W.

Tip's Journey and Growth

As Tropical Storm Roger moved away, conditions became perfect for Tip to grow. On October 8, Tip started moving steadily northwest. It quickly gained strength over the warm waters of the western Pacific Ocean.

On October 9, Tip passed just south of Guam. Later that day, it became a full-fledged typhoon. The storm then grew incredibly fast. By October 11, it was a "super typhoon." This means it was extremely powerful.

Tip's Incredible Strength and Size

On October 12, Typhoon Tip reached its peak strength. Reconnaissance aircraft measured a record-low air pressure of 870 mbar (870.0 hPa; 25.69 inHg). This is the lowest pressure ever recorded in a tropical cyclone worldwide. Its winds were a staggering 305 km/h (190 mph).

At this time, Tip was also the largest tropical cyclone ever seen. Its wind field stretched an incredible 2,220 km (1,380 mi) across. To give you an idea, its eye, the calm center of the storm, was about 15 km (9.3 mi) wide.

On October 13, Tip entered the area where the Philippine weather agency, PAGASA, issued warnings. They gave it the local name Warling.

Tip Weakens and Makes Landfall

After its peak, Tip slowly began to weaken. It continued moving west-northwest for a few days. Then, it turned northeastward. This change in direction was due to other weather patterns.

On October 19, Typhoon Tip made landfall on the Japanese island of Honshū. Its winds were still strong, around 130 km/h (80 mph). After hitting Japan, Tip quickly changed into an extratropical cyclone. This is a different type of storm that gets its energy from temperature differences. The remains of Tip kept moving east until they disappeared near the Aleutian Islands on October 24.

Amazing Records Set by Tip

Depictions of Typhoon Tip (left) and Cyclone Tracy, one of the smallest tropical cyclones ever recorded, superimposed on a map of the United States.

Typhoon Tip holds two major records for tropical cyclones. It was the largest and the most intense storm ever recorded.

The Largest Storm Ever

Tip had a massive diameter of 1,380 mi (2,220 km). This was almost twice as big as the previous record holder, Typhoon Marge from 1951. At its biggest, Tip was nearly half the size of the entire contiguous United States. The temperature inside Tip's eye was also very warm, about 30 °C (86 °F).

The Most Intense Storm Ever

Tip also set the record for the lowest air pressure ever measured in a tropical cyclone. This was 870 mbar (25.69 inHg). Lower pressure means a more intense storm. This record was 5 mbar (0.15 inHg) lower than the previous record set by Super Typhoon June in 1975.

Even though Tip's records still stand, scientists sometimes wonder if other storms might have been even stronger. This is because special reconnaissance aircraft stopped flying into storms in the western Pacific in 1987. Without these direct measurements, it's harder to know for sure. For example, some satellite estimates suggest that Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 might have had even lower pressure. Also, Hurricane Patricia in 2015 was almost as intense as Tip. But without aircraft flying into these storms, we can't say for certain if any have truly surpassed Tip's amazing records.

What Happened When Tip Hit Land?

Typhoon Tip caused significant damage in several areas.

Tip's Impact on Guam and the Philippines

When Tip passed near Guam, it brought heavy rainfall. One area, Andersen Air Force Base, received 231 mm (9.1 in) of rain. Winds gusted up to 125 km/h (80 mph). The storm caused about US$1.6 million in damages in Guam in 1979. That would be about US$6.93 million in 2024.

The outer parts of Tip's huge circulation also brought moderate rain to the mountainous areas of the Philippine islands of Luzon and Visayas.

Tip's Impact on Japan

When Tip reached Japan, it caused a lot of problems. Heavy rainfall led to a flood wall breaking at Camp Fuji. This is a training center for the United States Marine Corps. The water caused fuel hoses to come loose, releasing a lot of fuel. This fuel then caught fire from a heater in one of the huts. This tragic accident resulted in the loss of 13 lives and injuries to 68 people. The fire also destroyed barracks and other buildings at the camp. Later, the barracks were rebuilt, and a memorial was created to remember those who were lost.

As Tip moved past Okinawa, it brought strong winds. The typhoon also caused millions of dollars in damage to Japan's farming and fishing industries. Sadly, eight ships were grounded or sank. This resulted in 44 fishermen being lost or missing. One large Chinese ship broke in half, but its crew of 46 people were rescued.

The heavy rain from Tip caused over 600 mudslides in Japan's mountains. More than 22,000 homes were flooded. Sadly, 42 people lost their lives, 71 were reported missing, and 283 were injured across the country. Many riverbanks broke, and 27 bridges were destroyed. About 105 dikes also failed. After the storm, at least 11,000 people were left without homes. Tip also destroyed important crops like apples, rice, and peaches.

In the capital city of Tokyo, tall 50-story buildings swayed in the strong winds. Transportation was also disrupted. About 200 trains and 160 domestic flights were canceled. In total, the damages from Tip in Japan were estimated at ¥105.7 billion. This was about US$482.34 million in 1979, which would be about US$2.09 billion in 2024. Tip was described as the most severe storm to hit Japan in 13 years.

See also

In Spanish: Tifón Tip para niños

• List of tropical cyclone records
• Hypercane