1980 Pacific typhoon season in Encyclopedia

The 1980 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1980, 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. Tropical storms which formed in the entire west Pacific basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 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.

A total of 28 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 24 became tropical storms. Beginning in March, tropical cyclones formed in each subsequent month through December. Of the 28, 15 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 2 reached super typhoon strength. Seven tropical cyclones moved through the Philippines this season.

Storms

A total of 28 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 24 became tropical storms. Of the 28, 15 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 2 reached super typhoon strength. Seven tropical cyclones moved through the Philippines this season.

Tropical Storm Carmen

Typhoon Dom

Typhoon Ellen

Tropical Storm Forrest

Tropical Storm Georgia

Tropical Storm Herbert

Tropical Storm Ida

Typhoon Joe

115 mph Typhoon Joe, which developed on July 16 from the near equatorial trough, hit eastern Luzon on the 20th. It weakened over island, but restrengthened in the South China Sea to a 100 mph typhoon before making landfall on Hainan Island on the 22nd. Joe made its final landfall that night on northern Vietnam before dissipating on the 23rd. Joe caused heavy damage and an estimated 19 deaths in the Philippines with many more in Vietnam. The exact numbers are unknown due to Typhoon Kim hitting just four days later.

Super Typhoon Kim

Like Joe, Kim formed from the near equatorial trough on July 19. It tracked quickly westward, reaching tropical storm strength on the 21st and typhoon strength on the 23rd. Kim rapidly intensified on the 24th to a 150 mph Super Typhoon, but its inflow was cut off by the Philippines to the southwest. The typhoon weakened to 115 mph winds just before hitting eastern Luzon on the 25th, just days after Joe and a tropical depression hit the same area. Kim continued northwestward, but with its disrupted circulation, it remained a tropical storm until hitting southern China on the 27th, 90 miles northeast of Hong Kong. The typhoon brought torrential rains and massive flooding, causing only 15 deaths, moderate to heavy damage, and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. The exact totals are unknown, due to Joe and a Tropical Depression just days before.

Typhoon Lex

Typhoon Marge

Typhoon Norris

Typhoon Orchid

The monsoon trough spawned a tropical depression on September 1. It tracked northwestward, remaining disorganized and dissipating on the 5th. Another tropical depression developed to the east of the old circulation, quickly becoming the primary circulation and intensifying to a tropical storm on the 6th. With generally weak steering currents, Orchid looped three times on its track, strengthening to a typhoon on the 9th and reaching a peak of 95 mph winds on the 10th. Early on the 11th the storm hit southwestern Japan, and became extratropical that day over the South China Sea. Orchid caused considerable damage from high winds and rain, resulting in at least nine casualties with 112 missing. It was also responsible for the September 10th loss of the M.v. Derbyshire, a large 91,655 ton bulk carrier lost with all 44 hands on board.

Typhoon Percy

140 mph Typhoon Percy brushed southern Taiwan on September 18. A day later, with its circulation and low-level inflow greatly disrupted, 50 mph Tropical Storm Percy hit southeastern China, and dissipated later that night. 7 people died in the storm, with moderate damage on its path.

Typhoon Ruth

A monsoon depression transitioned into a tropical depression on September 13 in the South China Sea. It initially moved southward, then turned to the west-northwest, reaching tropical storm strength late on the 13th. Ruth crossed Hainan Island on the 14th and 15th, becoming a typhoon late on the 15th before hitting northern Vietnam on the 16th. The typhoon left nearly half a million homeless, with 106 known dead or missing in Vietnam.

Typhoon Sperry

Tropical Storm Thelma

Typhoon Vernon

Typhoon Wynne

Tropical Storm Alex

Typhoon Betty (Aring)

Typhoon Betty, which formed on October 28, hit eastern Luzon on the 4th as a 145 mph typhoon. It turned northward, weakened greatly and became extratropical on the 8th. Extensive flooding and widespread damage caused 81 fatalities and left thousands homeless.