1972 Pacific typhoon season
Encyclopedia
The 1972 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1972, 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 1972 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 have the "W" suffix added to their number. 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.
, slowly organizing into Tropical Depression 1W on January 5. The depression quickly strengthened, reaching tropical storm status later that day and becoming a typhoon on the 6th as it neared the Philippines. Kit rapidly intensified on the 6th and 7th to a 140 mi/h typhoon, the strongest ever in January, but its inflow was cut off to the west, weakening the typhoon as it continued westward. Kit hit the eastern Philippines
as a 100 mi/h typhoon on January 7, and turned north through the archipelago
in response to a break in the subtropical ridge. This brought Kit eastward then southward, where after completing its large loop it dissipated on January 15, just 170 nautical miles (314.8 km) from its starting location. Typhoon Kit brought torrential rains and flooding, causing 204 fatalities and nearly $23 million in damage (1972 USD).
, China on the 27th. Rita directly caused 12 deaths, with 3 missing, and moderate to heavy damage on its path. In addition, Rita and Tropical Storm Susan's presence strengthened the southwest monsoon flow over Luzon
, where torrential rains occurring between the 17th and 21st leading to disastrous flooding which left 214 dead, with over $150 million in damage. Rita was the longest lasting Western Pacific tropical cyclone at the time.
, tracked westward, reaching typhoon status on the 12th. On the 13th and 14th as Tess turned to the northwest, it rapidly intensified to a 145 mi/h typhoon. Steadily weakening as it continued northwestward, Tess bent back to the west in response to the building of a high pressure cell over Japan. The Fujiwhara effect
between Tess and Rita brought 75 mi/h Typhoon Tess into Japan on the 23rd. It continued northward, and merged with a front over extreme eastern Russia on the 25th. Tess caused strong flooding, which in turn killed 29 people.
, and became extratropical on the 19th. Helen's heavy flooding and landslides killed 64 people, with $102 million in damage (1972 USD).
on December 3. After crossing the islands, the typhoon reached a peak of 120 mi/h winds in the South China Sea, a rare event for December. Therese's intensity fluctuated as it continued westward, and hit eastern Vietnam
on the 9th as a 115 mi/h typhoon. Therese dissipated on the 12th, after causing 90 deaths and extensive damage on its path.
. The first storm of 1972 was named Kit and the final one was named Violet.
{|width="90%"
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The 1972 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1972, 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 1972 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 have the "W" suffix added to their number. 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.
, slowly organizing into Tropical Depression 1W on January 5. The depression quickly strengthened, reaching tropical storm status later that day and becoming a typhoon on the 6th as it neared the Philippines. Kit rapidly intensified on the 6th and 7th to a 140 mi/h typhoon, the strongest ever in January, but its inflow was cut off to the west, weakening the typhoon as it continued westward. Kit hit the eastern Philippines
as a 100 mi/h typhoon on January 7, and turned north through the archipelago
in response to a break in the subtropical ridge. This brought Kit eastward then southward, where after completing its large loop it dissipated on January 15, just 170 nautical miles (314.8 km) from its starting location. Typhoon Kit brought torrential rains and flooding, causing 204 fatalities and nearly $23 million in damage (1972 USD).
, China on the 27th. Rita directly caused 12 deaths, with 3 missing, and moderate to heavy damage on its path. In addition, Rita and Tropical Storm Susan's presence strengthened the southwest monsoon flow over Luzon
, where torrential rains occurring between the 17th and 21st leading to disastrous flooding which left 214 dead, with over $150 million in damage. Rita was the longest lasting Western Pacific tropical cyclone at the time.
, tracked westward, reaching typhoon status on the 12th. On the 13th and 14th as Tess turned to the northwest, it rapidly intensified to a 145 mi/h typhoon. Steadily weakening as it continued northwestward, Tess bent back to the west in response to the building of a high pressure cell over Japan. The Fujiwhara effect
between Tess and Rita brought 75 mi/h Typhoon Tess into Japan on the 23rd. It continued northward, and merged with a front over extreme eastern Russia on the 25th. Tess caused strong flooding, which in turn killed 29 people.
, and became extratropical on the 19th. Helen's heavy flooding and landslides killed 64 people, with $102 million in damage (1972 USD).
on December 3. After crossing the islands, the typhoon reached a peak of 120 mi/h winds in the South China Sea, a rare event for December. Therese's intensity fluctuated as it continued westward, and hit eastern Vietnam
on the 9th as a 115 mi/h typhoon. Therese dissipated on the 12th, after causing 90 deaths and extensive damage on its path.
. The first storm of 1972 was named Kit and the final one was named Violet.
{|width="90%"
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The 1972 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1972, 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 1972 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 have the "W" suffix added to their number. 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.
, slowly organizing into Tropical Depression 1W on January 5. The depression quickly strengthened, reaching tropical storm status later that day and becoming a typhoon on the 6th as it neared the Philippines. Kit rapidly intensified on the 6th and 7th to a 140 mi/h typhoon, the strongest ever in January, but its inflow was cut off to the west, weakening the typhoon as it continued westward. Kit hit the eastern Philippines
as a 100 mi/h typhoon on January 7, and turned north through the archipelago
in response to a break in the subtropical ridge. This brought Kit eastward then southward, where after completing its large loop it dissipated on January 15, just 170 nautical miles (314.8 km) from its starting location. Typhoon Kit brought torrential rains and flooding, causing 204 fatalities and nearly $23 million in damage (1972 USD).
, China on the 27th. Rita directly caused 12 deaths, with 3 missing, and moderate to heavy damage on its path. In addition, Rita and Tropical Storm Susan's presence strengthened the southwest monsoon flow over Luzon
, where torrential rains occurring between the 17th and 21st leading to disastrous flooding which left 214 dead, with over $150 million in damage. Rita was the longest lasting Western Pacific tropical cyclone at the time.
, tracked westward, reaching typhoon status on the 12th. On the 13th and 14th as Tess turned to the northwest, it rapidly intensified to a 145 mi/h typhoon. Steadily weakening as it continued northwestward, Tess bent back to the west in response to the building of a high pressure cell over Japan. The Fujiwhara effect
between Tess and Rita brought 75 mi/h Typhoon Tess into Japan on the 23rd. It continued northward, and merged with a front over extreme eastern Russia on the 25th. Tess caused strong flooding, which in turn killed 29 people.
, and became extratropical on the 19th. Helen's heavy flooding and landslides killed 64 people, with $102 million in damage (1972 USD).
on December 3. After crossing the islands, the typhoon reached a peak of 120 mi/h winds in the South China Sea, a rare event for December. Therese's intensity fluctuated as it continued westward, and hit eastern Vietnam
on the 9th as a 115 mi/h typhoon. Therese dissipated on the 12th, after causing 90 deaths and extensive damage on its path.
. The first storm of 1972 was named Kit and the final one was named Violet.
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Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
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
International Date Line
The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...
. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 1972 Pacific hurricane season
1972 Pacific hurricane season
The 1972 Pacific hurricane season was an ongoing event in tropical cyclone meteorology. There were few notable storms this year. No one was killed and storm effects were generally not serious. The most notable systems were Hurricane Celeste and Joanne. Celeste was the strongest storm of the...
. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west Pacific basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
. Tropical depressions in this basin have the "W" suffix added to their number. 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
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide flood and typhoon warnings, public weather forecasts and advisories, meteorological, astronomical, climatological, and other specialized information and...
or PAGASA. This can often result in the same storm having two names.
Storms
33 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 31 became tropical storms. 22 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 2 reached super typhoon strength.Typhoon Kit (Asiang)
A tropical disturbance generated by an upper tropospheric low in the mid-Pacific trough moved westward through the Caroline IslandsCaroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
, slowly organizing into Tropical Depression 1W on January 5. The depression quickly strengthened, reaching tropical storm status later that day and becoming a typhoon on the 6th as it neared the Philippines. Kit rapidly intensified on the 6th and 7th to a 140 mi/h typhoon, the strongest ever in January, but its inflow was cut off to the west, weakening the typhoon as it continued westward. Kit hit the eastern Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
as a 100 mi/h typhoon on January 7, and turned north through the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
in response to a break in the subtropical ridge. This brought Kit eastward then southward, where after completing its large loop it dissipated on January 15, just 170 nautical miles (314.8 km) from its starting location. Typhoon Kit brought torrential rains and flooding, causing 204 fatalities and nearly $23 million in damage (1972 USD).
Typhoon Ora (Konsing)
Typhoon Ora, which formed on June 22, crossed the northern Philippines on the 24th and 25th as an 85 mi/h typhoon. It weakened over land, but restrengthened in the South China Sea to a 90 mi/h typhoon before hitting southern China on the 27th. Ora caused 131 casualties, with $15 million in damage (1972 USD). An unusual feature about Ora was while crossing the South China Sea, it never featured a wall cloud, even though it had winds of typhoon strength.Typhoon Phyllis
Tropical Storm Phyllis, which formed on July 5, quickly intensified from late on the 9th to early on the 11th to a 140 mi/h typhoon. The typhoon turned to the northwest, steadily weakening as it approached Japan. Phyllis struck southeastern Japan on the 15th as a tropical storm, and became extratropical that night. Phyllis caused 3 deaths and moderate damage.Super Typhoon Rita (Gloring)
The near-equatorial trough spawned four tropical cyclones on July 5, one of which would become Super Typhoon Rita. Having originated over the open Western Pacific, the depression tracked westward, becoming a tropical storm on the 7th and a typhoon on the 8th. Rita quickly intensified, reaching super typhoon strength on the 10th and a peak of 165 mi/h on the 11th. The typhoon stalled and weakened on the 12th and 13th as it headed to the northeast. On the 15th and 16th, Rita again stalled, weakening down to 75 mi/h. It then turned to the north, where it was able to become a Category 2 again. A building high pressure ridge forced the typhoon westward, where it executed a large loop from the 21st to the 25th. After looping and passing Okinawa, the typhoon continued to the northwest, passed by western South Korea, and weakened to a tropical storm on the 26th. Rita entered the Gulf of Chihli, hit northeastern China, and dissipated near PekingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China on the 27th. Rita directly caused 12 deaths, with 3 missing, and moderate to heavy damage on its path. In addition, Rita and Tropical Storm Susan's presence strengthened the southwest monsoon flow over Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, where torrential rains occurring between the 17th and 21st leading to disastrous flooding which left 214 dead, with over $150 million in damage. Rita was the longest lasting Western Pacific tropical cyclone at the time.
Typhoon Tess
The same near-equatorial trough that developed Rita also developed Typhoon Tess. Tess, having developed on July 7 near the Marshall IslandsMarshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, tracked westward, reaching typhoon status on the 12th. On the 13th and 14th as Tess turned to the northwest, it rapidly intensified to a 145 mi/h typhoon. Steadily weakening as it continued northwestward, Tess bent back to the west in response to the building of a high pressure cell over Japan. The Fujiwhara effect
Fujiwhara effect
The Fujiwhara effect or Fujiwara interaction, named after Sakuhei Fujiwhara, is a type of interaction between two nearby cyclonic vortices, causing them to appear to "orbit" each other.-Description:...
between Tess and Rita brought 75 mi/h Typhoon Tess into Japan on the 23rd. It continued northward, and merged with a front over extreme eastern Russia on the 25th. Tess caused strong flooding, which in turn killed 29 people.
Typhoon Helen (Paring)
Typhoon Helen, which formed on September 12 over the open West Pacific, struck southern Japan on the 16th. Helen looped in the Sea of JapanSea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
, and became extratropical on the 19th. Helen's heavy flooding and landslides killed 64 people, with $102 million in damage (1972 USD).
Tropical Storm June
The name June was given to a storm that formed in the Central Pacific Ocean. Before 1982 all storms that formed within this basin were given names from the Western Pacific Typhoon Name List.Typhoon Therese (Undang)
Typhoon Therese, having developed on November 30, struck the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on December 3. After crossing the islands, the typhoon reached a peak of 120 mi/h winds in the South China Sea, a rare event for December. Therese's intensity fluctuated as it continued westward, and hit eastern Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
on the 9th as a 115 mi/h typhoon. Therese dissipated on the 12th, after causing 90 deaths and extensive damage on its path.
1972 storm names
Western North Pacific tropical cyclones were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning CenterJoint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
. The first storm of 1972 was named Kit and the final one was named Violet.
{|width="90%"
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The 1972 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1972, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
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
International Date Line
The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...
. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 1972 Pacific hurricane season
1972 Pacific hurricane season
The 1972 Pacific hurricane season was an ongoing event in tropical cyclone meteorology. There were few notable storms this year. No one was killed and storm effects were generally not serious. The most notable systems were Hurricane Celeste and Joanne. Celeste was the strongest storm of the...
. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west Pacific basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
. Tropical depressions in this basin have the "W" suffix added to their number. 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
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide flood and typhoon warnings, public weather forecasts and advisories, meteorological, astronomical, climatological, and other specialized information and...
or PAGASA. This can often result in the same storm having two names.
Storms
33 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 31 became tropical storms. 22 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 2 reached super typhoon strength.Typhoon Kit (Asiang)
A tropical disturbance generated by an upper tropospheric low in the mid-Pacific trough moved westward through the Caroline IslandsCaroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
, slowly organizing into Tropical Depression 1W on January 5. The depression quickly strengthened, reaching tropical storm status later that day and becoming a typhoon on the 6th as it neared the Philippines. Kit rapidly intensified on the 6th and 7th to a 140 mi/h typhoon, the strongest ever in January, but its inflow was cut off to the west, weakening the typhoon as it continued westward. Kit hit the eastern Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
as a 100 mi/h typhoon on January 7, and turned north through the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
in response to a break in the subtropical ridge. This brought Kit eastward then southward, where after completing its large loop it dissipated on January 15, just 170 nautical miles (314.8 km) from its starting location. Typhoon Kit brought torrential rains and flooding, causing 204 fatalities and nearly $23 million in damage (1972 USD).
Typhoon Ora (Konsing)
Typhoon Ora, which formed on June 22, crossed the northern Philippines on the 24th and 25th as an 85 mi/h typhoon. It weakened over land, but restrengthened in the South China Sea to a 90 mi/h typhoon before hitting southern China on the 27th. Ora caused 131 casualties, with $15 million in damage (1972 USD). An unusual feature about Ora was while crossing the South China Sea, it never featured a wall cloud, even though it had winds of typhoon strength.Typhoon Phyllis
Tropical Storm Phyllis, which formed on July 5, quickly intensified from late on the 9th to early on the 11th to a 140 mi/h typhoon. The typhoon turned to the northwest, steadily weakening as it approached Japan. Phyllis struck southeastern Japan on the 15th as a tropical storm, and became extratropical that night. Phyllis caused 3 deaths and moderate damage.Super Typhoon Rita (Gloring)
The near-equatorial trough spawned four tropical cyclones on July 5, one of which would become Super Typhoon Rita. Having originated over the open Western Pacific, the depression tracked westward, becoming a tropical storm on the 7th and a typhoon on the 8th. Rita quickly intensified, reaching super typhoon strength on the 10th and a peak of 165 mi/h on the 11th. The typhoon stalled and weakened on the 12th and 13th as it headed to the northeast. On the 15th and 16th, Rita again stalled, weakening down to 75 mi/h. It then turned to the north, where it was able to become a Category 2 again. A building high pressure ridge forced the typhoon westward, where it executed a large loop from the 21st to the 25th. After looping and passing Okinawa, the typhoon continued to the northwest, passed by western South Korea, and weakened to a tropical storm on the 26th. Rita entered the Gulf of Chihli, hit northeastern China, and dissipated near PekingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China on the 27th. Rita directly caused 12 deaths, with 3 missing, and moderate to heavy damage on its path. In addition, Rita and Tropical Storm Susan's presence strengthened the southwest monsoon flow over Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, where torrential rains occurring between the 17th and 21st leading to disastrous flooding which left 214 dead, with over $150 million in damage. Rita was the longest lasting Western Pacific tropical cyclone at the time.
Typhoon Tess
The same near-equatorial trough that developed Rita also developed Typhoon Tess. Tess, having developed on July 7 near the Marshall IslandsMarshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, tracked westward, reaching typhoon status on the 12th. On the 13th and 14th as Tess turned to the northwest, it rapidly intensified to a 145 mi/h typhoon. Steadily weakening as it continued northwestward, Tess bent back to the west in response to the building of a high pressure cell over Japan. The Fujiwhara effect
Fujiwhara effect
The Fujiwhara effect or Fujiwara interaction, named after Sakuhei Fujiwhara, is a type of interaction between two nearby cyclonic vortices, causing them to appear to "orbit" each other.-Description:...
between Tess and Rita brought 75 mi/h Typhoon Tess into Japan on the 23rd. It continued northward, and merged with a front over extreme eastern Russia on the 25th. Tess caused strong flooding, which in turn killed 29 people.
Typhoon Flossie (Nitang)
This became Tropical Cyclone 25-72 in the Bay of Bengal.Typhoon Helen (Paring)
Typhoon Helen, which formed on September 12 over the open West Pacific, struck southern Japan on the 16th. Helen looped in the Sea of JapanSea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
, and became extratropical on the 19th. Helen's heavy flooding and landslides killed 64 people, with $102 million in damage (1972 USD).
Tropical Storm June
The name June was given to a storm that formed in the Central Pacific Ocean. Before 1982 all storms that formed within this basin were given names from the Western Pacific Typhoon Name List.Typhoon Pamela (Toyang)
Typhoon Pamela struck Hong Kong killing one person.Typhoon Therese (Undang)
Typhoon Therese, having developed on November 30, struck the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on December 3. After crossing the islands, the typhoon reached a peak of 120 mi/h winds in the South China Sea, a rare event for December. Therese's intensity fluctuated as it continued westward, and hit eastern Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
on the 9th as a 115 mi/h typhoon. Therese dissipated on the 12th, after causing 90 deaths and extensive damage on its path.
1972 storm names
Western North Pacific tropical cyclones were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning CenterJoint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
. The first storm of 1972 was named Kit and the final one was named Violet.
{|width="90%"
|
The 1972 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1972, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
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
International Date Line
The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...
. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 1972 Pacific hurricane season
1972 Pacific hurricane season
The 1972 Pacific hurricane season was an ongoing event in tropical cyclone meteorology. There were few notable storms this year. No one was killed and storm effects were generally not serious. The most notable systems were Hurricane Celeste and Joanne. Celeste was the strongest storm of the...
. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west Pacific basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
. Tropical depressions in this basin have the "W" suffix added to their number. 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
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide flood and typhoon warnings, public weather forecasts and advisories, meteorological, astronomical, climatological, and other specialized information and...
or PAGASA. This can often result in the same storm having two names.
Storms
33 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 31 became tropical storms. 22 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 2 reached super typhoon strength.Typhoon Kit (Asiang)
A tropical disturbance generated by an upper tropospheric low in the mid-Pacific trough moved westward through the Caroline IslandsCaroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
, slowly organizing into Tropical Depression 1W on January 5. The depression quickly strengthened, reaching tropical storm status later that day and becoming a typhoon on the 6th as it neared the Philippines. Kit rapidly intensified on the 6th and 7th to a 140 mi/h typhoon, the strongest ever in January, but its inflow was cut off to the west, weakening the typhoon as it continued westward. Kit hit the eastern Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
as a 100 mi/h typhoon on January 7, and turned north through the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
in response to a break in the subtropical ridge. This brought Kit eastward then southward, where after completing its large loop it dissipated on January 15, just 170 nautical miles (314.8 km) from its starting location. Typhoon Kit brought torrential rains and flooding, causing 204 fatalities and nearly $23 million in damage (1972 USD).
Typhoon Ora (Konsing)
Typhoon Ora, which formed on June 22, crossed the northern Philippines on the 24th and 25th as an 85 mi/h typhoon. It weakened over land, but restrengthened in the South China Sea to a 90 mi/h typhoon before hitting southern China on the 27th. Ora caused 131 casualties, with $15 million in damage (1972 USD). An unusual feature about Ora was while crossing the South China Sea, it never featured a wall cloud, even though it had winds of typhoon strength.Typhoon Phyllis
Tropical Storm Phyllis, which formed on July 5, quickly intensified from late on the 9th to early on the 11th to a 140 mi/h typhoon. The typhoon turned to the northwest, steadily weakening as it approached Japan. Phyllis struck southeastern Japan on the 15th as a tropical storm, and became extratropical that night. Phyllis caused 3 deaths and moderate damage.Super Typhoon Rita (Gloring)
The near-equatorial trough spawned four tropical cyclones on July 5, one of which would become Super Typhoon Rita. Having originated over the open Western Pacific, the depression tracked westward, becoming a tropical storm on the 7th and a typhoon on the 8th. Rita quickly intensified, reaching super typhoon strength on the 10th and a peak of 165 mi/h on the 11th. The typhoon stalled and weakened on the 12th and 13th as it headed to the northeast. On the 15th and 16th, Rita again stalled, weakening down to 75 mi/h. It then turned to the north, where it was able to become a Category 2 again. A building high pressure ridge forced the typhoon westward, where it executed a large loop from the 21st to the 25th. After looping and passing Okinawa, the typhoon continued to the northwest, passed by western South Korea, and weakened to a tropical storm on the 26th. Rita entered the Gulf of Chihli, hit northeastern China, and dissipated near PekingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China on the 27th. Rita directly caused 12 deaths, with 3 missing, and moderate to heavy damage on its path. In addition, Rita and Tropical Storm Susan's presence strengthened the southwest monsoon flow over Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, where torrential rains occurring between the 17th and 21st leading to disastrous flooding which left 214 dead, with over $150 million in damage. Rita was the longest lasting Western Pacific tropical cyclone at the time.
Typhoon Tess
The same near-equatorial trough that developed Rita also developed Typhoon Tess. Tess, having developed on July 7 near the Marshall IslandsMarshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, tracked westward, reaching typhoon status on the 12th. On the 13th and 14th as Tess turned to the northwest, it rapidly intensified to a 145 mi/h typhoon. Steadily weakening as it continued northwestward, Tess bent back to the west in response to the building of a high pressure cell over Japan. The Fujiwhara effect
Fujiwhara effect
The Fujiwhara effect or Fujiwara interaction, named after Sakuhei Fujiwhara, is a type of interaction between two nearby cyclonic vortices, causing them to appear to "orbit" each other.-Description:...
between Tess and Rita brought 75 mi/h Typhoon Tess into Japan on the 23rd. It continued northward, and merged with a front over extreme eastern Russia on the 25th. Tess caused strong flooding, which in turn killed 29 people.
Typhoon Flossie (Nitang)
This became Tropical Cyclone 25-72 in the Bay of Bengal.Typhoon Helen (Paring)
Typhoon Helen, which formed on September 12 over the open West Pacific, struck southern Japan on the 16th. Helen looped in the Sea of JapanSea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
, and became extratropical on the 19th. Helen's heavy flooding and landslides killed 64 people, with $102 million in damage (1972 USD).
Tropical Storm June
The name June was given to a storm that formed in the Central Pacific Ocean. Before 1982 all storms that formed within this basin were given names from the Western Pacific Typhoon Name List.Typhoon Pamela (Toyang)
Typhoon Pamela struck Hong Kong killing one person.Typhoon Therese (Undang)
Typhoon Therese, having developed on November 30, struck the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on December 3. After crossing the islands, the typhoon reached a peak of 120 mi/h winds in the South China Sea, a rare event for December. Therese's intensity fluctuated as it continued westward, and hit eastern Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
on the 9th as a 115 mi/h typhoon. Therese dissipated on the 12th, after causing 90 deaths and extensive damage on its path.
1972 storm names
Western North Pacific tropical cyclones were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning CenterJoint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
. The first storm of 1972 was named Kit and the final one was named Violet.
{|width="90%"
|
- AgnesBessCarmenDellaElaineFayeGloriaHesterIrmaJudy
- Kit 1W
- Lola 3W
- Mamie 4W
- Nina 5W
- Ora 6W
Typhoon Ora (1972)Typhoon Ora was a June 1972 Category 1 typhoon that left 131 people dead and $15 million in damage....- Phyllis 7W
- Rita 8W
- Susan 9W
- Tess 10W
- Viola 11W
- Winnie 12W
|- Alice 13W
- Betty 14W
- Cora 15W
- Doris 16W
- Elsie 17W
- Flossie 18W
- Grace 19W
- Helen 20WTyphoon Helen (1972)Typhoon Helen was the 20th named storm and 13th typhoon of the 1972 Pacific typhoon season...
- Ida 22W
- June 23C
- Kathy 24W
- Lorna 25W
- Marie 26W
- Nancy 27W
- Olga 28W
- Pamela 29W
- Ruby 30C
- Sally 31W
- Therese 32W
- Violet 33W
- Wilda
|- AnitaBillieClaraDotEllenFranGeorgiaHopeIrisJoanKateLouiseMargeNoraOpalPatsyRuthSarahThelmaVeraWanda
|- AmyBabeCarlaDinahEmmaFredaGildaHarrietIvyJeanKimLucyMaryNadineOlivePollyRoseShirleyTrixVirginiaWendy
|}
Two Central Pacific system developed, Tropical Storms June and Ruby. The policy at the time was to use Western Pacific names the Central Pacific.
Philippines
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services AdministrationPhilippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services AdministrationThe Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide flood and typhoon warnings, public weather forecasts and advisories, meteorological, astronomical, climatological, and other specialized information and...
(PAGASA) uses its own naming scheme for tropical cyclones within its area of responsibility. Lists are recycled every four years.
{| width="90%"
|- Asiang
- Biring
- KonsingTyphoon Ora (1972)Typhoon Ora was a June 1972 Category 1 typhoon that left 131 people dead and $15 million in damage....
- Didang
- Edeng
|- Gloring
- Huaning
- Isang
- Lusing
- Maring
|- Nitang
- Osang
- ParingTyphoon Helen (1972)Typhoon Helen was the 20th named storm and 13th typhoon of the 1972 Pacific typhoon season...
- Reming
- Seniang
|- Toyang
- Undang
- WelpringYoningAring
|- BasiangKayangDorangEnangGrasing
|}
See also
- 1972 Pacific hurricane season1972 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 1972 Pacific hurricane season was an ongoing event in tropical cyclone meteorology. There were few notable storms this year. No one was killed and storm effects were generally not serious. The most notable systems were Hurricane Celeste and Joanne. Celeste was the strongest storm of the...
- 1972 Atlantic hurricane season1972 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 1972 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1972, and lasted until November 30, 1972. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. A strong El Niño kept hurricane activity at a minimum, and in fact the season...
External links
- Japan Meteorological Agency
- Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
- China Meteorological Agency
- National Weather Service Guam
- Hong Kong Observatory
- Macau Meteorological Geophysical Services
- Korea Meteorological Agency
- Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
- Taiwan Central Weather Bureau
- Digital Typhoon - Typhoon Images and Information
- Typhoon2000 Philippine typhoon website
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