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TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARIES FOR 1979
In 1979 twenty-nine tropical cyclones formed over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea and thirteen of them attained typhoon intensity. Four tropical cyclones landed over Guangdong (Kwangtung). Three tropical cyclones crossed the coast of Indo-China while another six passed over the Philippines. Japan was directly hit by three tropical cyclones and another two dissipated just off its coast. There was only one tropical cyclone passing over Korea and none passed directly over Taiwan. The monthly distribution of tropical cyclones is shown in Figure l and a brief summary of their tracks is contained in Table I. Six-hourly positions of these tropical cyclones together with the estimated minimum central pressures and maximum surface winds are tabulated in the appendix.
The monthly mean frequency of occurrence of tropical cyclones during the years 1946-1978 is given in Figure 2.
During the year there were eighteen tropical cyclones in Hong Kong's area of responsibility for tropical cyclone warnings for shipping (i.e. the area bounded by 10°N, 30°N, 105°E and 125°E) compared with an average figure of seventeen in the past 33 years. Twelve tropical cyclones moved into the area while six developed within it.
Altogether 418 warnings for shipping were issued by the Royal Observatory in connection with these tropical cyclones and tropical cyclone warning signals were displayed in Hong Kong for six of them.
In 1979 rainfall in Hong Kong associated with tropical cyclones amounted to 1073.9 mm which represents nearly half of the summer rain in the year. Most of the rainfall was due to two tropical cyclones; Typhoon Hope in August with 287.4 mm and Severe Tropical Storm Mac in September with 361.3 mm.
The first tropical cyclone of the year was Typhoon Alice which developed near the Marshall Islands on l January. It moved westwards and passed about JOO nautical miles south of Guam on 9 January. Alice finally dissipated over the ocean about 800 nautical miles east of Manila early on 15 January.
There were no tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific or the South China Sea in February.
Typhoon Bess formed near the Caroline Islands on 19 March. It recurved to the northeast on 23 March and dissipated north of the Marianas two days later.
Typhoon Cecil formed near the Caroline Islands on 11 April. It moved west-northwestwards and after crossing the Philippines, it dissipatinq to the southeast of the Ryukyu Islands ten days later.
Two tropical cyclones developed over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in May. Tropical Storm Dot formed near Mindanao on IO May. It moved close to Manila after crossing the southern Philippines and dissipated about 480 nautical miles to the northeast of Manila six days later. A tropical depression formed in the South China Sea near Dongsha Dao (Pratas Island) on 22 May. After skirting the southern tip of Taiwan, it continued moving east-northeastwards and became an extratropical depression over the Pacific to the south of Japan on 24 May.
Only one tropical cyclone was reported over the area in June. A area of low pressure near Palawan started to move across the South China Sea on 17 June. It deepened into a tropical depression on 21 June and remained quasi-stationary off the Vietnam coast for about a day before drifting southwards and degenerating into an area of low pressure. about 100 nautical miles southeast of Danang on 23 June.
A total of four tropical cyclones developed in July and tropical cyclone warning signals were hoisted in Hong Kong for two of them. Typhoon Ellis passed about 100 nautical miles to the south-southwest of Hong Kong around midnight on 5 July. Severe Tropical Storm Faye, originated near the Caroline Islands on 2 July, took a northwesterly course and dissipated about 250 nautical miles south-southeast of Taibei (Taipei) seven days later.
Severe Tropical Storm Gordon crossed the coast of South China near Shantau (Swatow) about 130 nautical miles east-northeast of Hong Kong on 29 July and passed about 40 nautical miles to the north of Hong Kong early next morning. At the end of the month Typhoon Hope was centred about 400 nautical miles northeast of Manila and was moving rapidly west-northwest towards the Bashi Channel.
There were six tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in August and for two of them tropical cyclone warning signals were hoisted in Hong Kong. Typhoon Hope swept across Hong Kong on 2 August. It continued moving westwards and dissipated about 110 nautical miles west of Hanoi the following evening. A pair of tropical depressions developed near Xisha (Paracels) in succession on 6 and 8 August respectively.
They both dissipated on 9 August; the former was near Danang while the latter was off the southeast coast of Hainan Dao (Hainan Island). Typhoon Irving passed over the Ryukyu Islands on 14 August. It crossed south Korea on 17 August and on the following day it skirted the coast of eastern Russia where heavy damage was reported. Typhoon Judy passed through the Ryukyu Islands on 23 August and the next day it was centred about 90 nautical miles east of Shanghai. Judy then took a northeasterly course and passed through the Korea Strait on 26 August. It became extratropical about 160 nautical miles north-northeast of Nagasaki on 27 August. At the end of the month Tropical Storm Ken developed about 500 nautical miles east of Okinawa and moved west towards the Ryukyu Islands.
There were six tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in September but only Severe Tropical Storm Mac and Tropical Storm Nancy affected Hong Kong. Tropical Storm Nancy developed off Hainan Dao (Hainan Island) about 250 nautical miles south-southwest of Hong Kong on 19 September. It moved westwards and crossed the Vietnam coast about 140 nautical miles northwest of Danang on 22 September. Severe Tropical Storm Mac originated about 500 nautical miles east of Manila early on 16 September. It entered the South China Sea on 19 September and passed over western Lantau Island (Hong Kong) around midnight on 23 September. It then turned westwards and headed towards Macau. Mac finally degenerated into an area of low pressure north of Shangchuan Dao (St. John's Island) during the afternoon of 24 September.
Four tropical cyclones developed over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in October but none of them came near Hong Kong. A tropical depression formed near the west coast of the Philippines on l October but soon dissipated when it crossed Luzon. Tropical Storm Roger formed west of Guam on 30 October.
It moved northwards and dissipated off the coast of Japan four days later. Typhoon Sarah developed to the west of the Philippines on 5 October. It moved across the southern part of the South China Sea and dissipated near the coast of south Vietnam on 15 October. Typhoon Tip originated near the Truk Islands on 5 October and passed to the east of the Ryukyu Islands on 18 October. Tip crossed Honshu the following morning and caused heavy damage there.
Only two tropical cyclones formed over the western North Pacific in November. Typhoon Vera originated near the Caroline Islands on 2 November. It weakened rapidly over Luzon and dissipated over the South China Sea off the western coast of Luzon. Tropical Storm Wayne developed about 650 nautical miles east of Manila on 8 November. It moved towards the Philippines but dissipated over the ocean about 400 nautical miles northeast of Manila on 12 November.
There were three tropical cyclones over the area in December but none of them affected Hong Kong. A tropical depression developed to the east of the Marianas on 1 December. It moved rapidly northwards but dissipated the following afternoon. Typhoon Abby orginated to the east of the Caroline Islands on 2 December.
At first it moved west-northwest towards the Philippines. When it was centred about 550 nautical miles east of Manila on 12 December, it turned northeastwards and dissipated over the ocean three days later. Severe Tropical Storm Ben formed about 500 nautical miles east-southeast of Manila on 20 December. After passing about 90 nautical miles to the southwest of Manila on 22 December, it turned northeastwards and dissipated off the coast of north Luzon the following evening.