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TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARIES FOR 1981
In 1981 twenty eight tropical cyclones formed over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea and twelve of them attained typhoon intensity. Four tropical cyclones made landfall over south China. Seven tropical cyclones crossed the Philippines and three crossed Taiwan. Five tropical cyclones affected Japan while another two affected Korea. The monthly distribution of tropical cyclones is shown in Figure I and a brief summary of their tracks is contained in Table 1. Six-hourly positions of these tropical cyclones together with their 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 1946-1980 is given in Figure 2.
During the year there were fourteen 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 of sixteen over the past 35 years. Ten tropical cyclones moved into the area while four developed within it. Altogether 353 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 during five of them. Only two tropical cyclones came within I 00 nautical miles of Hong Kong and there was very little damage.
The total tropical cyclone rainfall during the year amounted to only 206. l mm which is the lowest since 1972.
This amount was much below the annual average value of 566.9 mm and accounted for only 12 per cent of the year's total rainfall of I 659.5 mm. Severe Tropical Storm Lynn alone brought 83.2 mm.
There were no tropical cyclones during January to March. Two tropical cyclones developed in April and May, but dissipated over the Pacific. Three tropical cyclones developed during June. Severe Tropical Storm Ike (8104) recurved near Hainan and crossed Taiwan near Gaoxiong on 13 June killing five people. Typhoon June (8105) crossed Taibei on 20 June causing heavy rain in northern Taiwan. Typhoon Kelly (8106) formed east of the Philippines on 28 June and moved westwards.
Five tropical cyclones developed over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea during July. Typhoon Kelly crossed the central Philippines on 1 July and caused severe flooding and landslips. About 200 Philippinos were killed, mostly near the Mayon volcano. Kelly passed over the southwest coast of Hainan and dissipated near Vientiane on 5 July. Severe Tropical Storm Lynn (8107) crossed Luzon on 4 July, killing 17 people and leaving more than 65 000 homeless. In Hong Kong, the only Gale or Storm Signals of the year were hoisted for 28 hours 45 minutes for Severe Tropical Storm Lynn which passed about 80 nautical miles to the southwest on 7 July. 32 people were injured mostly by falling objects. In western Guangdong, 5 people were killed and there was considerable damage. Severe Tropical Storm Maury (8108) hit Taibei on 19 July and brought about a death toll of 38. A tropical depression (8109) formed off east Taiwan and dissipated near Hangzhou on 24 July. Severe Tropical Storm Ogden (8110) passed Kyushu on 31 July. Ogden dissipated west of Korea on I August.
Nine tropical cyclones developed during August. Severe Tropical Storm Phyllis (8112) became extratropical after skirting Hokkaido on 5 August. Phyllis caused 7 deaths and left about 22 500 homeless in Japan. Tropical Storms Roy (8113) and Warren (8117) formed over the South China Sea. Roy weakened near Dongsha Dao on 7 August while Warren crossed Hainan and dissipated near Hanoi on 20 August. Typhoon Thad (8115) passed over Tokyo on 23 August and crossed Honshu killing 20 people and leaving 23 missing. Typhoon Agnes (81 I 8) Struck the Ryukyu Islands on 30 August and moved north into the Yellow Sea. Three other tropical cyclones moved away into the Pacific.
There were four tropical cyclones in September. Typhoon Agnes caused tremendous damage in Taiwan, Shanghai and South Korea. It brought the worst floods to the southern districts of Taiwan in the last 30 years. 32 people were killed or missing. In Shanghai, 14 people were killed or missing and about 300 junks capsized in the highest storm surge on record. Agnes passed close to South Korea on 3 September and brought a death toll of93 with 33 others missing.
Agnes also caused the highest storm surge there since 1949. Typhoon Clara (8 I 20) wrecked a Philippine Navy destroyer near Calayan, just north of Luzon, on 20 September leaving only 18 survivors out of a crew of 97. On 22 September Clara crossed the China coast near Shanwei causing the death of 62 people in south China. Typhoons Bill (8119) and Elsie (8122) became extratropical east of Hokkaido on 7 September and 3 October respectively.
Tropical Storm Fabian (8123) formed near the central Philippines on 12 October and landed over Vietnam two days later. Typhoon Gay (8124) recurved near Okinawa and passed near Tokyo on 22 October, bring heavy rain and flooding.
Four tropical cyclones developed during November. A tropical depression formed off the coast of Vietnam on 10 November but dissipated overland the next day. Typhoon Hazen (8125) crossed the central Philippines on 20 November without causing serious damage. Typhoon Irma (8126) crossed the Philippines near Manila on 24 November. About 200 people were killed, mostly in a storm surge in Camarines Sur province about 120 nautical miles southeast of Manila. More than 400 000 people were made homeless. Typhoon Irma and Tropical Storm Jeff (8127) both dissipated near the Ryukyu Islands.
Typhoons Kit (8128) and Lee (8129) developed during December. Typhoon Kit dissipated near Mindanao on 21 December, but Typhoon Lee crossed the central Philippines on 26 December leaving 137 people dead and 4 others missing. About 500 000 people were made homeless.