1978 Pacific typhoon season

1978 Pacific typhoon season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	January 6, 1978
Last system dissipated	December 19, 1978
Strongest storm
Name	Rita
• Maximum winds	220 km/h (140 mph) (10-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	880 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions	63
Total storms	30
Typhoons	16
Super typhoons	1 (unofficial)
Total fatalities	>371
Total damage	> $100 million (1978 USD)
Related articles
1978 Atlantic hurricane season 1978 Pacific hurricane season 1978 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
Pacific typhoon seasons 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980

The 1978 Pacific typhoon season was a very active season that produced 31 tropical storms, 16 typhoons and one intense typhoon. It ran year-round in 1978, 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. Tropical storms that formed in the basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center while systems that were active in the Philippine area of responsibility were assigned a name by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). This often results in the same storm having two names.

33 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 29 became tropical storms. 15 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 1 reached super typhoon strength. Many of the storms either remained at sea or failed to do any damage.

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	January 6 – January 13
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min); 970 hPa (mbar)

Nadine stayed at sea and was the first severe tropical storm of the season. It lived at least 1 week.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 2 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	April 15 – April 26
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min); 955 hPa (mbar)

On 12:00 UTC on April 11, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began to monitor a surface circulation which had formed within the trough. Five days later, the JTWC issued their first warning on the system as it began coalescing.^[1] On April 18, the system entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, resulting in PAGASA naming the system Atang.^[2] Later that day, the system intensified into a tropical storm, resulting in it being named Olive.

Olive would steadily intensify after it entered the South China Sea on April 20, being in an environment with good outflow aloft and warm Sea surface temperatures, resulting in it intensifying into a typhoon on April 22. Olive would recurve due to a break in the subtropical ridge, peaking with sustained winds of 100 mph (160 km/h) the next day. It accelerated to the east-northeast, steadily weakening due to intruding cool and dry air, resulting in the system becoming extratropical early on April 26.^[1]

As Olive passed the Philippines, it would affect nearly 370,000 people in the nation, leaving 3,500 homeless.^[3][4] The MV Leyte, a lengthened ship of the Compania Maritima was caught in it, being wrecked in the southwestern portion of Sibuyan Island as she was on a Manila-Cebu voyage.^[5] The Hong Kong Observatory would hoist its Stand-By Signal No. 1 for Hong Kong on April 24 as Oliver was at its closest to the island.^[6]

Tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	June 13 – June 20
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 985 hPa (mbar)

Polly was the first of three weak June systems.

Tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	June 21 – June 24
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Rose was the second of three weak June systems.

Tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	June 26 – June 30
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 992 hPa (mbar)

Shirley hit Vietnam as a tropical storm.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	July 11 – July 23
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 965 hPa (mbar)

Trix did a loop.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	July 22 – August 2
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 975 hPa (mbar)

Virginia stayed largely at sea.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	July 22 – August 3
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 960 hPa (mbar)

Wendy ultimately hit Japan.

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	July 24 – July 30
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar)

Agnes formed on July 24, made a complete loop, and struck China on July 29 with winds of 55 mph after peaking at 65 mph.^[7] It dissipated the 30th. In Hong Kong Tropical Storm Agnes killed 3 people.^[8]

Tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 8 – August 12
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 985 hPa (mbar)

Bonnie hit Vietnam.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	August 10 – August 20
Peak intensity	140 km/h (85 mph) (10-min); 970 hPa (mbar)

Carmen affected South Korea.

Tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 10 – August 13
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 985 hPa (mbar)

Della landed in Taiwan and China.

Tropical depression (PAGASA)
Duration	August 13 – August 17
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 1000 hPa (mbar)

Only recognized by PAGASA.

Tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	August 14 – August 20
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 999 hPa (mbar)

13W was weak but hit Japan.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	August 18 – August 28
Peak intensity	120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min); 965 hPa (mbar)

Elaine struck the Northern Philippines and the Chinese province of Guangdong.

Very strong typhoon (JMA)
Category 3 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	August 25 – September 7
Peak intensity	165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min); 935 hPa (mbar)

Faye stayed at sea.

Tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 28 – August 31
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 992 hPa (mbar)

Gloria stayed at sea.

Tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 28 – September 1
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Hester stayed away from land.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	September 9 – September 15
Peak intensity	120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min); 970 hPa (mbar)

Irma, the eighth typhoon of the 1978 season, developed in the monsoon trough southeast of Taiwan.^[9] It made landfall in Honshu, Japan. With winds of up to 120 km/h, Typhoon Irma killed at least 6 people and made about 3,000 homeless. Four people were missing and about 100 were injured by floods and landslides in southwestern Japan.^[10] It destroyed or damaged 1,597 homes and left 6,266 homes flooded.^[11] Irma smashed windows, overturned cars, and capsized several fishing boats. Several athletes at the Japan-China Friendship Track and Field Meet in Kitakyushu were injured when a freak gust blew them ten feet in the air. A Liberian-registered tanker was swept from its moorings off the port of Kure and drifted for nearly 5 kilometers before running aground off a small island in the Inland Sea.^[10] Irma remained a typhoon for only 12 hours becoming the shortest-lived typhoon of the season.^[9]

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 2 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	September 9 – September 17
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min); 950 hPa (mbar)

Judy did not impact land.

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	September 20 – September 26
Peak intensity	95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Kit hit Vietnam and The Philippines.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	September 20 – October 2
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 965 hPa (mbar)

Lola hit China and the Philippines.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	September 29 – October 4
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 960 hPa (mbar)

Mamie recurved out to sea.

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	October 6 – October 16
Peak intensity	110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min); 975 hPa (mbar)

According to the official reports, 59 people died and more than 500,000 were in evacuation centers in the Philippines.^[12]

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 2 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	October 8 – October 15
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min); 940 hPa (mbar)

Ora brushed Taiwan.

Tropical depression (PAGASA)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	October 8 – October 12
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 999 hPa (mbar)

25W did not affect land.

Tropical depression (PAGASA)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	October 10 – October 16
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 1002 hPa (mbar)

26W followed 25W.

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 2 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	October 13 – October 22
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min); 955 hPa (mbar)

Phyllis recurved from Japan.

Violent typhoon (JMA)
Category 5 super typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	October 15 – October 29
Peak intensity	220 km/h (140 mph) (10-min); 880 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Depression 28 developed October 15. Three and a half days later, it strengthened into a tropical storm. Rita became a typhoon late on October 19. Rita reached Category 5 status on October 23, reaching a minimum central pressure of 878 millibars on October 25, only 8 milibars higher than Typhoon Tip's record set in 1979. After spending over three consecutive days at that intensity, Rita weakened to a Category 4 and smashed ashore on Luzon. Rita stayed a typhoon during its entire passage over the Philippines and emerged into the South China Sea as a minimal typhoon. Rita then decayed slowly and dissipated as a depression near the coast of Vietnam. The typhoon caused considerable damage and loss of life in the Philippines, though exact numbers are unknown.

Tropical storm (JMA)
Duration	October 30 – November 3
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min); 994 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Storm 27 was weak and short-lived.

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	October 31 – November 6
Peak intensity	110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min); 975 hPa (mbar)

A tropical depression developed on October 31. The depression was upgraded to a tropical storm on November 2. Tess continued to intensify and reached its peak intensity as a 70 mph (110 km/h) storm; just short of typhoon status. The storm became extratropical on November 7.

Tropical depression (PAGASA)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	November 15 – November 20
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 1002 hPa (mbar)

30W came close to land.

Violent typhoon (JMA)
Category 4 typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	November 16 – November 24
Peak intensity	195 km/h (120 mph) (10-min); 910 hPa (mbar)

Increased convective activity in the monsoon trough was first noticed on satellite data on November 14 about 690 mi (1,110 km) southeast of Truk. On November 16, the disturbance was upgraded to Tropical Depression 33. Based on an improved satellite signature, TD 33 was upgraded to Tropical Storm Viola at 1200 UTC November 17.^[7] Viola continued to intensify as the storm moved on a northwestward track.^[13] Late on November 19 reconnaissance aircraft confirmed that Viola's surface pressure had fallen to 977 mb; and, that an eye was beginning to form. Early on November 20, Viola was upgraded to a typhoon. Viola then started to rapidly intensify and reached peak intensity on November 21 with winds of 145 mph (233 km/h). Viola recurved away from Luzon on November 22.^[7] By the next day, the storm had already weakened to a category 1 and further weakened to a tropical storm. Viola dissipated on November 24.^[13]

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	November 25 – November 30
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar)

A tropical depression developed on November 25. It started to intensify while moving on a north-northwestward track. By November 28, it was upgraded to a tropical storm and was named Winnie. On the 29th, Winnie reached its peak intensity as severe tropical storm with (10-min) winds of 65 mph (105 km/h). Winnie became extratropical early on November 30.

Tropical depression (JMA)
Duration	December 13 – December 19
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 1004 hPa (mbar)

The last system of the season, Tropical Depression 63W (Garding) was named by PAGASA.

During the season 28 named tropical cyclones developed in the Western Pacific and were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, when it was determined that they had become tropical storms. These names were contributed to a revised list from late 1950. However the JTWC changed their naming scheme by the next year, now including both female and male names.

One name, Susan, developed over the Central Pacific and was named from this list. The storm never became a part of the West Pacific basin.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration uses its own naming scheme for tropical cyclones in their area of responsibility. PAGASA assigns names to tropical depressions that form within their area of responsibility and any tropical cyclone that might move into their area of responsibility. Should the list of names for a given year prove to be insufficient, names are taken from an auxiliary list, the first 6 of which are published each year before the season starts. Names not retired from this list will be used again in the 1982 season. This is the same list used for the 1974 season. PAGASA uses its own naming scheme that starts in the Filipino alphabet, with names of Filipino female names ending with "ng" (A, B, K, D, etc.). Names that were not assigned/going to use are marked in gray.

Due to extreme damages and death toll caused by Typhoon Rita (Kading), PAGASA retired the name Kading in its auxiliary list. The name replaced was Katring.

This table will list all the storms that developed in the northwestern Pacific Ocean west of the International Date Line and north of the equator during 1978. It will include their intensity, duration, name, areas affected, deaths, missing persons (in parentheses), and damage totals. Classification and intensity values will be based on estimations conducted by the JMA. All damage figures will be in 1978 USD. Damages and deaths from a storm will include when the storm was a precursor wave or an extratropical low.

• Pacific typhoon season
• 1978 Pacific hurricane season
• 1978 Atlantic hurricane season
• 1978 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
• Australian region cyclone seasons: 1977–78, 1978–79
• South Pacific cyclone seasons: 1977–78, 1978–79
• South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1977–78, 1978–79

• Japan Meteorological Agency
• Joint Typhoon Warning Center Archived 2010-03-01 at the Wayback Machine.
• 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