:Typhoon Tip

{{Storm path|Tip 1979 Path.png|colors=new|alt=Satellite image of the path of the typhoon. It starts in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines, arcs through Japan, and ends near the Aleutian Islands.}}

At the end of September 1979, three circulations developed within the monsoon trough that extended from the Philippines to the Marshall Islands. The westernmost disturbance developed into a tropical depression on October 1, to the west of Luzon, which would later become Typhoon Sarah on October 7.{{cite web|url=http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/atcr/1979atcr/pdf/1979.html|title=1979 ATCR TABLE OF CONTENTS|author=|publisher=Joint Typhoon Warning Center|location=Pearl Harbor, Hawaii|date=1978|access-date=2021-05-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606235012/http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/atcr/1979atcr/pdf/1979.html |archive-date=2011-06-06 |url-status=dead}} On October 3, the disturbance southwest of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Roger, and later on the same day, a third tropical disturbance that would later become Typhoon Tip formed south of Pohnpei. Strong flow from across the equator was drawn into Roger's wind circulation, initially preventing significant development of the precursor disturbance to Tip. Despite the unfavorable air pattern, the tropical disturbance gradually organized as it moved westward. Due to the large-scale circulation pattern of Tropical Storm Roger, Tip's precursor moved erratically and slowly executed a cyclonic loop to the southeast of Chuuk. A reconnaissance aircraft flight into the system late on October 4 confirmed the existence of a closed low-level circulation, and early on October 5, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued its first warning on Tropical Depression Twenty-Three-W.

File:Tip 1979-10-19 0510Z.jpg

While executing another loop near Chuuk, the tropical depression intensified into Tropical Storm Tip, though the storm failed to organize significantly due to the influence of Tropical Storm Roger. Reconnaissance aircraft provided the track of the surface circulation, since satellite imagery estimated the center was about {{convert|60|km|mi|abbr=on}} from its true position. After drifting erratically for several days, Tip began a steady northwest motion on October 8. By that time, Tropical Storm Roger had become an extratropical cyclone, resulting in the southerly flow to be entrained into Tip. An area of a tropical upper tropospheric trough moved north of Guam at the time, providing an excellent outflow channel north of Tip. Initially, Tip was predicted to continue northwestward and make landfall on Guam, though instead, it turned to the west early on October 9, passing about {{convert|45|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Guam. Later that day, Tip intensified to attain typhoon status.

Owing to very favorable conditions for development, Typhoon Tip rapidly intensified over the open waters of the western Pacific Ocean. Late on October 10, Tip attained wind speeds equal to Category 4 strength on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale (SSHS), and it became a super typhoon on the next day. The central pressure dropped by {{convert|92|hPa|inHg|sigfig=3|lk=in|abbr=on}} from October 9 to 11, during which the circulation pattern of Typhoon Tip expanded to a record diameter of {{convert|2220|km|mi|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}. Tip continued to intensify further, becoming a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon, and early on October 12, reconnaissance aircraft recorded a worldwide record-low pressure of {{convert|870|mbar|hPa inHg|sigfig=4|abbr=on}} with 1-minute sustained winds of {{convert|305|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}}, when Tip was located about {{convert|840|km|mi|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} west-northwest of Guam. In its best track, the Japan Meteorological Agency listed Tip as peaking with 10-minute sustained winds of {{convert|160|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|author=Japan Meteorological Agency|date=2010-01-12|title=Best Track for Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclones|access-date=2010-01-12|format=TXT|url=http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/jma-center/rsmc-hp-pub-eg/Besttracks/bst_all.txt|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625032417/http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/jma-center/rsmc-hp-pub-eg/Besttracks/bst_all.txt|archive-date=2013-06-25}} At the time of its peak strength, its eye was {{convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide. Tip crossed the 135th meridian east on the afternoon of October 13, prompting the PAGASA to issue warnings on Typhoon Tip, assigning it the local name Warling.{{cite web|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/science/the-speediest-and-deadliest-cyclones-in-the-world/1990951/|title=The speediest and deadliest cyclones in the world|author=|publisher=Financial Express|date=14 June 2020|access-date=2 May 2021}}

After peaking in intensity, Tip weakened to {{convert|230|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} and remained at that intensity for several days, as it continued west-northwestward. For five days after its peak strength, the average radius of winds stronger than {{convert|55|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} extended over {{convert|1100|km|mi|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}. On October 17, Tip began to weaken steadily and decrease in size, recurving northeastward under the influence of a mid-level trough the next day. After passing about {{convert|65|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of Okinawa, the typhoon accelerated to {{convert|75|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}}. Tip made landfall on the Japanese island of Honshū with winds of about {{convert|130|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} on October 19. It continued rapidly northeastward through the country and became an extratropical cyclone over northern Honshū a few hours after moving ashore. The extratropical remnant of Tip proceeded east-northeastward and gradually weakened, crossing the International Date Line on October 22. The storm was last observed near the Aleutian Islands of Alaska on October 24.

{{Most intense tropical cyclones|align=right}}

The typhoon produced heavy rainfall early in its lifetime while passing near Guam, including a total of {{convert|231|mm|in|abbr=on}} at Andersen Air Force Base. Gusts of {{convert|125|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}} were measured during October 9 at the Naval Base Guam, as the center of the storm was positioned {{convert|70|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Agana. Tip caused a total loss of nearly US$1.6 million (1979 USD, US$6.93 million in 2024) across Guam.{{cite report|title=Tropical Cyclones Affecting Guam (1671-1990)|publisher=Joint Typhoon Warning Center|access-date=April 30, 2023|archive-date=February 11, 2017|url=https://www.weather.gov/media/gum/Tropical%20Cyclones%20Affecting%20Guam%20(1671-1990).pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211102603/https://www.weather.gov/media/gum/Tropical%20Cyclones%20Affecting%20Guam%20(1671-1990).pdf|url-status=live}} The outer rainbands of the large circulation of Tip produced moderate rainfall in the mountainous regions of the Philippine islands of Luzon and Visayas.{{cite journal|author1=Debi Iacovelli|author2=Tim Vasquez|editor=Marthin S. Baron|date=August 1998|title=Super Typhoon Tip: Shattering all records|volume=42|issue=2|pages=4–8|journal=Mariners Weather Log|issn=0025-3367|access-date=2007-01-25|url=http://www.vos.noaa.gov/MWL/aug1998.pdf|publisher=Voluntary Observing Ship Project|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131124095400/http://www.vos.noaa.gov/MWL/aug1998.pdf|archive-date=2013-11-24|url-status=live}}

Heavy rainfall from the typhoon breached a flood-retaining wall at Camp Fuji, a training facility for the United States Marine Corps near Yokosuka. Marines inside the camp weathered the storm inside huts situated at the base of a hill which housed a fuel farm. The breach led to hoses being dislodged from two rubber storage bladders, releasing large quantities of fuel. The fuel flowed down the hill and was ignited by a heater used to warm one of the huts.{{cite news|title=Second U.S. Marine Dies In Typhoon-Caused Fire|date=1979-10-20|newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{cite news|title=Marine Killed in Japanese Typhooe [sic]|date=1979-10-20|newspaper=The Washington Post}} The resultant fire killed 13 Marines, injured 68, and caused moderate damage to the facility. The facility's barracks were destroyed,{{cite web|work=U.S. Naval Construction Force|year=2004|title=History of the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FOUR|access-date=2007-01-25|url=http://www.seabee.navy.mil/index.cfm/8476|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070205200106/http://www.seabee.navy.mil/index.cfm/8476 |archive-date =2007-02-05|url-status=dead}} along with fifteen huts and several other structures.{{cite web|date=2006-08-03|title=Camp Fuji Fire Memorial|work=United States Marine Corps|access-date=2007-01-25|url=http://www.fuji.usmc.mil/about/fire.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080225121316/http://www.fuji.usmc.mil/about/fire.html|archive-date = February 25, 2008|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=1 Marine Killed as Typhoon Hits Facility in Japan|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1MZUAAAAIBAJ&pg=1072,5833167&dq=typhoon+japan&hl=en|newspaper=Palm Beach Post|date=1979-10-20}}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The barracks were rebuilt, and a memorial was established for those who lost their lives in the fire.

During recurvature, Typhoon Tip passed about {{convert|65|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of Okinawa. Sustained winds reached {{convert|72|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, with gusts to {{convert|112|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}. Sustained wind velocities in Japan are not known, though they were estimated at minimal typhoon strength. The passage of the typhoon through the region resulted in millions of dollars in damage to the agricultural and fishing industries of the country. Eight ships were grounded or sunk by Tip, leaving 44 fishermen dead or unaccounted for. A Chinese freighter broke in half as a result of the typhoon, though its crew of 46 were rescued. The rainfall led to over 600 mudslides throughout the mountainous regions of Japan and flooded more than 22,000 homes; 42 people died throughout the country, with another 71 missing and 283 injured. River embankments broke in 70 places, destroying 27 bridges, while about 105 dikes were destroyed. Following the storm, at least 11,000 people were left homeless. Tip destroyed apple, rice, peach and other crops. Five ships sank in heavy seas off the coast and 50-story buildings swayed in the capital, Tokyo.{{cite news|agency=Reuters|title=25 are killed as Typhoon Tip crosses Japan|date=1979-10-20|newspaper=The Globe and Mail}}{{cite news|title=International News|date=1979-10-19|agency=Associated Press}} Transportation in the country was disrupted; 200 trains and 160 domestic flights were canceled.{{cite news|title=International News|date=1979-10-18|agency=Associated Press}} In total, damages associated with Tip in Japan were estimated as {{¥|105.7|link=yes}} billion (US$482.34 million in 1979 USD, US$2.09 billion in 2024).{{cite web|title=Digital Typhoon: Typhoon 197920 (TIP) - Disaster Information|url=http://agora.ex.nii.ac.jp/cgi-bin/dt/dsummary.pl?id=197920&basin=wnp&lang=en|work=Digital Typhoon Disaster Database|publisher=National Institute of Informatics|accessdate=April 30, 2023}} Tip was described as the most severe storm to strike Japan in 13 years.{{cite news|title=International News|date=1979-10-22|agency=Associated Press}}

File:Typhoonsizes.svg (one of the smallest tropical cyclones ever recorded) superimposed on a map of the United States.]]

Typhoon Tip was the largest tropical cyclone on record, with a diameter of {{convert|1380|mi|km|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}—almost double the previous record of {{convert|700|mi|km|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} in diameter set by Typhoon Marge in August 1951.{{cite web|author=National Weather Service Southern Region Headquarters|work=JetStream - Online School for Weather: Tropical Weather|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|title=Tropical Cyclone Structure|date=2010-01-05|access-date=2008-12-28|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tropics/tc_structure.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207193757/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tropics/tc_structure.htm|archive-date=2013-12-07|url-status=live}}{{cite book|author=Bryan Norcross|title=Hurricane Almanac: The Essential Guide to Storms Past, Present, and Future|year=2007|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-0-312-37152-4|page=76|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T1NZpiI_3XgC|access-date=2016-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150322143054/http://books.google.com/books?id=T1NZpiI_3XgC&dq|archive-date=2015-03-22|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Rare Category 5 hurricane is history in the making |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2005/09/rare-category-5-hurricane-history-making |date=2005-09-22 |newspaper=The Virginia Pilot |access-date=2011-12-31 |author=Steve Stone |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120133516/http://hamptonroads.com/2005/09/rare-category-5-hurricane-history-making |archive-date=2012-01-20 }} At its largest, Tip was nearly half the size of the contiguous United States.{{cite web|author=M. Ragheb |title=Natural Disasters and Man made Accidents |date=2011-09-25 |publisher=University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |access-date=2011-12-31 |url=https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mragheb/www/NPRE%20457%20CSE%20462%20Safety%20Analysis%20of%20Nuclear%20Reactor%20Systems/Natural%20Disasters%20and%20Man%20made%20Accidents.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326090251/https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mragheb/www/NPRE%20457%20CSE%20462%20Safety%20Analysis%20of%20Nuclear%20Reactor%20Systems/Natural%20Disasters%20and%20Man%20made%20Accidents.pdf |archive-date=2009-03-26 }} The temperature inside the eye of Typhoon Tip at peak intensity was {{convert|30|°C|°F|lk=on}} and described as exceptionally high. With 10-minute sustained winds of {{convert|160|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, Typhoon Tip is the strongest cyclone in the complete tropical cyclone listing by the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The typhoon was also the most intense tropical cyclone on record, with a pressure of {{convert|870|mbar|inHg|sigfig=4|abbr=on}}, {{convert|5|mbar|inHg|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} lower than the previous record set by Super Typhoon June in 1975.{{cite book|author=Jay Barnes|title=Florida's Hurricane History|publisher=Chapel Hill Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-8078-3068-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican00barn/page/n30 15]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican00barn}}{{cite web|author=National Weather Service |title=Super Typhoon Tip |year=2005 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=2014-06-23 |url=http://www.metar.no/jetstream/tropics/tip.htm |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724181347/http://www.metar.no/jetstream/tropics/tip.htm |archive-date=July 24, 2011 }} The records set by Tip still technically stand, though with the end of routine reconnaissance aircraft flights in the western Pacific Ocean in August 1987, modern researchers have questioned whether Tip indeed remains the strongest. After a detailed study, three researchers determined that two typhoons, Angela in 1995 and Gay in 1992, registered higher Dvorak numbers than Tip, and concluded that one or both of the two may have therefore been more intense.{{cite conference|author1=Karl Hoarau|author2=Gary Padgett|author3=Jean-Paul Hoarau|year=2004|title=Have there been any typhoons stronger than Super Typhoon Tip?|publisher=American Meteorological Society|access-date=2011-12-05|url=http://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/75465.pdf|conference=26th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology|conference-url=http://ams.confex.com/ams/26HURR/techprogram/programexpanded_212.htm|location=Miami, Florida|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109011830/https://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/75465.pdf|archive-date=2013-11-09|url-status=live}} Other recent storms may have also been more intense than Tip at its peak; for instance, satellite-derived intensity estimates for Typhoon Haiyan of 2013 indicated that its core pressure may have been as low as {{convert|858|mbar|inHg|sigfig=4|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|author=Satellite Services Division|year=2013|publisher=National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service|title=Typhoon 31W|access-date=June 23, 2014|url=http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/2013/tdata/wpac/31W.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111235534/http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/2013/tdata/wpac/31W.html|archive-date=November 11, 2013|url-status=live}} Due to the dearth of direct observations and Hurricane hunters into these cyclones, conclusive data is lacking. In October 2015, Hurricane Patricia reached an estimated peak intensity of {{convert|872|mbar|inHg}}, with maximum 1-minute sustained winds of {{convert|345|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}}, making Patricia the second-most intense tropical cyclone recorded worldwide. However, the NHC noted in their report on the cyclone that Patricia may have surpassed Tip at the time of its peak intensity, as it was undergoing rapid intensification; however, due to the lack of direct aircraft observations at the time of the storm's peak, this possibility cannot be determined.{{cite report|author1=Todd B. Kimberlain |author2=Eric S. Blake |author3=John P. Cangialosi |publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=February 1, 2016|access-date=February 4, 2016|title=Hurricane Patricia|series=Tropical Cyclone Report|url={{NHC TCR url|id=EP202015_Patricia}}|format=PDF|location=Miami, Florida}}

Despite the typhoon's intensity and damage, the name Tip was not retired and was reused in 1983, 1986, and 1989. The name was discontinued from further use in 1989, when the JTWC changed their naming list.{{cite report|url=https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/atcr/1989atcr.pdf|title=1989 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report|author1=Robert J. Plante|author2=Charles P. Guard|work=Joint Typhoon Warning Center|location=Pearl Harbor, Hawaii|date=6 July 1990|access-date=2 May 2021}}

{{Portal|Tropical cyclones|Japan}}

• List of tropical cyclone records
• Other notable tropical cyclones that broke records:
• Cyclone Mahina (1899) – Possibly the most intense storm recorded in the Southern Hemisphere, with a peak low pressure of {{convert|880|hPa|inHg|sigfig=4|lk=on|abbr=on}}
• Typhoon Nancy (1961) - An extremely powerful typhoon that unofficially had the strongest winds ever recorded in a typhoon, with maximum 1-minute sustained winds at {{convert|215|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, tying Hurricane Patricia
• Tropical Storm Marco (2008) – The smallest tropical cyclone on record
• Hurricane Patricia (2015) – Second-most intense tropical cyclone, most intense ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere, with the highest maximum 1-minute sustained winds recorded in a tropical cyclone, at {{convert|215|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
• Cyclone Winston (2016) - Officially the most intense storm in the Southern Hemisphere, with peak low pressure of {{convert|884|hPa|inHg|sigfig=4|lk=on|abbr=on}}. Also became the most intense landfalling tropical cyclone on record, impacting with same pressure
• Typhoon Goni (2020) – A Category 5-equivalent super typhoon that became the strongest landfalling storm on record, with 1-minute sustained winds of {{convert|195|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
• Typhoon Haiyan (2013) - The deadliest Philippine typhoon in modern history
• Cyclone Freddy (2023) - The longest lasting tropical cyclone ever recorded.
• Other notable tropical cyclones that impacted Japan:
• Typhoon Vera (1959) - The strongest storm to ever impact Japan, with maximum sustained wind speeds of {{convert|160|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} upon landfall - Comparable to a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon
• Typhoon Wipha (2013) - Similar impacts and dissipation
• Typhoon Lan (2017) – Another very large and powerful typhoon
• Typhoon Jebi (2018) – A typhoon that took a slightly similar track path and struck Japan as a Category 2-equivalent typhoon; caused substantial damage, primarily in the Kansai region
• Typhoon Trami (2018) – A Category 5-equivalent super typhoon that affected the same general area
• Typhoon Hagibis (2019) – A typhoon that took almost similar track path, similar size, similar landfall date and struck Japan as a Category 2-equivalent typhoon; caused tremendous damage and marked the 40th anniversary of Tip
• Hypercane

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{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Typhoon Tip}}

{{Leading tropical cyclones}}

{{1979 Pacific typhoon season buttons}}

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Typhoon Tip

Typhoon Tip

Category:1979 Pacific typhoon season

Category:Typhoons in Guam

Category:Typhoons in Japan

Category:October 1979 in Asia