Tropical Depression Winnie

{{About|the 2004 system|the 1997 typhoon|Typhoon Winnie|other storms of the same name|List of storms named Winnie}}

{{Infobox weather event

| image = Winnie 2004-11-29 0520Z.jpg

| caption = Tropical Depression Winnie over the Philippines

| formed = November 29, 2004

| dissipated = November 30, 2004

}}{{Infobox weather event/JMA

| winds = 30

| pressure = 1000

}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects

| year = 2004

| fatalities = 1,593 total

| damage = 14600000

| areas = Philippines

}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer

| season = 2004 Pacific typhoon season

}}

Tropical Depression Winnie was a weak and short lived yet catastrophic tropical cyclone that killed nearly 1,600 people after triggering widespread flooding in the Philippines in late November 2004. It was the second deadliest tropical cyclone of 2004 worldwide, only surpassed by Hurricane Jeanne. A depression, which formed east of Samar, brought heavy rain to areas where it passed through, and affecting many areas, owing to Winnie’s large cloudiness.

Meteorological history

Tropical Depression Winnie was first identified by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration on November 27 as a tropical depression east of the Philippines. A poorly organized cyclone, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center briefly issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on November 29. Tracking west-northwestward, Winnie made landfall in southern Luzon.{{cite web|author=Gary Padgett|publisher=Typhoon 2000|accessdate=May 21, 2010|date=March 27, 2005|title=Monthly Tropical Weather Summary for November 2004|url=http://www.typhoon2000.ph/garyp_mgtcs/nov04sum.txt}} Upon moving over land, the depression attained its peak intensity with winds of 55 km/h (35 mph) and a barometric pressure of 1000 mbar (hPa; 29.53 inHg).{{cite web|author=Gary Padgett|publisher=Typhoon 2000|date=January 4, 2005|accessdate=May 21, 2010|title=Monthly Tropical Cyclone Tracks: November 2004|url=http://www.typhoon2000.ph/garyp_mgtcs/nov04tks.txt}} Once over land, the system began to weaken before entering the South China Sea. Once over water, Winnie turned northwest, moving along the western Luzon coastline throughout November 29. Early on the following day, advisories on the tropical depression ceased. Winnie was last noted off the northwestern coast of Luzon, later that day.

Impact

Although a weak tropical cyclone, Tropical Depression Winnie brought torrential rainfall to much of the Visayas and Luzon. Initial estimates stated that at least 300 people were killed by the storm. However, over time, it was discovered that at least 842 people perished and 751 others were missing, a total of 1,593 people.{{cite web|author=Agence France-Presse|publisher=ReliefWeb|date=December 10, 2004|accessdate=May 21, 2010|title=Philippine storms dead and missing toll nears 1,600|url=http://ocha-gwapps1.unog.ch/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MHII-67J8XZ?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TC-2004-000131-PHL|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707005551/http://ocha-gwapps1.unog.ch/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MHII-67J8XZ?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TC-2004-000131-PHL|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 7, 2011}} Damage from the depression was estimated at 678.7 million Philippine pesos (US$14.6 million).http://wb.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=167&Itemid=176&limit=1&limitstart=23{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}

Aftermath

Not long after Winnie devastated the central Philippines, the country was struck by another, more powerful tropical cyclone. Typhoon Nanmadol worsened the situation caused by Winnie and killed another 77 people.

Retirement

Due to the extreme death toll caused by the storm in the Philippines, the name Winnie was later retired. The name was replaced with Warren.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}