TCAR - Typhoon Committee

2.1 REPORT ON INDIVIDUAL
TROPICAL CYCLONES WHICH
AFFECTEDMEMBERS OF THE
TYPHOON COMMITTEE
2.1 Overview
This is a summary of the tropical cyclones that
developed over the western North Pacific and the
adjacent seas bounded by the Equator, 45 o N, 100 o E
and 180 o E. In 2009, a total number of 22 tropical
cyclones (TCs) with tropical storm (TS) intensity or
higher formed in the western North Pacific and the
South China Sea, of which 13 reached typhoon (TY)
intensity, 3 at severe tropical storm (STS) intensity
and 6 at tropical storm (TS) intensity. The total number
of tropical cyclones with tropical storm intensity or
higher is less than the 30 year average (1971 – 2000)
of 26.7.
There were no tropical cyclones developed over the
western North Pacific and South China Sea from
January to April. The first tropical cyclone for the year
2009 occurred in May with the formation of Kujira.
The most intense cyclone was Nida (0922) which had
an estimated wind of 213 km/h and a minimum sealevel
pressure of about 905 hPa when it was located
over the western North Pacific about 370 km west of
Guam. Typhoon Lupit (0920) was the tropical cyclone
with the longest life span in 2009 which lasted for
16.5 days.
In 2009, nine tropical cyclones made landfall over
coastal area of China, two crossed Taiwan, five
affected Japan, twelve affected the Philippines and
five made landfall over Vietnam.
KUJIRA (0901) formed as a tropical depression
off the south-eastern coast of Luzon on 1 May and
moved generally northeastwards. It intensified into a
tropical storm and then further intensified into a sever
tropical storm on 3 May. Keeping its northeastwards
track, it was upgraded into a typhoon the next day. It
weakened into a severe tropical storm on 7 May and
then a tropical storm on that afternoon. Kujira became
an extra-tropical cyclone to the east of Japan later.
CHAN-HOM (0902) formed as a tropical depression
over the central part of South China Sea on 2 May
and moved slowly northeastwards and intensified
TCAR
CHAPTER 2 - TROPICAL CYCLONES 2008
TROPICAL CYCLONES IN 2009
into a tropical storm on 3 May. Moving slowly
northwards, Chan-hom further intensified into a
severe tropical storm the next day. It turned to move
east-northeastwards on 6 May and was upgraded
into a typhoon. Chan-hom crossed Luzon Island soon
after being downgraded into a sever tropical storm.
It weakened into a tropical storm and further into a
tropical depression over the sea east of the Philippines
on 9 May, then turned to move to the north. Keeping
its northerly track, it dissipated south of Okinawa on
13 May.
LINFA (0903) formed as a tropical depression over
the northern part of South China Sea on 17 June and
moved slowly. It intensified into a tropical storm the
next day. Moving northwards, Linfa intensified into
a severe tropical storm over the same waters on 19
June. While moving northeastwards along the coast
of southern China, it was weakening into a tropical
depression on 22 June. It further weakened into an
extra-tropical cyclone over the East China Sea on 23
June.
NANGKA(0904) formed as a tropical depression over
the sea east of the Philippines on 22 June. Moving
west-northwestwards, it intensified into a tropical
storm the next day. Nangka crossed the central
Philippines and entered the South China on 24 June.
Continuing its north-northwesterly trajectory, Nangka
made landfall over the coastal area east of Hong Kong
and weakened into a tropical depression on 26 June
and then dissipated later over southern China.
SOUDELOR (0905) formed as a tropical depression
off the northern coast of Luzon on 9 July and moved
west-northwestwards across the northern part of
South China Sea. It intensified into a tropical storm
on 11 July. Continuing to move west-northwestwards,
Soudelor crossed the northern tip of Leizhou
Peninsula and weakened into a tropical depression on
12 July. It made landfall over the coast of northern
Viet Nam and then dissipated the next day.
MOLAVE (0906) formed as a tropical depression
over the sea east of the Philippines on 15 July and
moved generally northwestwards. It intensified into
a tropical storm the next day. While crossing the
Luzon Strait on 17 July, it further intensified into a
severe tropical storm and then a typhoon. Keeping
its west-northwestwards track, it made landfall
over Shenzhen in the late hour on 18 July. Molave
2009
157