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Typhoon Bess (1982)
Encyclopedia
Typhoon Bess was the eleventh tropical storm, sixth typhoon, and first super typhoon of the 1982 Pacific typhoon season
. A powerful super typhoon
, Bess reached peak winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) over the open waters of the western Pacific Ocean
. The typhoon came near and struck southeastern Japan
in early August as a minimal category 1 typhoon, causing great damage and 59 casualties.
during the middle of July. Two areas of convection organized on the eastern end, and the easternmost developed into Tropical Depression Eleven-W over the Marshall Islands
late on July 21. The other area became Typhoon Andy. The tropical depression, initially disorganized with loosely organized cloud bands, moved to the northwest and, due to an increase of deep convection, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Bess on July 23.
Tropical Storm Bess continued to move to the west-northwest. In its formative stages, the storm's low-level center and mid-level circulation were not aligned, but when this problem was fixed on July 24 Bess quickly intensified into a typhoon. The westward building of the subtropical ridge forced the typhoon westward, and a passing shortwave trough resulted in Bess drifting to the southwest. After executing a 23 mile (37 km) wide loop, another short wave trough on July 27 allowed Bess to turn to the northwest and intensify. While moving to the northwest on July 28 and the 29th, Bess rapidly strengthened, and attained a peak intensity of 160 mph (260 km/h) 285 miles (460 km) to the southeast of Iwo Jima
.
A weakness in the subtropical ridge allowed the typhoon to turn to the north, where unfavorable conditions steadily weakened the typhoon. Bess accelerated to the north, and made landfall on southern Honshū
in Japan
as a minimal typhoon on August 1. It crossed the archipelago, became extratropical in the Sea of Japan
on August 2, and was absorbed by a larger low pressure center the next day.
, Typhoon Bess dropped torrential rainfall, setting off 1,557 landslides across the country. Damage was greatest in Honshū
where Bess made landfall. The extreme deluge flooded over 27,000 homes, leaving 25,000 homeless and 59 dead. On the Atsumi Peninsula
, human suffering was greatest, where nearly 300 acres (7.4 km²) were flooded. The flooding also washed out over 100 bridges, and Bess's powerful waves caused over 25 ships to be either run aground or destroyed.
because of this storm, and was replaced with Brenda in the 1985 season
.
1982 Pacific typhoon season
The 1982 Pacific typhoon season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1982. On average, most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the...
. A powerful super typhoon
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
, Bess reached peak winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) over the open waters of the western Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The typhoon came near and struck southeastern Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in early August as a minimal category 1 typhoon, causing great damage and 59 casualties.
Meteorological history
The monsoon trough extended across the Western Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
during the middle of July. Two areas of convection organized on the eastern end, and the easternmost developed into Tropical Depression Eleven-W over the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
late on July 21. The other area became Typhoon Andy. The tropical depression, initially disorganized with loosely organized cloud bands, moved to the northwest and, due to an increase of deep convection, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Bess on July 23.
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
.
A weakness in the subtropical ridge allowed the typhoon to turn to the north, where unfavorable conditions steadily weakened the typhoon. Bess accelerated to the north, and made landfall on southern Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as a minimal typhoon on August 1. It crossed the archipelago, became extratropical in the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
on August 2, and was absorbed by a larger low pressure center the next day.
Impact
While crossing over central JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Typhoon Bess dropped torrential rainfall, setting off 1,557 landslides across the country. Damage was greatest in Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
where Bess made landfall. The extreme deluge flooded over 27,000 homes, leaving 25,000 homeless and 59 dead. On the Atsumi Peninsula
Atsumi Peninsula
is a peninsula in southeastern Aichi Prefecture, central Honshū, Japan.Atsumi Peninsula is a narrow strip of land running approximately east-west, separating Mikawa Bay from the Philippine Sea to the south. It faces the Chita Peninsula southeast across Mikawa Bay. It has a width ranging from to...
, human suffering was greatest, where nearly 300 acres (7.4 km²) were flooded. The flooding also washed out over 100 bridges, and Bess's powerful waves caused over 25 ships to be either run aground or destroyed.
Retirement
The name Bess was retired after this season by the WMOWorld Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
because of this storm, and was replaced with Brenda in the 1985 season
1985 Pacific typhoon season
The 1985 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1985, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern...
.
