Typhoon Kate (1970)
Encyclopedia
Super Typhoon Kate was the second of two super typhoons to strike the Philippines
within a week in October 1970, the first being Super Typhoon Joan
. As a result, Kate produced heavy damage and over 631 casualties. At the time, Kate was the deadliest typhoon to strike the Philippines.
(JTWC) on October 7, 1970, and by the Japan Meteorological Agency
on October 9, 1970 as a tropical disturbance near the Marshall Islands
. The system tracked in a general westward direction and relocated itself further south during this period in response to Typhoon Joan
wake to the northwest. By October 13, convection
sharply increased as the system entered a region of strong diffluence. The following day, the disturbance featured a marked increase in organization as thunderstorms continued to consolidate around the center of circulation. During the afternoon of October 15, reconnaissance aircraft reached the storm and reported that it was already nearing typhoon status. Sustained winds were measured at 110 km/h (70 mph) along with a barometric pressure of 986 mbar
(hPa
; 29.12 inHg). At this time cyclone storm was classified as Tropical Storm Kate, the 18th named storm
of the 1970 season
. Additionally, the storm had begun developing an eyewall
, an indication that the system was likely to intensify further. Over the following three days, the storm continued its westward track while gaining strength.
Throughout the day on October 16, Kate underwent a period of rapid intensification
. During this time, sustained winds increased from 140 km/h (85 km/h) to 215 km/h (135 mph), ranking Kate as a Category 4 hurricane on the modern day Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. Early on October 17, reconnaissance planes flown into the typhoon measured the eye
to be 18.5 km (11.5 mi) in diameter. Although winds were still increasing, the lowest pressure recorded in relation to Kate was measured at this time at 938 mbar (hPa; 27.7 inHg). As the typhoon neared the southeastern Philippine
island of Mindanao
on October 18, it further intensified. Just before making landfall
roughly 45 km (30 mi) south of Davao City
in the Davao Region
, Kate attained its peak winds of 240 km/h (150 mph), classifying it as a super typhoon according to the JTWC, at the same time, JMA assessed that Kate had reached 10-minute sustained winds of 210 kph (130 mph)and a minimum central pressure of 940 mb (inHg). As the storm moved over land, the eye abruptly shrank to 7.4 km (4.6 mi) in diameter but this feature dissipated hours later.
Due to the interaction with the mountainous terrain of the Philippines, Kate quickly weakened as it moved northwestward across the archipelago. By October 19, the system had weakened to a tropical storm, less than 24 hours after attaining its peak winds. Despite the notable weakening, the structure of the storm remained relatively intact as it moved over the Sulu Sea
. Throughout the day, the system briefly sped up before rapidly slowing near the South China Sea
. On October 20, decreased interaction with land allowed Kate to re-attain typhoon status just before passing over Busuanga Island
. Continuing its northwest track, the typhoon slowly intensified and redeveloped a 37 mi (23 mi) wide eye. Late on October 21, the JTWC assessed the storm to have re-attained Category 4 intensity; however, JMA indicated that sustained winds did not exceed 195 km/h (125 mph). The following day, a ridge
to the north of Kate prevented the system from tracking further north and prompted a west-southwestward track.
Gradual weakening took place over the following several days as Kate slowly neared the Indochina
coastline. By October 24, winds had decreased below 155 km/h (100 mph) and the eye became asymmetrical and partially open in the northeast quadrant. On October 25, the typhoon further weakened to a tropical storm just off the coast of Vietnam
. Later that day, the system made its final landfall near Da Nang, Vietnam
with winds of 100 km/h (65 mph). Rapid weakening ensued as Kate moved over the high terrain of southwest Asia, with the storm degrading to a tropical depression within six hours of moving inland. The system dissipated within the next 24 hours as it moved over the plateau region of Cambodia
.
Both JTWC and JMA released their final advisories as Kate dissipated over Vietnam.
, over 5,000 houses and other such structures were damaged or destroyed by storm surge
, heavy rains and strong winds produced by Typhoon Kate. Damage from the storm was estimated at $50 million, making it one of the costliest typhoons on record at the time. A total of 631 people were confirmed to have been killed by the storm and 284 others were listed as missing. This ranked Kate as the deadliest typhoon to strike the Philippines at the time; however, it has since been surpassed by eighteen other storms. The previous deadliest typhoon was a storm in the 1960s which killed 200 people in Manila
. The large loss of life from the typhoon is believed to be related to the lack of tropical cyclone experience for residents in southern Mindanao.
Initial reports from the Red Cross indicated that at least 150 homes were destroyed within hours of Kate's landfall. Telecommunication was lost to much of the region as power lines were felled by high winds. Within a day of the storm's passage, the death toll had reached 13 with 29 others missing and was expected to increase.
as most tactical bombing missions were canceled. During the 24 hours in which the storm affected Vietnam, the United States launched 46 air bombings, the fewest in over two years. Although damage estimates and reports of deaths are scarce out of Vietnam
, floodwaters, considered the worst since 1964, affected an area nearly 140 square miles (362.6 km²) south of Da Nang
. Roughly 900 people were evacuated the first day after Kate by Marine Aircraft Group 16
, and over 9,000 South Vietnam
ese were rescued by the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
, in Vietnam to fight the Vietnam War
.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
within a week in October 1970, the first being Super Typhoon Joan
Typhoon Joan (1970)
Super Typhoon Joan was the first of two super typhoons to strike the Philippines within a week in October 1970, the second being Super Typhoon Kate...
. As a result, Kate produced heavy damage and over 631 casualties. At the time, Kate was the deadliest typhoon to strike the Philippines.
Meteorological history
Super Typhoon Kate was first identified by the Joint Typhoon Warning CenterJoint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
(JTWC) on October 7, 1970, and by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Japan Meteorological Agency
The or JMA, is the Japanese government's weather service. Charged with gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan, it is a semi-autonomous part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport...
on October 9, 1970 as a tropical disturbance near 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...
. The system tracked in a general westward direction and relocated itself further south during this period in response to Typhoon Joan
Typhoon Joan (1970)
Super Typhoon Joan was the first of two super typhoons to strike the Philippines within a week in October 1970, the second being Super Typhoon Kate...
wake to the northwest. By October 13, convection
Atmospheric convection
Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference, layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the height of the planetary boundary layer leads to...
sharply increased as the system entered a region of strong diffluence. The following day, the disturbance featured a marked increase in organization as thunderstorms continued to consolidate around the center of circulation. During the afternoon of October 15, reconnaissance aircraft reached the storm and reported that it was already nearing typhoon status. Sustained winds were measured at 110 km/h (70 mph) along with a barometric pressure of 986 mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
(hPa
Pascal (unit)
The pascal is the SI derived unit of pressure, internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus and tensile strength, named after the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. It is a measure of force per unit area, defined as one newton per square metre...
; 29.12 inHg). At this time cyclone storm was classified as Tropical Storm Kate, the 18th named storm
Tropical cyclone naming
Tropical cyclones have officially been named since 1945 and are named for a variety of reasons, which include to facilitate communications between forecasters and the public when forecasts, watches, and warnings are issued. Names also reduce confusion about what storm is being described, as more...
of the 1970 season
1970 Pacific typhoon season
The 1970 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1970, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December...
. Additionally, the storm had begun developing an eyewall
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
, an indication that the system was likely to intensify further. Over the following three days, the storm continued its westward track while gaining strength.
Throughout the day on October 16, Kate underwent a period of rapid intensification
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
. During this time, sustained winds increased from 140 km/h (85 km/h) to 215 km/h (135 mph), ranking Kate as a Category 4 hurricane on the modern day Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. Early on October 17, reconnaissance planes flown into the typhoon measured the eye
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
to be 18.5 km (11.5 mi) in diameter. Although winds were still increasing, the lowest pressure recorded in relation to Kate was measured at this time at 938 mbar (hPa; 27.7 inHg). As the typhoon neared the southeastern Philippine
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
island of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
on October 18, it further intensified. Just before making landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
roughly 45 km (30 mi) south of Davao City
Davao City
The City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
in the Davao Region
Davao Region
Davao Region / Southern Mindanao, designated as Region XI, is one of the regions of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. Davao Region consists of four provinces, namely: Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao del Sur. The region encloses the Davao...
, Kate attained its peak winds of 240 km/h (150 mph), classifying it as a super typhoon according to the JTWC, at the same time, JMA assessed that Kate had reached 10-minute sustained winds of 210 kph (130 mph)and a minimum central pressure of 940 mb (inHg). As the storm moved over land, the eye abruptly shrank to 7.4 km (4.6 mi) in diameter but this feature dissipated hours later.
Due to the interaction with the mountainous terrain of the Philippines, Kate quickly weakened as it moved northwestward across the archipelago. By October 19, the system had weakened to a tropical storm, less than 24 hours after attaining its peak winds. Despite the notable weakening, the structure of the storm remained relatively intact as it moved over the Sulu Sea
Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.Sulu Sea contains a number of...
. Throughout the day, the system briefly sped up before rapidly slowing near the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. On October 20, decreased interaction with land allowed Kate to re-attain typhoon status just before passing over Busuanga Island
Busuanga Island
Busuanga Island is the largest island in the Calamian Group in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. Busuanga Island is, in fact, the second largest island in the province after Palawan island itself. The island is located halfway between the islands of Mindoro and Palawan with the South...
. Continuing its northwest track, the typhoon slowly intensified and redeveloped a 37 mi (23 mi) wide eye. Late on October 21, the JTWC assessed the storm to have re-attained Category 4 intensity; however, JMA indicated that sustained winds did not exceed 195 km/h (125 mph). The following day, a ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
to the north of Kate prevented the system from tracking further north and prompted a west-southwestward track.
Gradual weakening took place over the following several days as Kate slowly neared the Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
coastline. By October 24, winds had decreased below 155 km/h (100 mph) and the eye became asymmetrical and partially open in the northeast quadrant. On October 25, the typhoon further weakened to a tropical storm just off the coast of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Later that day, the system made its final landfall near Da Nang, Vietnam
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
with winds of 100 km/h (65 mph). Rapid weakening ensued as Kate moved over the high terrain of southwest Asia, with the storm degrading to a tropical depression within six hours of moving inland. The system dissipated within the next 24 hours as it moved over the plateau region of Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.
Both JTWC and JMA released their final advisories as Kate dissipated over Vietnam.
Philippines
In southern MindanaoMindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, over 5,000 houses and other such structures were damaged or destroyed by storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
, heavy rains and strong winds produced by Typhoon Kate. Damage from the storm was estimated at $50 million, making it one of the costliest typhoons on record at the time. A total of 631 people were confirmed to have been killed by the storm and 284 others were listed as missing. This ranked Kate as the deadliest typhoon to strike the Philippines at the time; however, it has since been surpassed by eighteen other storms. The previous deadliest typhoon was a storm in the 1960s which killed 200 people in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. The large loss of life from the typhoon is believed to be related to the lack of tropical cyclone experience for residents in southern Mindanao.
Initial reports from the Red Cross indicated that at least 150 homes were destroyed within hours of Kate's landfall. Telecommunication was lost to much of the region as power lines were felled by high winds. Within a day of the storm's passage, the death toll had reached 13 with 29 others missing and was expected to increase.
Vietnam
Due to the threat of the typhoon, United States military officials prompted the evacuation of a military hospital near Da Nang and the relocation of aircraft. The level of fighting during Kate's passage was regarded as one of the lowest during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
as most tactical bombing missions were canceled. During the 24 hours in which the storm affected Vietnam, the United States launched 46 air bombings, the fewest in over two years. Although damage estimates and reports of deaths are scarce out of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, floodwaters, considered the worst since 1964, affected an area nearly 140 square miles (362.6 km²) south of Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
. Roughly 900 people were evacuated the first day after Kate by Marine Aircraft Group 16
Marine Aircraft Group 16
Marine Aircraft Group 16 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of one CH-46 Sea Knight squadron, four V-22 Osprey squadrons, four CH-53 Super Stallion squadrons, one Personnel Support Detachment and a maintenance and...
, and over 9,000 South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
ese were rescued by the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan...
, in Vietnam to fight the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
See also
- Tropical cycloneTropical cycloneA 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...
- List of tropical cyclones
- 1970 Pacific typhoon season1970 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 1970 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1970, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December...