Tropical Storm Gil (1998)
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The 1998 Pacific typhoon season was the least active Pacific typhoon season on record, until it was surpassed 12 years later. It was also the third-latest starting Pacific typhoon season on record. The season produced 16 tropical storms, 8 strengthening into typhoons. The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the
International Date Line The International Date Line (IDL) is the line extending between the South and North Poles that is the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180.0° line of longitude and de ...
. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see
1998 Pacific hurricane season The 1998 Pacific hurricane season was a fairly average Pacific hurricane season. Despite this, it had nine hurricanes and six major hurricanes, which was well above average. The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific and on ...
. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west Pacific basin were assigned a name by the
Joint Typhoon Warning Center The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...
. Tropical depressions in this basin have the "W" suffix added to their number. Tropical depressions that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility are assigned a name by the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (, abbreviated as PAGASA , which means "hope" as in the Tagalog word ''pag-asa'') is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) agency of the P ...
or PAGASA. This can often result in the same storm having two names. The 1998 season was very weak compared to the 1997 season; this was due to the strong
El Niño EL, El or el may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * El, a character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit * Eleven (''Stranger Things'') (El), a fictional character in the TV series ''Stranger Things'' * El, fami ...
in the previous season. During the 1998 season, a total of 28 tropical depressions developed across the western Pacific basin. Of those 28 depressions, a total of 18 strengthened into tropical storms of which 9 further intensified into typhoons. The first
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
developed on May 28, marking the third latest start to any Pacific typhoon season on record, and the last one dissipated on December 22. The Philippine region also set a record: with only eleven storms forming or moving into its area of responsibility, PAGASA had its quietest season on record, later tying with the 2010 and 2023 seasons. Overall inactivity was caused by an unusually strong
La Niña LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music *La (musical note), or A, the sixth note *"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smit ...
, which also fueled a hyperactive
Atlantic hurricane season The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year, from June 1 through November 30, when Tropical cyclone, tropical or subtropical cyclones are most likely to form in the North Atlantic Ocean. These dates, adopted by convention ...
that year.


Systems

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Faith Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, inc ...
" from:09/12/1998 till:12/12/1998 color:TS text:"Gil" from:17/12/1998 till:19/12/1998 color:TD text:"26W" from:19/12/1998 till:22/12/1998 color:TD text:"27W" bar:Month width:5 align:center fontsize:S shift:(0,-20) anchor:middle color:canvas from:01/05/1998 till:01/06/1998 text:May from:01/06/1998 till:01/07/1998 text:June from:01/07/1998 till:01/08/1998 text:July from:01/08/1998 till:01/09/1998 text:August from:01/09/1998 till:01/10/1998 text:September from:01/10/1998 till:01/11/1998 text:October from:01/11/1998 till:01/12/1998 text:November from:01/12/1998 till:31/12/1998 text:December


Tropical Depression 01W (Akang)

The second
tropical depression A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
of the season developed out of a tropical disturbance which was first noted 1,080 km (670 mi) north-northwest of
Palau Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific Ocean. The Republic of Palau consists of approximately 340 islands and is the western part of the Caroline Islands ...
on July 6. The disturbance gradually became better organized and was classified as Tropical Depression 01W at 1500 
UTC Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communica ...
on July 7. Upon becoming a depression, it marked the latest start for a
Pacific typhoon A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
season since reliable records began in 1959. The next day, 01W entered the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (, abbreviated as PAGASA , which means "hope" as in the Tagalog word ''pag-asa'') is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) agency of the P ...
(PAGASA) area of responsibility and received the local name ''Akang''. Slowly moving towards the northwest, the depression neared
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
. However, increasing vertical
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
caused the
convection Convection is single or Multiphase flow, multiphase fluid flow that occurs Spontaneous process, spontaneously through the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoy ...
associated with the depression to become displaced from the center of circulation. With the center exposed, 01W weakened. At 2100 UTC on July 10, the depression made
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
in northern Taiwan and dissipated shortly after. No known damage was caused by the depression.


Tropical Storm Nichole

As 01W intensified over the
Philippine Sea The Philippine Sea is a List of seas#Marginal seas by ocean, marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean east of the list of islands of the Philippines, Philippine Archipelago (hence the name) and the List of seas#Largest seas ...
, a broad
area of low pressure In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclem ...
developed in the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
. The low slowly intensified as it moved towards the north-northeast and was declared Tropical Depression 02W early on July 8. Tropical Depression 02W slowly strengthened as northerly
outflow Outflow may refer to: *Capital outflow, the capital leaving a particular economy *Bipolar outflow, in astronomy, two continuous flows of gas from the poles of a star * Outflow (hydrology), the discharge of a lake or other reservoir system *Outflow ...
was constricted. By late on July 8, the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm and given the name ''Nichole''. The storm reached its peak intensity while just offshore southern Taiwan with winds of 95 km/h (60 mph 1-minute winds) according to the
Joint Typhoon Warning Center The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...
(JTWC) and 65 km/h (40 mph 10-minute winds) with a minimum pressure of 998 
hPa The pascal (symbol: Pa) is the unit of pressure in the International System of Units (SI). It is also used to quantify internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus, and ultimate tensile strength. The unit, named after Blaise Pascal, is an S ...
(
mbar The bar is a metric unit of pressure defined as 100,000  Pa (100 kPa), though not part of the International System of Units (SI). A pressure of 1 bar is slightly less than the current average atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea ...
) according to the
Japan Meteorological Agency The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA; ''気象庁, Kishō-chō'') is a division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism dedicated to the Scientific, scientific observation and research of natural phenomena. Headquartered ...
(JMA). The combination of dry air, strong wind shear, and the storm's proximity to land caused Nichole to quickly weaken to a tropical depression twelve hours after reaching its peak intensity. The exposed remnants of Nichole executed a clockwise-loop offshore Taiwan before traveling north into mainland China and dissipating. Rough seas produced by the storm caused four container ships to run aground in Taiwans' Kaohsiung Harbor, none of the crew members were injured. Heavy rains in Taiwan flooded an estimated of crops.


Tropical Depression 03W

Operationally considered to have only been a tropical depression, Tropical Storm 03W developed out of a tropical disturbance along the eastern edge of a monsoon gyre on July 22. Tracking in a gradual northwest to northeast curve, the disturbance gradually intensified and was classified as a tropical depression while located 790 km (490 mi) east-northeast of
Iwo Jima is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands, which lie south of the Bonin Islands and together with them make up the Ogasawara Subprefecture, Ogasawara Archipelago. Together with the Izu Islands, they make up Japan's Nanpō Islands. Although sout ...
on July 25. The depression briefly intensified into a tropical storm, with a peak intensity of 85 km/h (50 mph 1-minute winds) as convection wrapped around the entire center of circulation. However, strong wind shear quickly blew away the associated convection, causing 03W to weaken to a tropical depression. Early on July 26, 03W degenerated into an exposed low before dissipating.


Typhoon Otto (Bising)

The first typhoon of the season developed out of a tropical low from a mesoscale disturbance in early August. Persistent convection developed around the low and early on August 2, the JTWC began issuing advisories on Tropical Depression 04W. Storm signals were put in place in the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
prior to the storm's arrival on August 3. However, Otto turned away from the country and the signals were discontinued on August 5. Typhoon Otto produced heavy rains, amounting to at least 400 mm (15.7 in) in mountainous areas of Taiwan, caused flooding which killed five people. In all, damages in Taiwan amounted to NTD 25 million ($761,000 1998 USD). After traveling through the
Taiwan Strait The Taiwan Strait is a strait separating the island of Taiwan and the Asian continent. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. Names Former names of the Tai ...
, the typhoon struck China, producing heavy rainfall which caused flooding in areas suffering from the worst flood in at least 45 years. Officials reported no damage or loss of life resulted from the storm in
Fujian Province Fujian is a province in southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefecture city by population is Qua ...
.


Severe Tropical Storm Penny (Klaring)

A tropical disturbance formed on August 2 and strengthened into a tropical depression east of the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. As Penny strengthened into a tropical storm, it made landfall over
Northern Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
, on August 7, and drifted into the South China sea on the same day. Strong vertical wind shear on August 8 caused Penny's convection to be displaced to south of the storm, and even exposed the level circulation center for a few hours. Penny was only located 165 kilometers from
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
when it was at its closest distance to Hong Kong, and killed one person in Hong Kong. Penny soon made landfall over
Maoming Maoming, alternately romanized as Mowming, (Maoming Yue: ">ɐu22 mɪŋ21/nowiki>) is a prefecture-level city located in southwestern Guangdong province, China. Facing the South China Sea to the city's south, Maoming city borders Zhanjiang to ...
on August 11, and dissipated the next day.


Typhoon Rex (Deling)

An active Tropical Upper Tropospheric Trough allowed for the development of Tropical Depression 6W on August 22, east of
Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
. It moved westward initially, but as the trough weakened a ridge to the east, it moved northeastward where it became a tropical storm on the 23rd. Rex slowly intensified to become a typhoon on the 26th, followed by reaching a peak of winds on the 28th south of Japan. As it moved northward, it brought heavy flooding to
Honshū , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the seventh-largest island in the world, and the second-most populous after the Indonesian ...
, Japan, amounting to 13 deaths and moderate damage from mudslides across the island. Another trough pulled the storm eastward, saving Japan from a direct hit, and Rex continued northeastward to an unusually high latitude near 50°, when it became extratropical on the 9th near the
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands ( ; ; , "land of the Aleuts"; possibly from the Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', or "island")—also called the Aleut Islands, Aleutic Islands, or, before Alaska Purchase, 1867, the Catherine Archipelago—are a chain ...
, east of the
International Date Line The International Date Line (IDL) is the line extending between the South and North Poles that is the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180.0° line of longitude and de ...
. Due to heavy rains caused the
weather front A weather front is a boundary separating air masses for which several characteristics differ, such as air density, wind, temperature, and humidity. Disturbed and unstable weather due to these differences often arises along the boundary. For ins ...
and Rex, 25 people were killed, 486 houses were destroyed, 13,927 houses were inundated in Japan. In Tochigi and Fukushima prefectures, experienced particularly heavy rains, with daily precipitation exceeded 600mm in Nasu (August 27). Losses from the fishing industry were ¥4.26 million (US$33,000).


Tropical Depression 07W

On August 26, a monsoonal trough formed over central China and drifted south. On August 29, the trough spawned an embedded low over
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
, and strengthened into a tropical depression on September 1. Tropical Depression 07W fully dissipated on September 6 due to vertical wind shear.


Severe Tropical Storm Stella

In northern Japan, near
Wakkanai, Hokkaidō file:Wakkanai city office.JPG, 290px, Wakkanai City Hall file:Wakkanai shore.jpg, 290px, Shore of Wakkanai is a Cities of Japan, city located in Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Wakkanai is the capital of Sōya Subprefecture. Situated approx ...
, severe damage to many homes took place. One person in the region was killed after being blown off his roof while trying to repair it and twelve homes were destroyed. Several rivers overflowed their banks after rainfall exceeding fell across Hokkaidō. Throughout
Sōya Subprefecture is a subprefecture of Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Its population is estimated to be 77,500 as of July 31, 2004 and its area is . It is the northernmost subprefecture of Japan. Wakkanai Airport is located in Wakkanai. Rishiri Airport is locat ...
, agricultural and fishing industry losses amounted to 23.1 million yen (US$171,213). Severe flooding took place in nearby Abashiri Subprefecture where hundreds of homes were inundated after rivers broke their banks. Over of farmland was lost. Large sections of roadways were washed away, including 14 bridges. Total losses in Abashiri reached 25 million yen (US$185,296), much of which was due to fishing industry damage. Severe damage was sustained in
Iwamizawa, Hokkaidō is a city in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of Sorachi Subprefecture. As of July 31, 2023, the city had an estimated population of 75,949 and the density of 158 persons per km2. The total area is . On March 27, 2006, ...
after torrential rains triggered widespread flooding. One person was killed in the city and 29 buildings were destroyed. Agricultural losses in the area amounted to 14.9 million yen (US$110,436). Some of the worst floods were in
Obihiro is a Cities of Japan, city in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Obihiro is the only designated city in the Tokachi Subprefecture, Tokachi area. As of July 31, 2023, the city had an estimated population of 163,084. The next most populou ...
, where nearly 230 million yen (US$1.7 million) in agricultural losses was sustained. A third fatality from Stella took place in the area.


Tropical Depression 09W

Tropical Depression 09W formed in the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
on September 12, 1998. As the system tracked westward, it intensified and made landfall over
Hainan Island Hainan is an island province and the southernmost province of China. It consists of the eponymous Hainan Island and various smaller islands in the South China Sea under the province's administration. The name literally means "South of the Sea ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, and subsequently
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
. The storm brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to these regions, causing significant damage and disruption. Although 09W was a relatively short-lived system, its impact on the affected areas was notable, highlighting the potential dangers of even minor tropical cyclones.


Typhoon Todd (Emang)

The monsoon trough spawned a low pressure system late on September 14, which developed into Tropical Storm Todd shortly thereafter. Interaction with a trough provided excellent outflow for the system, which explosively intensified over the following day, with 1-minute winds increasing from 50 knots to 130 knots in a 24-hour period ending at 06z on September 17. However, the upper-level low that had been providing Todd with enhanced outflow soon began to shear it as it catapulted the storm northward and then westward, and by the time it had made landfall in China, Todd had weakened back into a tropical storm with 10-minute winds of 45 knots per the JMA. Todd dissipated inland over China on September 20. Seven people were killed by Todd in Kyushu. Damage in southern Japan amounted to 31.9 million yen (US$236,436).


Typhoon Vicki (Gading)

Vicki developed in the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
west of
Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
on September 17. Vicki moved east and crossed Luzon. After landfalling on Luzon, Vicki moved northeast and struck the
Kii Peninsula The is the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū in Japan and is located within the Kansai region. It is named after the ancient Kii Province. The peninsula has long been a sacred place in Buddhism, Shinto, and Shugendo, and many people wou ...
in Japan on September 22 before becoming extratropical. The storm caused the deaths of 108 people. Insurance claims nationwide in Japan reached ¥159.9 billion (US$1.22 billion).


Tropical Depression 12W

Tropical Depression 12W formed in the South China Sea on September 16, 1998. It moved west-northwestward and tracked along the coast of Vietnam. Despite its relatively weak intensity, the system brought heavy rainfall and gusty winds to coastal areas, potentially causing localized flooding and disruptions. While 12W did not develop into a stronger storm, its impact on the region underscores the importance of monitoring even minor tropical disturbances, as they can still lead to significant weather events.


Tropical Storm Waldo

Tropical Storm Waldo was a tropical cyclone that formed in the western North Pacific Ocean during the 1998 typhoon season. While it didn't reach typhoon strength, it still brought significant impacts to the areas it affected. Waldo formed on September 19, 1998, and moved westward across the Philippines. It brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to the country, leading to flooding, landslides, and other weather-related hazards. The storm caused damage to infrastructure and displaced thousands of people. Significant flooding caused widespread damage across the nation. Agricultural losses were at ¥10.3 billion (US$78.6 million).


Typhoon Yanni (Heling)

Typhoon Yanni (Heling) was a powerful tropical cyclone that struck East Asia in late September 1998. It caused widespread devastation, particularly in South Korea, leading to significant flooding, landslides, and property damage. The storm resulted in over 50 fatalities and caused ¥6 billion (US$45.8 million) in damage.


Tropical Depression 15W

Tropical Depression 15W formed in the South China Sea on October 2, 1998. Initially tracking northeastward, it later shifted its course to the northwest. The depression made landfall in Vietnam shortly before dissipating on October 5. While not a major storm, it still brought significant rainfall and potential flooding to the affected areas.


Tropical Depression 16W

Tropical Depression 16W formed east of Taiwan in early October 1998. Initially, it remained stationary due to weak steering currents. As it slowly moved northeastward, it reached a peak intensity of 30 knots (55 km/h). However, increasing vertical wind shear weakened the system, leading to its dissipation south of Okinawa. While 16W was a relatively short-lived and weak tropical cyclone, it still contributed to the overall activity of the 1998 Pacific typhoon season.


Tropical Depression 17W

Tropical Depression 17W formed in the Western Pacific Ocean during the 1969 Pacific typhoon season. It was a weak tropical cyclone that did not significantly impact any land areas. The depression formed in a region with unfavorable environmental conditions, such as strong vertical wind shear, which limited its development and intensity. As a result, it dissipated shortly after its formation, leaving minimal impact on the region.


Typhoon Zeb (Iliang)

The monsoon trough near
Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...
developed a tropical depression on October 7. It moved westward, strengthening to a tropical storm on the 10th. The large inflow of the storm developed another tropical storm on the 10th; Tropical Storm Alex. The two moved westward, and as Zeb strengthened to a typhoon on the 11th, it absorbed the short-lived Tropical Storm Alex. It continued west-northwestward, rapidly intensifying to a super typhoon on the 13th with an official minimum central pressure of 900 millibars and an unofficial minimum central pressure of 872 millibars, which would tie for the second lowest on record. Zeb maintained this intensity until hitting
Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
in the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
on the 14th. After weakening over the archipelago Zeb moved northward to hit
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
as a minimal typhoon on the 15th. It maintained this intensity until hitting Japan on the 17th, after which it became extratropical on the 18th. Zeb was responsible for 122 casualties in its path.


Tropical Storm Alex

On October 10, a small
area of low pressure In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclem ...
developed within the
outflow Outflow may refer to: *Capital outflow, the capital leaving a particular economy *Bipolar outflow, in astronomy, two continuous flows of gas from the poles of a star * Outflow (hydrology), the discharge of a lake or other reservoir system *Outflow ...
of Typhoon Zeb. The low maintained an area of deep
convection Convection is single or Multiphase flow, multiphase fluid flow that occurs Spontaneous process, spontaneously through the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoy ...
and quickly strengthened into a tropical storm. Operationally, the system was not classified as a tropical storm until 0600 UTC on October 11. Zeb then brought stronger wind shear over Alex, ultimately absorbing the short lived Alex. Alex reached the intensity of tropical storm with sustained winds of 45 knots over 1 minute according to the
Joint Typhoon Warning Center The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...


Typhoon Babs (Loleng)

A tropical disturbance in association with the TUTT (Tropical Upper Tropospheric Trough) formed into a tropical depression on October 11 near Guam. It moved westward under the influence of the Subtropical Ridge, and became a tropical storm on the 15th. Babs slowly intensified due to little upper level outflow, but when the outflow became more pronounced, it strengthened to a typhoon on the 19th and a super typhoon with a peak of winds on the 20th. Babs hit the central Philippines as a Category 4, and flooded an area just hit by another super typhoon, Zeb, only 7 days before. Babs weakened over the islands, and turned north where upper level shear caused it to dissipate on the 27th. Super Typhoon Babs caused heavy mudslides in the Philippines, resulting in more than 300 deaths and heavy flooding.


Tropical Storm Chip

A monsoonal low that persisted over the South China Sea began to coalesce on November 10, and on the following day, the system became organized enough to be classified as a depression, receiving the designation 21W by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Although the depression initially struggled due to vertical wind shear displacing convection to the west of the center, gradual improvement in structure led to the system being upgraded into a tropical storm early on November 12 and receiving the name Chip. Gradually organizing as it moved northwest slowly, Chip reached peak 1-minute winds of 50 knots and 10-minute sustained winds of 40 knots per the JTWC and JMA respectively shortly before its landfall in Vietnam early on November 14. Chip killed at least 17 people and caused VND 16.2 billion ($923,400 1998 USD) in Vietnam. The remnants of Chip regenerated into a tropical cyclone over the Bay of Bengal. Peaking as a strong Category 1 cyclone, it then was known as Cyclone 07B when its remnants cross
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
,
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
, and
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
. The system made landfall in
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
, killing 100 people.


Tropical Storm Dawn

Though a weak tropical storm, torrential rains from Dawn triggered catastrophic flooding in Vietnam, killing at least 187 people. Regarded as the worst cyclone to hit the region in three decades, 500,000 homes flooded, an additional 7,000 were destroyed and an estimated 2 million people were left homeless. Damage was estimated at VND 400 billion (US$28 million).


Tropical Storm Elvis (Miding)

Tropical Storm Elvis, also known as Miding, formed in the western Pacific Ocean during the 1998 typhoon season. It developed into a tropical storm on November 22 and made landfall in Vietnam on November 24. Despite its relatively short lifespan, Elvis caused significant damage and loss of life in Vietnam. The storm brought heavy rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges to the coastal regions of Vietnam, resulting in widespread flooding and landslides. The storm claimed the lives of at least 49 people and caused millions of dollars in damage to infrastructure and agriculture. Elvis killed 49 people and caused $30 million in damages in Vietnam.


Typhoon Faith (Norming)

Tropical Storm Faith moved westward across the northwestern Pacific. It strengthened to a typhoon just as it crossed over the Philippines, an area hit by several typhoons this season. After reaching a peak of winds over the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
, Faith weakened to a tropical storm on December 14 just before making landfall on eastern
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
. It dissipated later that day. In the Philippines, a total of eight people were killed and 17 others were reported as missing. Throughout the country, 51,785 people were displaced and another 20,419 were evacuated. Damages amounted to PHP 513.95 million (US$13 million). In Vietnam, 40 people were killed and three others were left missing. A total of 602 homes were destroyed, another 16,327 were damaged, and 58,487 ha of rice fields were inundated. Damages in the country amounted to VND 204 billion (US$15 million).


Tropical Storm Gil

Tropical Storm Gil developed in the South China Sea on December 8. It moved westward and peaked with winds of 75 km/h (45 mph). Gil made landfall in Thailand as a tropical depression which caused a plane crash at
Surat Thani Surat Thani (, ) is a city in Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani, Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand. It lies south of Bangkok. It is the capital of Surat Thani Province. The city has a population of 132,040 (2019), and an area of . The city's ...
due to bad weather before dissipating on December 13.


Tropical Depression 26W

Tropical Depression 26W formed in the Western Pacific Ocean in mid-December 1998. It was a weak tropical cyclone that did not significantly impact any land areas. The depression formed in a region with unfavorable environmental conditions, which limited its development and intensity. As a result, it dissipated shortly after its formation, leaving minimal impact on the region.


Tropical Depression 27W

The final tropical depression of the season developed from a poorly organized tropical disturbance on December 18 over the South China Sea. Situated within an unfavorable environment, the system struggled to maintain deep convection; however, the following day, it was classified as Tropical Depression 27W by the JTWC. Operationally, 27W was regarded as a tropical storm, with maximum winds of 75 km/h (45 mph) but in post-season analysis, the intensity was lowered to 55 km/h (35 mph).


Storm names

During the season 17 named tropical cyclones developed in the Western Pacific and were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, when it was determined that they had become tropical storms. These names were contributed to a revised list which started on 1996.


Philippines

The
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (, abbreviated as PAGASA , which means "hope" as in the Tagalog word ''pag-asa'') is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) agency of the P ...
uses its own naming scheme for tropical cyclones in their area of responsibility. PAGASA assigns names to tropical depressions that form within their area of responsibility and any tropical cyclone that might move into their area of responsibility. Should the list of names for a given year prove to be insufficient, names are taken from an auxiliary list, the first 10 of which are published each year before the season starts. This is the same list used for the 1994 season. PAGASA uses its own naming scheme that starts in the
Filipino alphabet The modern Filipino alphabet (), otherwise known as the Filipino alphabet (), is the alphabet of the Filipino language, the official national language and one of the two official languages of the Philippines. The modern Filipino alphabet is ma ...
, with names of Filipino female names ending with "ng" (A, B, K, D, etc.). Because PAGASA started a new naming scheme in 2001, therefore, this naming list was not used in the 2002 season. Names that were not assigned/going to use are marked in .


Season effects

This table summarizes all the systems that developed within or moved into the North Pacific Ocean, to the west of the International Date Line during 1998. The tables also provide an overview of a systems intensity, duration, land areas affected and any deaths or damages associated with the system. , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands , , None , , None , , , - , 01W (Akang) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Nichole , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Taiwan, China , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , 03W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Otto (Bising) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines, Taiwan, East China , , , , , , , - , Penny (Klaring) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines, South China , , None , , , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Rex (Deling) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan , , , , , , , - , 07W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Stella , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Mariana Islands, Japan , , , , , , , - , 09W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , South China, Vietnam , , None , , None , , , - , Todd (Emang) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan, East China , , , , , , , - , Vicki (Gading) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines, Japan , , , , , , , - , 12W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Vietnam , , None , , None , , , - , Waldo , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan , , , , None , , , - , Yanni (Heling) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, South Korea , , , , , , , - , 15W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , South China, Vietnam , , None , , None , , , - , 16W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands , , None , , None , , , - , 17W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Ryukyu Islands , , None , , None , , , - , Zeb (Iliang) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Caroline Islands, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan , , , , , , , - , Alex , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Babs (Loleng) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Caroline Islands, Philippines, China, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands , , , , , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Chip , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Vietnam , , , , , , , - , Dawn , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Vietnam, Cambodia , , , , , , , - , 07B , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Malay Peninsula , , None , , None , , , - , Elvis (Miding) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines, Vietnam , , , , , , , - , Faith (Norming) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Caroline Islands, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos , , , , , , , - , Gil , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Vietnam, Thailand , , None , , None , , , - , 26W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines , , None , , None , , , - , 27W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , -


See also

*
1998 Pacific hurricane season The 1998 Pacific hurricane season was a fairly average Pacific hurricane season. Despite this, it had nine hurricanes and six major hurricanes, which was well above average. The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific and on ...
*
1998 Atlantic hurricane season The 1998 Atlantic hurricane season was a catastrophic and extremely deadly Atlantic hurricane season, which had the highest number of storm-related fatalities in over 218 years and some of the costliest ever at the time. The season had above av ...
*
1998 North Indian Ocean cyclone season The 1998 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was an active season in annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The season has no official bounds but cyclones tend to form between April and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period ...
*
1998–99 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season The 1998–99 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season comprises three different basins. Their respective seasons are: *1998–99 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season west of 90°E *1998–99 Australian region cyclone season between 90°E and ...


References


External links


Japan Meteorological Agency

Joint Typhoon Warning Center
.
China Meteorological Agency

National Weather Service Guam



Macau Meteorological Geophysical Services

Korea Meteorological Agency

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration



Satellite movie of 1998 Pacific typhoon season
{{DEFAULTSORT:1998 Pacific Typhoon Season Articles which contain graphical timelines