Typhoon Faxai was the strongest
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 ...
worldwide in 2001. The twenty-fifth named storm and the sixteenth typhoon of the
2001 Pacific typhoon season
The 2001 Pacific typhoon season was an average season with twenty-six named storms, sixteen typhoons and three super typhoons, with a near normal Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) of 307.3 units. It ran year-round in 2001, with most tropical ...
, Faxai originated from a circulation in the
monsoon trough
The monsoon trough is a convergence zone between the wind patterns of the southern and northern hemispheres. It is a portion of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in the Western Pacific,Bin WangThe Asian Monsoon.Retrieved 2008-05-03. and is dep ...
. The system remained stationary for several days near
Kosrae
Kosrae ( ), formerly known as Kusaie or Strong's Island, is an island in the Caroline Islands archipelago, and States of Micronesia, state within the Federated States of Micronesia. It includes the main island of Kosrae, traditionally known as Ual ...
, pouring heavy rain that knocked down power. An indirect death occurred on the island as well. As the storm steadily intensified, Faxai moved west-northwestward at a very slow pace as it neared
Pingelap
Pingelap is an atoll in the Pacific Ocean, part of Pohnpei State of the Federated States of Micronesia, consisting of three islands: Pingelap Island, Sukoru and Daekae, linked by a reef system and surrounding a central lagoon, although only Pinge ...
, damaging crops, before bringing strong winds and rainfall that produced two landslides in
Pohnpei
Pohnpei (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, from Pohnpeian: "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')") is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei State, one of the fou ...
on December 20. Intensity fluctuated, but
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 ...
in the core became more defined and by December 21, Faxai had intensified into a typhoon. A period of
rapid intensification
Rapid intensification (RI) is any process wherein a tropical cyclone strengthens very dramatically in a short period of time. Tropical cyclone forecasting agencies utilize differing thresholds for designating rapid intensification events, th ...
then followed, and by early December 23, Faxai reached its peak intensity.
Preparations were ordered as Faxai approached the
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands ( ; ), also simply the Marianas, are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, between the 12th and 21st pa ...
, which included a
state of emergency
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...
on
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 ...
being declared. Faxai produced
swells, causing
rip current
A rip current (or just rip) is a specific type of water current that can occur near beaches where waves break. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water that moves directly away from the shore by cutting through the lines of bre ...
s that drowned a man in Guam. An
eyewall replacement cycle
In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds greater than , or hurricane-force, and particularly in major hurricanes of Saffir–Simps ...
was initiated as Faxai began to weaken. On December 24, Faxai recurved north-northeastward, approaching the island of
Agrihan
Agrihan (also spelled Agrigan) is an island in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The island has mostly been uninhabited, but had 4 permanent residents in the 2020 U.S. census. Agrihan is located to the north of Pagan.
History ...
, before transitioning into an
extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
on Christmas Day. Agrihan endured powerful winds, but reported minimal damage. The storm's remnants were last marked far west-northwest of
Midway Atoll
Midway Atoll (colloquialism, colloquial: Midway Islands; ; ) is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is an insular area of the United States and is an Insular area#Unorganized unincorporated territories, unorganized and unincorpo ...
on December 26, before dissipating on that same day. In total, Faxai caused damage of $1 million throughout the affected areas.
Meteorological history
The origins of Typhoon Faxai are traced back to a low-latitude
monsoon trough
The monsoon trough is a convergence zone between the wind patterns of the southern and northern hemispheres. It is a portion of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in the Western Pacific,Bin WangThe Asian Monsoon.Retrieved 2008-05-03. and is dep ...
in the
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands (or the Carolines) are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically, they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in the cen ...
that spawned a circulation.
Operationally, Faxai was designated the numeral identifier ''31W'' 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 ...
(JTWC), as Faxai and
another tropical cyclone were considered to be one tropical cyclone; however, post-season analysis determined that Faxai's low-level circulation center (LLCC) had developed near
Kosrae
Kosrae ( ), formerly known as Kusaie or Strong's Island, is an island in the Caroline Islands archipelago, and States of Micronesia, state within the Federated States of Micronesia. It includes the main island of Kosrae, traditionally known as Ual ...
after the dissipation of the other cyclone's circulation. As such, Faxai was re-designated as ''33W''.
On December 13, the system that became Faxai had intensified into a tropical depression southeast of
Pohnpei
Pohnpei (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, from Pohnpeian: "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')") is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei State, one of the fou ...
.
For several days, the nascent cyclone stationed in the vicinity of Kosrae. It oscillated near the
5th parallel due to the broad and ill-defined center being difficult to locate.
Other factors encompass an interaction with a
shear line that spanned toward the system from the northeast, a slightly weak
subtropical ridge
The horse latitudes are the latitudes about 30 degrees north and south of the Equator. They are characterized by sunny skies, calm winds, and very little precipitation. They are also known as subtropical ridges or highs. It is a high-pressur ...
and a sequence of
westerly wind burst
A westerly wind burst (WWB) or westerly wind event (WWE)https://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Westerly_wind_burst is a phenomenon commonly associated with El Niño events, whereby the typical east-to-west trade winds across the equatorial Pacific shift ...
s. During the period, the JTWC upgraded the cyclone to a tropical storm early on December 15.
Though with no change in intensity, organization very slowly increased,
and by 18:00
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 ...
of the next day, 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) designated the system a tropical storm and gave it the name ''Faxai''.
The tropical storm moved west-northwestward very slowly and entered a point east-southeast of Pohnpei on December 17.
Around later that day, the
Special Sensor Microwave/Imager The Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) is a seven-channel, four-frequency, linearly polarized passive microwave radiometer system.Hollinger, J.P. 1989: ''DMSP Special Sensor Microwave/Imager Calibration/Validation''. Final Report, Vol. I., Spac ...
detected early stages of
eyewall
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather at the center of a tropical cyclone. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area, typically in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the most severe weath ...
development. On December 18, Faxai remained nearly stationary before steering eastward, as the
easterlies
The trade winds or easterlies are permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere ...
and the equatorial
westerlies
The westerlies, anti-trades, or prevailing westerlies, are prevailing winds from the west toward the east in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees latitude. They originate from the high-pressure areas in the horse latitudes (about ...
dragged the storm in between back and forth. 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 ...
around the storm increased due to the easterlies in the
tropics
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...
and upper
troposphere
The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere of Earth. It contains 80% of the total mass of the Atmosphere, planetary atmosphere and 99% of the total mass of water vapor and aerosols, and is where most weather phenomena occur. From the ...
, starting a weakening trend. Early on December 20, Faxai commenced its northwestward path. Intensification of inner-core
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 ...
fluctuated as an outer
rainband
A rainband is a cloud and precipitation structure associated with an area of rainfall which is significantly elongated. Rainbands in tropical cyclones can be either stratiform or convective and are curved in shape. They consist of showers and th ...
became more defined.
At 06:00 UTC, Faxai intensified into a
severe tropical storm northeast of Pohnpei.
After continuous strengthening, the JTWC estimated that Faxai was a typhoon at 18:00 UTC,
followed by the JMA six hours later on December 21.
At that time,
rapid intensification
Rapid intensification (RI) is any process wherein a tropical cyclone strengthens very dramatically in a short period of time. Tropical cyclone forecasting agencies utilize differing thresholds for designating rapid intensification events, th ...
ensued for 18 hours, with 1-minute winds increasing from to .
An upper-level
ridge
A ridge is a long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep sides. The sides of a ridge slope away from a narrow top, the crest or ridgecrest, wi ...
north of Faxai slightly weakened, allowing poleward
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 ...
to develop.
Faxai continued to strengthen rapidly, and after six hours, became the year's third and final super typhoon with winds of .
Additional intensification commenced with very conducive outflow and the primary rainband consolidating, and by the beginning of the next day, Faxai achieved its peak intensity;
10-minute winds of and the lowest
atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1,013. ...
of were assessed by the JMA,
whereas 1-minute winds were assessed at by the JTWC.
Around that time, Faxai displayed concentric eyewalls holding a eye.
Not long after peak intensity, the compact irregular eye became cloud-filled, becoming replaced by a ragged banding eye feature, as wind speed began to decrease. Convection in the southeast quadrant began to wear off. Furthermore, dry air invaded the western side of the storm. On Christmas Eve, Faxai recurved about east of
Agrihan
Agrihan (also spelled Agrigan) is an island in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The island has mostly been uninhabited, but had 4 permanent residents in the 2020 U.S. census. Agrihan is located to the north of Pagan.
History ...
as it gradually weakened. The degrading was temporarily halted by a slight burst of deep convection as Faxai accelerated north-northeastward at , before Faxai revealed signs of a transition into an
extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
. On Christmas Day, convection over the western portion greatly decreased.
The LLCC and convection, however, remained well-organized during the extratropical transition.
At 06:00 UTC, Faxai weakened back into a severe tropical storm.
The JTWC then declared that Faxai had completed its transition into an extratropical cyclone at 18:00 UTC. Moving east-northeastward at on December 26, Faxai's remnants were last noted west-northwest of
Midway Atoll
Midway Atoll (colloquialism, colloquial: Midway Islands; ; ) is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is an insular area of the United States and is an Insular area#Unorganized unincorporated territories, unorganized and unincorpo ...
by the JMA, before they dissipated at 12:00 UTC.
Preparations and impact

While the storm was operationally labeled Tropical Depression 31W, the
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...
office in
Tiyan, Guam
Barrigada () is a village in the United States territory of Guam. A largely residential municipality, its main village is located south of the Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport near the intersections of Routes 8, 10, and 16. The communi ...
issued a tropical storm watch for Kosrae on December 13, before extending it across Pohnpei,
Mokil, and
Pingelap
Pingelap is an atoll in the Pacific Ocean, part of Pohnpei State of the Federated States of Micronesia, consisting of three islands: Pingelap Island, Sukoru and Daekae, linked by a reef system and surrounding a central lagoon, although only Pinge ...
the next day; the watch for Kosrae was soon upgraded to a warning later that day. A tropical storm warning was then hoisted for Pingelap on December 15, and later for Mokil. A typhoon warning was then issued for Mokil and Pohnpei as Faxai intensified on December 17.
Tropical Storm Faxai was within west-southwest of Kosrae during December 16. Throughout the previous day, the system poured of rain, and from December 13 to 18, of rain fell upon the island. Wind gusts of nearly were recorded, with peak gusts assessed at . An indirect death of a man occurred on the island and electrical power was knocked by heavy rainfall. Damage to banana crops was also reported. The west shore of the island experienced
coastal flooding
Coastal flooding occurs when dry and low-lying land is submerged (flooded) by seawater. The range of a coastal Flood, flooding is a result of the elevation of floodwater that penetrates the inland which is controlled by the topography of the coas ...
, as many rocks were lifted onto the road of that shore. The storm then drifted west and tracked very near Pingelap on December 18, where winds of and gusts of were recorded. There, many banana trees were downed and some
taro
Taro (; ''Colocasia esculenta'') is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, stems and Petiole (botany), petioles. Taro corms are a ...
patches were damaged by sea water
run-up. Faxai moved northwest slowly and on the 20th, produced strong winds of in Pohnpei. The storm poured heavy rain of and caused flooding and two landslides in
Nett
Nett also written as Net, is one of the administrative divisions of Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia. Description
Nett is one of the six municipalities located in the main island of Pohnpei. It corresponds to the north-central se ...
,
as a
constitutional convention was convened in
Palikir
Palikir () is the Capital city, capital city of the Federated States of Micronesia located in the western Pacific Ocean. A town of slightly under 5,000 residents, it is part of the larger Sokehs municipality, which had a population of 6,647 , ou ...
. Overall, Faxai caused $500,000 in property damage and $400,000 of damage towards crops in the
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia (, abbreviated FSM), or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Micronesia, a region of Oceania. The federation encompasses the majority of the Caroline Islands (excluding Palau) and consists of four Admin ...
.
Forecasts indicated that Faxai would pass 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 ...
on December 24. In response,
typhoon watches were instated across the islands of Guam,
Rota,
Tinian
Tinian () is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern ...
, and
Saipan
Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...
on December 22.
The
Governor of Guam
The governor of Guam ( / ) is the head of government of Guam and the commander-in-chief of the Guam National Guard, whose responsibilities also include making the annual State of the Island (formerly the State of the Territory) addresses to t ...
Carl Gutierrez
Carl Tommy Cruz Gutierrez (born October 15, 1941) is an American (U.S. citizen) politician who was the sixth governor of Guam, serving two four-year terms with Lieutenant Governor Madeleine Bordallo from January 2, 1995, to January 6, 2003. Guti ...
declared a
state of emergency
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...
and Typhoon Condition 3 as Faxai approached the territory. The legislation of Guam authorized the use of $250,000 for mitigation and expenses associated with civil defense, public safety, or health emergencies; it was anticipated that Faxai had the potential to strike the island with powerful winds and inflict devastating damage. The
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
's
36th Wing
The United States Air Force's 36th Wing is the host wing (air force unit), wing for Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. It is part of Pacific Air Forces' Eleventh Air Force. The 36th Wing provides day-to-day mission support to more than 9,000 milita ...
deployed its civil engineering squadron to secure
Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacif ...
.
On December 22, a 69-year-old man drowned in
Gun Beach,
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 ...
from strong
rip current
A rip current (or just rip) is a specific type of water current that can occur near beaches where waves break. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water that moves directly away from the shore by cutting through the lines of bre ...
s caused by
swells from Faxai across the shoreline. He was given
CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure used during cardiac or respiratory arrest that involves chest compressions, often combined with artificial ventilation, to preserve brain function and maintain circulation until sp ...
before being transported to
Guam Memorial Hospital
Guam Memorial Hospital is a rural general hospital located in Tamuning, Guam and is the only public hospital serving the island of Guam. The hospital has 161 licensed acute care beds, plus 40 beds at its off-site, long-term care Skilled Nursing F ...
, where he was pronounced dead. Faxai recurved and headed more towards north, passing northeast of Guam on the afternoon of December 23, and later passed north-northeast of Saipan early on the following day. The storm passed east of
Agrihan
Agrihan (also spelled Agrigan) is an island in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The island has mostly been uninhabited, but had 4 permanent residents in the 2020 U.S. census. Agrihan is located to the north of Pagan.
History ...
by only . Despite the strong winds the island experienced, the ten residents of the island at the time all survived. The only damage occurred when a water well was flooded by saltwater, and was estimated to be $100,000.
See also
*
Tropical cyclones in 2001
During 2001, tropical cyclones formed in seven different areas called Tropical cyclone basins, basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. A total of 128 tropical cyclones formed within bodies of water known a ...
*
Other systems named Faxai
*
Typhoon Lola (1986) – A typhoon that also had a curvature identical to Faxai's.
*
Typhoon Pat (1991) – Another typhoon that also had a curvature identical to Faxai's.
*
Typhoon Isa
Typhoon Isa was the first of a record eleven super typhoons to occur during the 1997 Pacific typhoon season. The second tropical cyclone of the season, Isa developed from a disturbance in the monsoon trough near the Caroline Islands on April 12. ...
(1997) – An intense typhoon that took an identical trajectory.
*
Typhoon Pongsona
Typhoon Pongsona was the last typhoon of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season, and was the second costliest United States disaster in 2002, only behind Hurricane Lili. The name "Pongsona" was contributed by North Korea for the Pacific tropical cyclon ...
(2002) – A Category 4-equivalent typhoon that took a comparable track.
*
Typhoon Tingting
Typhoon Tingting was a destructive 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 ...
(2004) – A Category 1-equivalent typhoon that affected similar areas.
*
Typhoon Kong-rey (2007) – A Category 3-equivalent typhoon that took a similar track.
*
Typhoon Choi-wan (2009)
Typhoon Choi-wan was a powerful typhoon that became the first Category 5-equivalent super typhoon to form during the 2009 Pacific typhoon season. Forming on September 11, 2009, about to the east of Guam, the initial disturbance rapidly organized ...
– A Category 5-equivalent typhoon that took an identical track.
*
Typhoon Bualoi
Typhoon Bualoi was a tropical cyclone in October 2019 that brought floods over Japan. The fortieth tropical depression, and the eleventh typhoon of the 2019 Pacific typhoon season, Bualoi originated from a disturbance east of the Marshall Islands ...
(2019) – Another Category 5-equivalent typhoon that took a comparable track.
References
External links
31W.FAXAIfrom the
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
The United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. Located in Washington, DC, it was founded in 1923 and conducts basic scientific research, appl ...
General Informationof Typhoon Faxai (0125) from Digital Typhoon
JMA Best Track Dataof Typhoon Faxai (0125) (in Japanese)
JMA Best Track (Graphics)of Typhoon Faxai (0125)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Faxai (2001)
Tropical cyclones in 2001
2001 Pacific typhoon season
Typhoons in Guam
Typhoons in the Federated States of Micronesia
Typhoons in the Northern Mariana Islands
2001 in the Federated States of Micronesia
2001 in Guam
2001 in the Northern Mariana Islands