1968 Pacific typhoon season

The 1968 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1968, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

1968 Pacific typhoon season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	January 20, 1968
Last system dissipated	December 7, 1968
Strongest storm
Name	Agnes
• Maximum winds	280 km/h (175 mph) (1-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	900 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions	39
Total storms	28
Typhoons	20
Super typhoons	4 (unofficial)
Total fatalities	148
Total damage	Unknown
Related articles
1968 Atlantic hurricane season 1968 Pacific hurricane season 1968 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the International Date Line. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 1968 Pacific hurricane season. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west pacific basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 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 Weather Bureau, the predecessor of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). This can often result in the same storm having two names.

Systems

31 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 27 became tropical storms. 20 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 4 reached super typhoon strength. No storms this season caused significant damage or deaths.

CMA Tropical Depression 01

Tropical depression (CMA)
Duration	January 21 – January 23
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 1002 hPa (mbar)

A tropical depression formed to the northwest of Palau. Moving north-northwest, the depression degenerated to a remnant low as it made a counterclockwise direction before dissipating.

This depression was not recognized by the JMA, but the CMA.

Tropical Depression 01W (Asiang)

Tropical depression (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	February 28 – March 2
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min); 999 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Jean

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 3-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	April 5 – April 19
Peak intensity	205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min); 935 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Kim (Biring)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 3-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	May 28 – June 5
Peak intensity	185 km/h (115 mph) (1-min); 950 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Depression 04W

Tropical depression (JMA)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	June 2 – June 2
Peak intensity	45 km/h (30 mph) (1-min); 1006 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Depression 05W

Tropical depression (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	June 4 – June 8
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min); 1002 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Lucy (Konsing)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 3-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	June 26 – July 3
Peak intensity	205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min); 935 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Mary

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 4-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	July 19 – August 3
Peak intensity	240 km/h (150 mph) (1-min); 925 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Storm Nadine (Didang)

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	July 20 – July 28
Peak intensity	110 km/h (70 mph) (1-min); 970 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Storm Olive (Edeng)

Tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	July 21 – July 28
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (1-min); 988 hPa (mbar)

CMA Tropical Depression 11

Tropical depression (CMA)
Duration	July 29 – July 31
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 992 hPa (mbar)

CMA Tropical Depression 12

Tropical depression (CMA)
Duration	July 30 – July 31
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 996 hPa (mbar)

CMA Tropical Depression 13

Tropical depression (CMA)
Duration	August 3 – August 6
Peak intensity	45 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 1003 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Storm Polly

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 3 – August 17
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min); 965 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Storm Polly dropped heavy rains on the southern islands of Japan. 112 people were killed and 21 were missing from the floods and landslides caused by Polly's heavy rains.

On August 18, two sightseeing buses were involved in the landslide in Shirakawa, Gifu, it fell to the Hida River, and 96 persons died and 8 persons became missing (Japanese article).

Tropical Depression 11W

Tropical depression (JMA)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	August 7 – August 7
Peak intensity	35 km/h (25 mph) (10-min);

Severe Tropical Storm Rose (Gloring)

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 9 – August 13
Peak intensity	110 km/h (70 mph) (1-min); 970 hPa (mbar)

CMA Tropical Depression 16

Tropical depression (CMA)
Duration	August 9 – August 9
Peak intensity	35 km/h (25 mph) (10-min); 999 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Shirley (Huaning)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	August 14 – August 24
Peak intensity	120 km/h (75 mph) (1-min); 960 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Storm Trix (Iniang)

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 22 – August 29
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min); 980 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Storm Trix struck the southern islands of Kyūshū and Shikoku. Heavy flooding killed 25 people and left 2 missing.

CMA Tropical Depression 18

Tropical depression (CMA)
Duration	August 23 – August 24
Peak intensity	45 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 1000 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Storm Virginia

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 24 – August 26 (exited basin)
Peak intensity	95 km/h (60 mph) (1-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Virginia was first noticed near the International Date Line, about 500 kilometers (310 mi) northwest of Midway Islands. The system organized and the first advisory was issued on August 25 at 0006Z, with winds of 35 knots (40 mph). 18 hours later, Virginia crossed the date line, with winds of 50 knots (60 mph). It later became extratropical on August 27 in the Gulf of Alaska.

Typhoon Wendy (Lusing)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 5-equivalent super typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	August 27 – September 10
Peak intensity	260 km/h (160 mph) (1-min); 920 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Storm Wendy, which formed on August 28 in the open Western Pacific, quickly intensified to a peak of 160 mph winds on the 31st. It steadily weakened as it moved westward, and passed by southern Taiwan on September 5 as a minimal typhoon. Wendy continued to weaken, and after crossing the South China Sea, Wendy dissipated over northern Vietnam on the 9th.

Typhoon Agnes

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 5-equivalent super typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	August 27 – September 10
Peak intensity	280 km/h (175 mph) (1-min); 900 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon which did not approach land closely. The typhoon was one of two Category 5 cyclones to be named Agnes, the other one being in 1952.

Typhoon Bess

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	August 31 – September 10
Peak intensity	120 km/h (75 mph) (1-min); 965 hPa (mbar)

CMA Tropical Depression 24

Tropical depression (CMA)
Duration	September 5 – September 8
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Carmen

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 3-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	September 15 – September 24
Peak intensity	205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min); 935 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Della (Maring)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 4-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	September 11 – September 25
Peak intensity	220 km/h (140 mph) (1-min); 930 hPa (mbar)

Main article: Typhoon Della (1968)

Typhoon Della struck Kyūshū Island in southern Japan with winds of 100 mph. Della killed 11 throughout southern Japan.

Typhoon Elaine (Nitang)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 5-equivalent super typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	September 22 – October 2
Peak intensity	280 km/h (175 mph) (1-min); 910 hPa (mbar)

Super Typhoon Elaine, after peaking at 175 mph winds, weakened to hit extreme northern Luzon on September 28 as a 130 mph typhoon. It continued to the northwest, and after hitting southeastern China as a minimal tropical storm Elaine dissipated on October 1.

Typhoon Faye

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 5-equivalent super typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	September 30 – October 10
Peak intensity	270 km/h (165 mph) (1-min); 915 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Gloria (Osang)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 2-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	October 12 – October 24
Peak intensity	165 km/h (105 mph) (1-min); 955 hPa (mbar)

CMA Tropical Depression 29

Tropical depression (CMA)
Duration	October 12 – October 12
Peak intensity	45 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 1006 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Storm Hester

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	October 15 – October 21
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min); 995 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Irma

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	October 18 – October 25
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 mph) (1-min); 955 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Judy (Paring)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 4-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	October 21 – November 4
Peak intensity	220 km/h (140 mph) (1-min); 930 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Kit

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	October 26 – November 5
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (1-min); 960 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Lola

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 3-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	November 5 – November 12
Peak intensity	195 km/h (120 mph) (1-min); 940 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Mamie (Reming)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	November 9 – November 25
Peak intensity	120 km/h (75 mph) (1-min); 975 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Nina (Seniang)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 1-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	November 15 – November 29
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (1-min); 960 hPa (mbar)

Typhoon Ora (Toyang)

Typhoon (JMA)
Category 4-equivalent typhoon (SSHWS)
Duration	November 19 – November 30
Peak intensity	220 km/h (140 mph) (1-min); 930 hPa (mbar)

A typhoon that made landfall in the Philippines as a category 1 and impacted most of the northern Philippines as a tropical storm.

Storm names

Western North Pacific tropical cyclones were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The first storm of 1968 was named Jean and the final one was named Ora.

Agnes 17W Bonnie 18W Carmen 19W Della 20W Elaine 21W Faye 22W Gloria 23W Hester 24W Irma 25W Judy 26W Kit 27W Lola 28W Mamie 29W Nina 30W Ora 31W Phyllis Rita Susan Tess Viola Winnie

Alice Betty Cora Doris Elsie Flossie Grace Helen Ida June Kathy Lorna Marie Nancy Olga Pamela Ruby Sally Therese Violet Wilda

Anita Billie Clara Dot Ellen Fran Georgia Hope Iris Joan Kate Louise Marge Nora Opal Patsy Ruth Sarah Thelma Vera Wanda

Amy Babe Carla Dinah Emma Freda Gilda Harriet Ivy Jean 2W Kim 3W Lucy 6W Mary 7W Nadine 8W Olive 9W Polly 10W Rose 12W Shirley 13W Trix 14W Virginia 15W Wendy 16W

Philippines

Asiang	Biring	Konsing	Didang	Edeng
Gloring	Huaning	Iniang	Lusing	Maring
Nitang	Osang	Paring	Reming	Seniang
Toyang	Undang (unused)	Welpring (unused)	Yoning (unused)
Auxiliary list
				Aring (unused)
Basiang (unused)	Kayang (unused)	Dorang (unused)	Enang (unused)	Grasing (unused)

The Philippine Weather Bureau (later renamed to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in 1972) 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 6 of which are published each year before the season starts. Names not retired from this list will be used again in the 1972 season. This is the same list used for the 1964 season, except for Didang and Iniang, which replaced Dading and Isang; the latter would later be reintroduced in 1972 for reasons still unknown. The Philippine Weather Bureau and its successor PAGASA uses its own naming scheme that starts in the Filipino alphabet, with names of Filipino female names ending with "ng" (A, B, K, D, etc.). Names that were not assigned/going to use are marked in gray.

Season effects

This table will list all the storms that developed in the northwestern Pacific Ocean west of the International Date Line and north of the equator during 1968. It will include their intensity, duration, name, areas affected, deaths, missing persons (in parentheses), and damage totals. Classification and intensity values will be based on estimations conducted by the JMA, however due to lack of information around this time sustained winds were recorded by the JTWC. All damage figures will be in 1968 USD. Damages and deaths from a storm will include when the storm was a precursor wave or an extratropical low.

Name	Dates	Peak intensity			Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
		Category	Wind speed	Pressure
TD	January 20–26	Tropical depression	Not specified	1,002 hPa (29.59 inHg)	None	None	None
TD	November 3–4	Tropical depression	Not specified	1,006 hPa (29.71 inHg)	None	None	None
Lola	November 5–12	Typhoon	195 km/h (120 mph)	940 hPa (27.76 inHg)	Mariana Islands	None	None
Mamie (Reming)	November 9–25	Typhoon	120 km/h (75 mph)	975 hPa (28.79 inHg)	Philippines, Vietnam	None	None
Nina (Seniang)	November 15–29	Typhoon	130 km/h (80 mph)	960 hPa (28.35 inHg)	Philippines, Vietnam	None	None
Ora (Toyang)	November 19–30	Typhoon	220 km/h (135 mph)	930 hPa (27.46 inHg)	Philippines	None	None
TD	December 7	Tropical depression	Not specified	1,007 hPa (29.74 inHg)	Caroline Islands	None	None

See also

• Australian cyclone seasons: 1967–68, 1968–69
• South Pacific cyclone seasons: 1967–68, 1968–69
• South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1967–68, 1968–69

External links

• Japan Meteorological Agency
• Joint Typhoon Warning Center Archived 2010-03-01 at the Wayback Machine.
• China Meteorological Agency
• National Weather Service Guam
• Hong Kong Observatory
• Macau Meteorological Geophysical Services
• Korea Meteorological Agency
• Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
• Taiwan Central Weather Bureau
• Digital Typhoon - Typhoon Images and Information
• Typhoon2000 Philippine typhoon website