Typhoon Nina (1987)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Super Typhoon Nina
Basin=WPac
Year=1987
Type=super typhoon
Image location=Typhoon Nina 25 nov 1987 0702Z.jpg


Formed=November 16, 1987
Dissipated=November 28, 1987
1-min winds=145
Pressure=891
Fatalities=692-1,036 direct
Da

Inflated=0
Areas=Truk Atoll, Ulithi Island, Philippines
Hurricane season=1987 Pacific typhoon season

Super Typhoon Nina (international designation: "8722", JTWC designation: "22W") was the most intense and destructive typhoon of the 1987 Pacific typhoon season. Nina, also designated Super Typhoon Sisang, was the worst typhoon to strike the Philippines in 20 years.

Meteorological history

Nina formed west of the international date line on November 16. For two days the developing storm moved westward until November 19 when it was upgraded to tropical depression status. Later, Nina was further upgraded to tropical storm status south of the Turk Atoll on November 21 as the storm moved southwestward at 20 mph. Later that day, the storm reached typhoon status. Nina then passed north of the islands of Ulithi and Yap. As Nina approached the Philippine Islands, the storm strengthened into a giant, 800 mile wide category 5 monster, with sustained winds at 165 mph (145 kt). On November 25, Super-typhoon Nina slammed into the southern Luzon area, bringing extremely strong winds and heavy rains and a maximum gust of 175 kts (205 mph). The storm's barometric pressure plunged to 891 millibars (26.33 inches of mercury) as it made landfall. Nina then crossed the Philippines and entered the South China Sea. By November 28, the storm was beginning to weaken due to wind-shear and after that the storm dissipated over the South China Sea.

Impact

Nina killed 692-1036 people and left $40 million dollars (1987 USD) in damage from its strong winds and heavy rains making it the deadliest typhoon of the 1987 Pacific typhoon season.

Truk Atoll

Several weather stations in the Truk Atoll reported sustained winds between 60-70 mph and an 90 mph gust was reported in Moen Island.Five people were killed and 38 injured, mainly from landslides or drowning incidents and 40,000 people were ether left homeless or without power. There was $30-40 million dollars in damage to buildings and crops and in the aftermath, U.S. Military airlifted food and supplies to the ravaged islands.

Ulithi Island

There was moderate damage from floods and 20% of the buildings received structural damage.

Philippines

Fourteen fishing villages along the Philippine coast were completely submerged by Nina's storm surge, and 35,000 homes and buildings were destroyed. Between 540-687 people were killed and between 80,000 and 100,000 people were left homeless. The damage in the Philippines was at $26 million (1987 USD). Nine countries and several foreign Red Cross organizations responded to the aftermath of Super-typhoon Nina. [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/OCHA-64BMV8?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=ACOS-635PGM]

outh China

While no damage was reported, Nina did impact the south China coastal waters. A very intense surge of winter monsoon reached the south China coast on the morning of 28 November and Nina was about 290 km south-southwest of Hong Kong that afternoon. The monsoon enhanced by Nina caused significant temperature drops and gale force winds over the coastal waters.http://www.hko.gov.hk/publica/tc/tc1987.pdf] The temperature at Hong Kong Observatory dropped from 25.5C to 9.9C in 24 hours [http://www.hko.gov.hk/publica/reprint/r163.pdf] and an hourly mean wind speed of 85km/h was recorded at Waglan Island, the highest ever recorded during winter monsoon. [http://www.hko.gov.hk/activities/primary_sch/panel10.jpg] This surge of the winter monsoon injected large amounts of cold air into the circulation of Nina which then weakened rapidly and dissipated over open waters soon afterwards. Hong Kong Observatory claimed that Nina was the strongest typhoon to affect South China Sea in 1987 [http://www.hko.gov.hk/publica/reprint/r164.pdf] but they did not issue a tropical cyclone signal. On the other side of the Pearl River, Macau hoisted a tropical cyclone signal on November 27, the second latest in their history. [http://www.smg.gov.mo/ccaa/typhoon/e_tyhistorical.htm]

ee also

*List of tropical cyclones
*Tropical cyclone

References

External links

* [https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/atcr/1987atcr/pdf/wnp/22w.pdf Super-typhoon Nina report]
* [http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/w_pacific/1987/23/track.gifTyphoon Nina track]