Typhoon Karen

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Typhoon Karen
Type=typhoon
Year=1962
Basin=WPac
Image location=Super_Typhoon_Karen.jpg


Formed=November 7, 1962
Dissipated=November 18, 1962
1-min winds=160
Pressure=897
Da

Inflated=0
Fatalities=11 direct
Areas=Guam, Japan
Hurricane season=1962 Pacific typhoon season
1962 Pacific hurricane season

Super Typhoon Karen (KF6CTJ in Japan, and also known as Tropical Storm Karen in the Central Pacific) was a powerful Category 5 super typhoon that devastated Guam at near peak intensity with winds of Category 5 strength. Karen later tracked near Japan as a weak Category 2, strong Category 1, typhoon; it's affects were felt in Japan. Karen was possibly the strongest typhoon to hit Guam.

Meteorological history

On November 7, the 28^th storm of the season formed; it was named Karen. It then moved north and rapidly strengthened into a Category 5 Super Typhoon. Karen was also reported to have two eyewalls at the time it slammed into Guam. It is believed that Karen may have had two eyewalls due to a eyewall replacement cycle. Karen then increased its speed from about six mph as it moved towards the northwest at around eighteen mph. On November 11, while over Guam, it had winds of 160+ and a minimum pressure of at least 934 millibars. It maintained Category 5 intensity for 4.25 days, second only to Typhoon Nancy in length. On November 14, Karen then curved northeast and began to weaken over the colder waters of the Pacific. On November 17, it was downgraded to a tropical storm. The following day Karen crossed into the central Pacific as a tropical storm. It then became extratropical [https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/atcr/1962atcr/pdf/wnp/84.pdf xij2d1.tmp ] ] later that day.

Impact

Karen made a direct hit on Guam, bringing estimated winds of 155-190 mph (about 150 knots) with estimated gusts of 207 mph (180 knots) to the island. Most temporary structures on the island (not typhoon-proof, generally wood-frame construction) were destroyed, while permanent structures suffered considerable damage. Yona, a village on the east side of Guam, suffered the extensive damage. About 97% of the buildings were completely destroyed. However, flooding wasn't as bad as expected due to the increase of Karen's forward speed right before landfall. The eye of the storm passed just south of the of the island. Karen left about 35,000 people homeless after hitting the island.

Karen didn't do as much damage to Japan as it brought to Guam. Instead it was mostly a rain event, and flooding was most likely. However, it is possible that some hurricane force winds were felt because Karen did pass to the south and east of Japan as a weak Category 2, strong Category 1 typhoon.

Some Gale force winds were reported in the Philippines, with no rain however. However, there were strong waves that were left as a result of the Category 5 hurricane winds from Karen.

Retirement

Due to the severe damage on the island of Guam, the name Karen was retired and replaced with Kim for storms in the Western Pacific and East China Sea. The name Karen can still be used in the Atlantic, as evidenced by Hurricane Karen in September 2007 [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2007/al12/al122007.public.002.shtml Tropical Storm KAREN ] ] , and will be available again in 2013http://www.wmo.ch/pages/prog/www/tcp/documents/FactShtTCNames1July05.pdf] .

Records

Karen lasted longer at Category 5 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale than any other tropical cyclone recorded except Typhoon Nancy of 1961. Typhoon Karen may also hold the record of the highest gust ever recorded at 207 mph (180 knots). However, modern studies indicate that both systems' wind speeds were likely overestimated, so it is considered possible that this record is misattributed to Karen and Nancy.

External links

* [https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/atcr/1962atcr/pdf/wnp/84.pdf JTWC Report]
* [http://www.weather.unisys.com/hurricane/w_pacific/1962/index.html Unisys season track]
* [http://www.guampedia.org/gallery/index.php?pageType=image&currDir=.&
]
* [http://www.ussduncan.org/wespac61_64_page22b.htm First-hand accounts of the storm]
* [http://www.rms.com/Catastrophe/Models/Guam.asp]
* [http://www.guam.net/pub/midxa/club/tcc.html]
* [http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPACIFICISLANDS/Resources/Not-if-but-when-report.pdf]

References

* http://www.drallea.com/1962Typhoon%20Karen/