1998 Pacific typhoon season
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. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 1998 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 Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration 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 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 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, which also fueled a hyperactive Atlantic hurricane season that year.
Systems
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from:01/12/1998 till:31/12/1998 text:December
Tropical Depression 01W (Akang)
The second tropical depression of the season developed out of a tropical disturbance which was first noted 1,080 km north-northwest of Palau on July 6. The disturbance gradually became better organized and was classified as Tropical Depression 01W at 1500 UTC on July 7. Upon becoming a depression, it marked the latest start for a Pacific typhoon season since reliable records began in 1959. The next day, 01W entered the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration area of responsibility and received the local name Akang. Slowly moving towards the northwest, the depression neared Taiwan. However, increasing vertical wind shear caused the convection 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 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, a broad area of low pressure developed in the South China Sea. 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 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 according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and 65 km/h with a minimum pressure of 998 hPa according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. 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 east-northeast of Iwo Jima on July 25. The depression briefly intensified into a tropical storm, with a peak intensity of 85 km/h 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 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 in mountainous areas of Taiwan, caused flooding which killed five people. In all, damages in Taiwan amounted to NTD 25 million. After traveling through the Taiwan Strait, 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.
Severe Tropical Storm Penny (Klaring)
A tropical disturbance formed on August 2 and strengthened into a tropical depression east of the Philippines. As Penny strengthened into a tropical storm, it made landfall over Northern Luzon, 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 when it was at its closest distance to Hong Kong, and killed one person in Hong Kong. Penny soon made landfall over Maoming 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. 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, 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, east of the International Date Line.Due to heavy rains caused the weather front 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. Losses from the fishing industry were ¥4.26 million.