Typhoon Fung-wong (2002)
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The 2002 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly above average Pacific typhoon season, producing twenty-six named storms, fifteen becoming typhoons, and eight super typhoons. It was an event in the annual cycle of
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depen ...
formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the western Pacific Ocean. The season ran throughout 2002, though most tropical cyclones typically
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between May and October. The season's first named storm, Tapah, developed on January 11, while the season's last named storm, Pongsona, dissipated on December 11. The season's first typhoon, Mitag, reached typhoon status on March 1, and became the first super typhoon of the year four days later. The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, to the north of the equator between 100°E and the 180th meridian. Within the northwestern Pacific Ocean, there are two separate agencies that assign names to tropical cyclones, which can often result in a cyclone having two names, one from the JMA and one from PAGASA. The
Japan Meteorological Agency The , abbreviated JMA, is an agency of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It is charged with gathering and providing results for the public in Japan that are obtained from data based on daily scientific observation an ...
 (JMA) will name a tropical cyclone should it be judged to have 10-minute sustained wind speeds of at least anywhere in the basin, while the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Pagasa may refer to: * ''Pagasa'' (genus), an insect genus in the family Nabidae * PAGASA, an acronym for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration *"May Pagasa", a pen-name of José Rizal José Prot ...
 (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°N–25°N regardless of whether or not a tropical cyclone has already been given a name by the JMA. Tropical depressions that are monitored by the United States'
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) are given a number with a "W" suffix.


Seasonal forecasts

On March 6, meteorologists from
University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...
at TropicalStormRisk.com issued a forecast for the season for above average activity, since
sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (SST), or ocean surface temperature, is the ocean temperature close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air mas ...
s were expected to be slightly warmer than usual; the group used data 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), and compared the potential 28.6 storms to the 30-year average of 26.3. The group raised the number of predicted storms in April to 29.6, and again in early May to 30.5. They ultimately overestimated the number of storms that would form. The Laboratory for Atmospheric Research at the
City University of Hong Kong City University of Hong Kong (CityU) is a world-class public research university located in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. It was founded in 1984 as City Polytechnic of Hong Kong and became a fully accredited university in 1994. Currently, CityU is ...
also issued a season forecast in April 2002, predicting 27 storms with a margin of error of 3, of which 11 would become typhoons, with a margin of error of 2. The agency noted a stronger than normal subtropical ridge over the open Pacific Ocean, as well as ongoing
El Niño El Niño (; ; ) is the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and is associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific (approximately between the International Date ...
conditions that favored development, but expected below-normal development in the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phi ...
. These predictions proved to be largely accurate. During the year, the
Japan Meteorological Agency The , abbreviated JMA, is an agency of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It is charged with gathering and providing results for the public in Japan that are obtained from data based on daily scientific observation an ...
(JMA) issued advisories on tropical cyclones west of the International Date Line to the Malay Peninsula, and north of the equator, in its role as the official
Regional Specialized Meteorological Center A Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) is responsible for the distribution of information, advisories, and warnings regarding the specific program they have a part of, agreed by consensus at the World Meteorological Organization as p ...
, as designated by the
World Meteorological Organization The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics. The WMO originated from the Intern ...
in 1989. The JMA issued forecasts and analyses every six hours starting at midnight UTC using
numerical weather prediction Numerical weather prediction (NWP) uses mathematical models of the atmosphere and oceans to predict the weather based on current weather conditions. Though first attempted in the 1920s, it was not until the advent of computer simulation in th ...
(NWP) and a climatological
tropical cyclone forecast model A tropical cyclone forecast model is a computer program that uses meteorological data to forecast aspects of the future state of tropical cyclones. There are three types of models: statistical, dynamical, or combined statistical-dynamic. Dyna ...
. They used the
Dvorak technique The Dvorak technique (developed between 1969 and 1984 by Vernon Dvorak) is a widely used system to estimate tropical cyclone intensity (which includes tropical depression, tropical storm, and hurricane/typhoon/intense tropical cyclone intensitie ...
and NWP to estimate 10-minute sustained winds and
barometric pressure Atmospheric pressure, also known as 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 1013.25 millibars, 7 ...
. The JTWC also issued warnings on storms within the basin, operating from
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...
in
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
and supplying forecasts to the United States Armed Forces in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The agency moved their backup facility from
Yokosuka is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city has a population of 409,478, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region. The city ...
in Japan to Monterey, California in 2002. Several meteorologists left the agency near the beginning of the year, although the new forecasters compensated for their inexperience by relying on the consensus of various forecast models. In 2002, the JTWC began experimenting with five-day
forecasts Forecasting is the process of making predictions based on past and present data. Later these can be compared (resolved) against what happens. For example, a company might estimate their revenue in the next year, then compare it against the actual ...
.


Season summary

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The activity was an active season, with many
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depen ...
s affecting Japan and China. Every month had tropical activity, with most storms forming from July through October. Overall, there were 44 tropical depressions declared officially or unofficially, of which 26 became named storms; of those, there were 15 
typhoon A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
s, which is the equivalent of a minimal
hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
, while 8 of the 15 typhoon intensified into super typhoons unofficially by the JTWC. The season began early with the first storm, Tapah, developing on January 10, east of the Philippines. Two months later, Typhoon Mitag became the first super typhoon ever to be recorded in March. In June, Typhoon Chataan dropped heavy rainfall in the
Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (; abbreviated FSM) is an island country in Oceania. It consists of four states from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosraethat are spread across the western Pacific. Together, the states comprise a ...
, killing 48 people and becoming the deadliest natural disaster in the state of Chuuk. Chataan later left heavy damage in
Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
before striking Japan. In August, Typhoon Rusa became the deadliest typhoon in
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
in 43 years, causing 238 deaths and $4.2 billion in damage. Typhoon Higos in October was the fifth strongest typhoon to strike Tokyo since World War II. The final typhoon of the season was
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 cyclo ...
, which was one of the costliest storms on record in Guam; it did damage worth $700 million on the island before dissipating on December 11. The season began early, but did not become active until June, when six storms passed near or over Japan after a ridge weakened. Nine storms developed in July, many of which influenced the monsoon trough over the Philippines to produce heavy rainfall and deadly flooding. The flooding was worst in Luzon, where 85 people were killed. The series of storms caused the widespread closure of schools and offices. Many roads were damaged, and the floods left about $1.8 million (₱94.2 million
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) in crop damage, largely to rice and corn. Overall damage from the series of storms was estimated at $10.3 million (₱522 million PHP). From June to September, heavy rainfall affected large portions of China, resulting in devastating flooding that killed over 1,500 people and left $8.2 billion (¥68 billion CNY) in damage. During this time, Tropical Storm Kammuri struck southern China with a large area of rainfall that damaged or destroyed 245,000 houses. There were 153 deaths related to the storm, mostly inland in
Hunan Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi ...
, and damage totaled $322 million (¥2.665 billion CNY). Activity shifted farther to the east after September, with Typhoon Higos striking Japan in October and
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 cyclo ...
hitting Guam in December. During most of the year, sea surface temperatures were above normal near the equator, and were highest around 160°  E from January to July, and in November. Areas of
convection Convection is single or multiphase fluid flow that occurs spontaneously due to the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoyancy). When the cause of the conve ...
developed farther east than usual, causing many storms to
develop Develop or DEVELOP may refer to: * ''Develop'' (magazine), a trade publication for the video game industry * ''Develop'' (Apple magazine), a technical magazine formerly published by Apple Computer * Develop (chess), moving a piece from its origina ...
east of 150° E. The average point of formation was 145.9° E, the easternmost point since
1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United ...
. Partially as a result, no tropical storms made landfall in the Philippines for the first time since 1951, according to the JMA. Two storms – Ele and Huko – entered the basin from the Central Pacific, east of the International Date Line. Overall, there were 26  named storms in the basin in 2002, which was slightly below the norm of 26.7. A total of 15 of the 26 storms became typhoons, a slightly higher than normal proportion.


Systems


Tropical Storm Tapah (Agaton)

The first storm of the season was Tropical Storm Tapah, which formed on January 9 near
Palau Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the ...
. It developed from the
monsoon trough The monsoon trough is a portion of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in the Western Pacific,Bin WangThe Asian Monsoon.Retrieved 2008-05-03. as depicted by a line on a weather map showing the locations of minimum sea level pressure, and as such, ...
and was first observed by the JTWC two days before its formation. The system initially consisted of an area of convection with a weak circulation, located in an area of weak
wind shear Wind shear (or 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 or horizont ...
. On January 10, the JMA classified the system as a tropical depression, the same day that the JTWC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression 01W and PAGASA classified it as "Agaton". The storm moved west-northwestward due to a ridge to the north, and the system gradually became better organized. On January 12, the JMA upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Tapah, and later that day estimated peak winds of . Around that time, Tapah developed an eye feature beneath its convection, prompting both the JTWC and PAGASA to estimate peak winds of . An approaching trough weakened the ridge, which turned the storm to the northwest. Due to increasing wind shear, convection gradually weakened, and the JMA downgraded Tapah to a tropical depression on January 13; however, other agencies maintained the system as a tropical storm. The next day, Tapah dissipated along the eastern coast of
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
in the Philippines.


Typhoon Mitag (Basyang)

Typhoon Mitag developed from a trough near the equator on February 25 near the
Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (; abbreviated FSM) is an island country in Oceania. It consists of four states from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosraethat are spread across the western Pacific. Together, the states comprise a ...
(FSM). It moved westward through the archipelago and intensified into a typhoon, before passing near
Yap Yap ( yap, Waqaab) traditionally refers to an island group located in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, a part of Yap State. The name "Yap" in recent years has come to also refer to the state within the Federated States of Micr ...
on March 2. High winds and heavy rainfall affected the state, causing an islandwide power outage and destroying hundreds of houses. Mitag severely damaged crops, resulting in food shortages. The rainfall and storm surge flooded much of the coastline as well as Yap's capital, Colonia. Damage totaled $150 million, mostly to crops. There was one death related to the storm's aftermath. After affecting Yap, Mitag turned to the northwest and later to the north due to an approaching trough. It passed to the north of Palau, contributing to one death there. Despite predictions of weakening, the typhoon continued to intensify, reaching peak 10-minute winds of on March 5. The JTWC estimated peak 1-minute winds of when the storm was about east of
Catanduanes Catanduanes (; ), officially the Province of Catanduanes, is an island province located in the Bicol Region of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the 12th-largest island in the Philippines, and lies to the east of Camarines Sur, across Maqueda ...
in the Philippines; this made Mitag a super typhoon, the first one on record in the month of March. The combination of cooler air and interaction with the
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 and trend t ...
caused Mitag to weaken significantly. Only four days after reaching peak winds, the storm had dissipated well to the east of the Philippines.


Tropical Depression 03W (Caloy)

On March 15, the JTWC began monitoring a tropical disturbance, and four days later upgraded it to a tropical depression near Palau. The next day, both the JMA and PAGASA classified the system as a depression, and PAGASA named it "Caloy". Moving west-northwestward due to a ridge to the north, the depression moved across the Philippine island of
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
on March 21 and continued through the archipelago. Owing to strong wind shear, the system never intensified, and the JMA discontinued advisories on March 23 after the system reached the South China Sea. The JTWC maintained the system as a tropical depression until March 25, when a mid-latitude trough absorbed the system off the east coast of
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. Heavy rains from the depression affected the southern Philippines, causing flash flooding and landslides. The storm damaged 2,703 homes, including 215 that were destroyed. Damage totaled about $2.4 million (₱124 million PHP). There were 35 deaths in the Philippines, mostly in
Surigao del Sur Surigao del Sur ( Surigaonon: ''Probinsya nan Surigao del Sur''; ceb, Habagatang Surigao; tl, Timog Surigao), officially the Province of Surigao del Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Caraga region in Mindanao. Its capital is T ...
in Mindanao from drownings.


Typhoon Hagibis

The monsoon trough spawned a tropical disturbance near 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 ce ...
in the middle of May. By that time, the system was an area of convection with a weak circulation, although the system organized as outflow improved. It tracked northwestward within the monsoon trough, steered by a mid-level ridge. The system developed into a tropical depression on May 14 about southwest of
Chuuk Lagoon Chuuk Lagoon, previously Truk Atoll, is an atoll in the central Pacific. It lies about northeast of New Guinea, and is part of Chuuk State within the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). A protective reef, around, encloses a natural harbo ...
, and early the next day the JTWC initiated advisories. For several days the depression remained weak, until it intensified into Tropical Storm Hagibis on May 16 about southwest of
Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
. The developing storm dropped rainfall on Guam that ended the island's wildfire season. The storm quickly intensified, developing an eye feature later that day. Early on May 18, the JMA upgraded Hagibis to a typhoon, and around that time, an approaching trough turned the storm to the northeast. While accelerating northeastward, Hagibis developed a well-defined eye and underwent a period of
rapid deepening In meteorology, rapid intensification is a situation where a tropical cyclone intensifies dramatically in a short period of time. The United States National Hurricane Center defines rapid intensification as an increase in the maximum sustained ...
. On May 19, the JMA estimated peak 10-minute winds of , and the JTWC estimated 1-minute winds of ; this made Hagibis a super typhoon, the second of the year. At the time of its peak, the typhoon was located about west-southwest of the northernmost Northern Marianas Islands. Hagibis only maintained its peak for about 12 hours, after which the eye began weakening. The trough that caused the typhoon's acceleration also caused the storm to lose tropical characteristics, and dry air gradually became entrained in the circulation. On May 21, Hagibis became extratropical to the east of Japan after having weakened below typhoon intensity. The remnants continued to the northeast and dissipated south of the
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a chain of 14 large v ...
on May 22.


Severe Tropical Storm Noguri (Espada)

In early June, a disturbance within the monsoon trough persisted in the South China Sea to the east of Vietnam. On June 4, a tropical depression developed just off the east coast of
Hainan Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...
, with a broad circulation and scattered convection. The system tracked slowly eastward due to a ridge to the north, and conditions favored intensification, including favorable outflow and minimal wind shear. The JTWC initiated advisories on June 6, and despite the favorable conditions, the depression remained weak. On June 7, the system briefly entered the area of responsibility of PAGASA, and the agency named it Espada. Later that day, the JTWC upgraded the depression to a tropical storm, and on June 8 the JMA upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Noguri halfway between Taiwan and Luzon. Increased outflow from an approaching trough allowed the storm to quickly intensify. The JTWC upgraded Noguri to a typhoon late on June 8, after an eye developed. By that time, the storm was moving to the northeast due to a building ridge to the southeast. The JMA only estimated peak 10-minute winds of , making it a severe tropical storm. However, the JTWC estimated peak winds of , after the eye became well-organized. Increasing wind shear weakened Noguri, and the storm passed just west of the
Miyako-jima is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of the City of Miyakojima, which includes not only Miyako Island, but also five other populated island ...
on June 9. The convection diminished, and the JTWC declared Noguri extratropical while the storm was approaching Japan. The JMA continued tracking the storm until it dissipated over the
Kii Peninsula The is the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is named after the ancient Kii Province. Overview The area south of the “ Central Tectonic Line” is called , and is home to reef-like coral communities which are among ...
on June 11. While the storm passed south of Taiwan, it dropped heavy rainfall peaking at in Pingtung County. Rainfall in Japan peaked at at a station in Kagoshima Prefecture. The threat of the storm prompted school closures and 20 airline flight cancellations. Noguri injured one person, damaged one house, and caused about $4 million (¥504 million JPY) in agricultural damage. The name Noguri was then changed as “Neoguri” due to a misspelling.


Typhoon Rammasun (Florita)

Typhoon Rammasun was the first of four typhoons to contribute to heavy rainfall and deadly flooding in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
in July 2002; there were 85 deaths related to the four storms, with 2,463 homes damaged or destroyed. Rammasun developed around the same time as Typhoon Chataan, but farther to the west. The storm tracked northwestward toward Taiwan, and on July 2 it attained its peak intensity with winds of . Rammasun turned northward, passing east of Taiwan and China. In Taiwan, the outer rainbands dropped rainfall that alleviated drought conditions. In contrast, rainfall in China followed previously wet conditions, resulting in additional flooding, although less damage than expected; there was about $85 million in crop and fishery damage in
Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , Chinese postal romanization, also romanized as Chekiang) is an East China, eastern, coastal Provinces of China, province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable citie ...
. After affecting Taiwan and China, Rammasun began weakening due to an approaching trough, which turned the typhoon northeastward. It passed over the Japanese island of Miyako-jima and also produced strong winds in
Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...
. About 10,000 houses lost power on the island, and high surf killed two sailors. On the Japanese mainland, there was light crop damage and one serious injury. After weakening to a tropical storm, Rammasun passed just west of the South Korean island of Jejudo, where high waves killed one person. The storm crossed the country, killing three others and leaving $9.5 million in damage. High rains also affected North Korea and
Primorsky Krai Primorsky Krai (russian: Приморский край, r=Primorsky kray, p=prʲɪˈmorskʲɪj kraj), informally known as Primorye (, ), is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia, located in the Far East region of the country and is a part of t ...
in the
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.


Typhoon Chataan (Gloria)

Typhoon Chataan formed on June 28, 2002, near the FSM, and for several days it meandered while producing heavy rainfall across the region. In Chuuk, a state in the FSM, the highest 24-hour precipitation total was ,Alt URL
which was greater than the average monthly total. The rain produced floods up to deep, causing deadly landslides across the island that killed 47 people; this made Chataan the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history. There was also one death on nearby Pohnpei, and damage in the FSM totaled over $100 million. After affecting the FSM, Chataan began a northwest track as an intensifying typhoon. Its eye passed just north of Guam on July 4, though the eyewall moved across the island and dropped heavy rainfall. Totals were highest in southern Guam, peaking at . Flooding and landslides from the storm severely damaged or destroyed 1,994 houses. Damage on the island totaled $60.5 million, and there were 23 injuries. The typhoon also affected Rota in the
Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI; ch, Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas; cal, Commonwealth Téél Falúw kka Efáng llól Marianas), is an unincorporated territory and commonw ...
with gusty winds and light rainfall. Typhoon Chataan attained its peak intensity of on July 8. It weakened while turning to the north, and after diminishing to a tropical storm, Chataan struck eastern Japan on July 10. High rainfall, peaking at , flooded 10,270 houses. Damage in Japan totaled about $500 million (¥59 billion JPY).


Typhoon Halong (Inday)

The monsoon trough spawned a tropical depression on July 5 near the
Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Intern ...
, near where Chataan originated. For much of its duration, Halong moved toward the northwest, gradually intensifying into a tropical storm. Early on July 10, Halong passed just south of Guam as a tropical storm, according to the JMA, although the JTWC assessed it as a typhoon near the island. It had threatened to strike the island less than a week after Chataan's damaging landfall, and although Halong remained south of Guam, it produced high waves and gusty winds on the island. The storm disrupted relief efforts following Chataan, causing additional power outages but little damage. After affecting Guam, Halong quickly strengthened into a typhoon and reached its peak winds on July 12. The JTWC estimated peak 1-minute winds of , while the JMA estimated 10-minute winds of . The typhoon weakened greatly while curving to the northeast, although its winds caused widespread power outages on Okinawa. Halong struck southeastern Japan, dropping heavy rainfall and producing strong winds that left $89.8 million (¥10.3 billion JPY) in damage. There was one death in the country and nine injuries. Halong became
extratropical 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 July 16 and dissipated the next day.


Severe Tropical Storm Nakri (Hambalos)

A circulation formed on July 7 in the South China Sea, with associated convection located to the south. Outflow increased as the system became better organized, and late on July 7 a tropical depression formed to the southwest of Taiwan. A ridge located over the Philippines caused the system to track northeastward. Early on July 9, the JMA upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Nakri near western Taiwan. It was a small storm, and while moving along the northern portion of the island, Nakri weakened as its convection diminished. However, it intensified while moving away from Taiwan, reaching peak winds of on July 10. The monsoon trough turned Nakri to the east for two days, until a weakening ridge turned it to the north on July 12. That day, the storm passed just west of Okinawa, and shortly thereafter Nakri weakened to a tropical depression, after experiencing cooler waters and increasing shear. On July 13, Nakri dissipated west of Kyushu. While passing over Taiwan, Nakri dropped heavy rainfall that reached at
Pengjia Islet Pengjia Islet (), also known as P'eng-chia Hsü, Hōka-sho, Agincourt, Dashihshan Islet, Chaolai Islet, P'eng-chia Yü or Pengchia Islet, is an islet north of Taiwan and is administered under Zhongzheng District, Keelung City. It is under Taiwan ...
. A total of fell in one day at the
Feitsui Dam Feicui Dam () is a double curvature concrete arch dam on the Beishi River in Shiding District, New Taipei, Taiwan, forming Feicui Reservoir (). The dam is located in Shiding District, New Taipei City, and is usually misunderstood as the principa ...
, representing the highest daily total at that point in the year. Taiwan had experienced drought conditions prior to earlier Typhoon Rammasun, and additional rainfall from Nakri eliminated all remaining water restrictions. Airline flights were canceled throughout the region due to the storm, and some schools and offices were closed. Nakri killed one fisherman and a shipworker during its passage. High rains also affected southeastern China, and later Okinawa. The storm induced heavy rainfall in the Philippines, as well as in Japan, where landslides and flooding were reported along a cold front.


Typhoon Fengshen

The monsoon trough spawned a tropical depression on July 13, which quickly intensified due to its small size. By July 15, Fengshen attained typhoon status, and after initially moving to the north, it began a movement toward the northwest. On July 18, the typhoon reached peak 10-minute winds of , according to the JMA, making it the strongest storm of the season. The JTWC estimated peak 1-minute winds of , and the agency estimated that Fengshen was a super typhoon for five days. This broke the record for longest duration at that intensity, previously set by
Typhoon Joan Typhoon Joan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Sening, was the first of two super typhoons to strike the Philippines within a week in October 1970, the second being Super Typhoon Kate. Super Typhoon Joan is the fourth strongest typhoon ...
in 1997, and later tied by Typhoon Ioke in 2006. While near peak intensity, Typhoon Fengshen underwent the
Fujiwhara effect The Fujiwhara effect, sometimes referred to as the Fujiwara effect, Fujiw(h)ara interaction or binary interaction, is a phenomenon that occurs when two nearby cyclonic vortices move around each other and close the distance between the circulations ...
with
Typhoon Fung-wong Fung-wong may refer to four tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean. The name, contributed by Hong Kong, refers to Lantau Peak (Phoenix Mountain), the highest point in Hong Kong's Lantau Island. The name is also the Cantonese pronunciation and romani ...
, causing the latter storm to loop to its south. Fengshen gradually weakened while approaching Japan, and it crossed over the country's
Ōsumi Islands The is an archipelago in the Nansei Islands, and are the northernmost group of the Satsunan Islands, which is in turn part of the Ryukyu Archipelago. The chain extends from the southern tip of Kyushu to Yakushima. Administratively, the group bel ...
on July 25 as a
severe tropical storm Tropical cyclones are ranked on one of five tropical cyclone intensity scales, according to their maximum sustained winds and which tropical cyclone basins they are located in. Only a few scales of classifications are used officially by the mete ...
. When the typhoon washed a freighter ashore, four people drowned and the remaining fifteen were rescued. In the country, Fengshen dropped heavy rainfall and produced heavy rains, causing mudslides, $4 million (¥475 million JPY) in crop damage, and one death. After affecting Japan, Fengshen weakened in the
Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour ter ...
to a tropical depression, before moving across China's
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and dissipating on July 28.


Tropical Depression 13W (Juan)

On July 16, an area of convection increased northwest of Palau with a weak circulation. Moderate shear dispersed the thunderstorms, although the system gradually organized. It tracked northwestward due to a ridge to the north, becoming a tropical depression on July 18. PAGASA gave the system the local name "Juan", and the JTWC classified it as Tropical Depression 13W, although the JMA did not classify it as a tropical storm. Early on July 19, the depression struck
Samar Island Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
in the Philippines, and continued northwestward through the archipelago. An increase in convection the next day prompted the JTWC to upgrade the system to a tropical storm before it moved over Luzon and the
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the seat of government and one of three defined metropolitan areas in ...
area. Increasing shear and disrupted outflow due to land interaction weakened the system, and the JTWC discontinued advisories on July 22. PAGASA continued tracking the system until the following day. The depression dropped heavy rainfall in the Philippines during its passage, only weeks after several consecutive tropical systems caused deadly flooding in the country. The rains forced 2,400 people to evacuate. Storm-related tornadoes and landslides killed at least three people. Three people were electrocuted, and flash flooding killed at least two people. In all, Tropical Depression Juan killed 14 people and injured two others. There were 583 houses that were damaged or destroyed, and damage totaled about $240,000 (₱12.1 million PHP), mostly on Luzon.


Typhoon Fung-wong (Kaka)

A small circulation formed northeast of the Northern Marianas Islands on July 18. Later that day, the JMA classified the system as a tropical depression. Convection and outflow increased the next day, and the system moved slowly westward due to a ridge over Japan. After further organization, the JTWC initiated advisories on July 20 while the depression was just southwest of Iwo Jima. Shortly thereafter, the JMA upgraded it to Tropical Storm Fung-Wong. On July 22, the storm began undergoing the Fujiwhara effect with the larger Typhoon Fengshen to the east, causing Fung-wong to turn southwestward. Around that time, the storm entered PAGASA's region, earning it the local name "Kaka". Fung-wong quickly intensified after developing a small eye, becoming a typhoon on July 23, with peak winds of . It turned to the south and later southeast while interacting with the larger Fengshen, which passed north of it. On July 25, the typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm while at the southernmost point of its track. The storm turned to the north and completed a large loop between the Ryukyu and Northern Marianas Islands that day. The combination of cooler waters, wind shear, and dry air caused weakening, and the storm deteriorated into a tropical depression on July 27. Passing a short distance south of Kyushu, Fung-wong dissipated later that day. The storm dropped heavy rainfall in Japan, reaching at a station in
Miyazaki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Miyazaki Prefecture has a population of 1,073,054 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 7,735 Square kilometre, km2 (2,986 sq mi). Miyazaki Prefecture borders ...
. The rains caused two landslides and resulted in delays to bus and train systems, as well as cancellations to ferry and airline routes. There was also minor crop damage.


Tropical Storm Kalmaegi

A tropical disturbance developed on July 17 in the Central Pacific Ocean, near the International Date Line. Deep convection with outflow persisted around a circulation, and at 06:00 UTC on July 20 the JMA classified the system as a tropical depression, just east of the date line and about west-southwest of Johnston Atoll. The system crossed the line shortly thereafter and quickly intensified into Tropical Storm Kalmaegi. The JMA classified the system as a tropical storm, although the JTWC maintained it as a tropical depression. Kalmaegi moved northwestward due to a ridge to the north, and initially a
tropical upper tropospheric trough A tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT), also known as the mid-oceanic trough, is a trough situated in the upper-level (at about 200 hPa) tropics. Its formation is usually caused by the intrusion of energy and wind from the mid-latitudes into t ...
provided favorable conditions. However, the trough soon increased wind shear and restricted outflow, which caused quick weakening. The thunderstorms diminished from the circulation, and around 12:00 UTC on July 22, Kalmaegi dissipated about 30 hours after forming.


Severe Tropical Storm Kammuri (Lagalag)

A large monsoonal system persisted toward the end of July 2002 near the Philippines. On August 2, a tropical depression formed off the northwest coast of Luzon and moved west-northwestward. Late on August 3, it intensified into Tropical Storm Kammuri off the coast of Hong Kong. A weakening ridge turned the storm northward toward the coast of China. Tropical Storm Kammuri made landfall late on August 4, after reaching peak winds of . The system dissipated over the mountainous coastline of eastern China and merged with a cold front on August 7. High rainfall from Kammuri affected large portions of China, particularly in
Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
province where it moved ashore. In Hong Kong, the rains caused a landslide and damaged a road. Two dams were destroyed in Guangdong by the flooding, and 10 people were killed by a landslide. Throughout the province, over 100,000 people had to evacuate due to flooding, and after 6,810 houses were destroyed. The floods damaged roads, railroads, and tunnels, and left power and water outages across the region. Rainfall was beneficial in alleviating drought conditions in Guangdong, although further inland the rains occurred after months of deadly flooding. In Hunan Province, the storm's remnants merged with a cold front and destroyed 12,400 houses. Across its path, the floods damaged or destroyed 245,000 houses, and destroyed about of crop fields. Kammuri and its remnants killed 153 people, and damage was estimated at $509 million (¥4.219 billion CNY).


Tropical Depression 18W (Milenyo)

A tropical depression developed on August 10 east of the Philippines. Initially it was disorganized due to hostile conditions, and it failed to intensify significantly before crossing the Philippine island of Luzon. There, flooding forced 3,500 people to evacuate their homes. In the Philippines, the storm killed 35 people and caused $3.3 million in damage, with 13,178 houses damaged or destroyed. It was the final storm named by PAGASA during the season. After affecting the Philippines, the tropical depression moved into the South China Sea and dissipated on August 14. During the next day, despite separate systems, the remnants of 18W formed another system which would later intensify into Tropical Storm Vongfong.


Typhoon Phanfone

The monsoon trough spawned a tropical depression on August 11, just west of
Ujelang Atoll Ujelang Atoll ( Marshallese: , ) is a coral atoll of 30 islands in the Pacific Ocean, in the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands. Its total land area is , and it encloses a lagoon of . It is the westernmost island in the Marshall Islands, approxim ...
. It moved generally northwestward due to a ridge to the north, quickly intensifying into Tropical Storm Phanfone by August 12. With good outflow and developing rainbands, the storm continued to strengthen, becoming a typhoon on August 14. Phanfone developed a well-defined eye, surrounded by deep convection. On August 15, the JMA estimated 10-minute winds of , and the JTWC estimated 1-minute winds of , making it a super typhoon. Diminished outflow and an
eyewall replacement cycle In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones, generally with winds greater than , or major hurricanes ( Category 3 or above). When tropical cyclones reach this int ...
caused weakening, and it passed near Iwo Jima on August 16. Phanfone turned to the northeast two days later due to a weakening ridge, and dry air caused rapid deterioration. Passing southeast of Japan, it fell to tropical storm status on August 19 before becoming extratropical the next day; the remnants continued to the northeast and crossed the International Date Line on August 25. Wind gusts on Iwo Jima reached . Rainfall in mainland Japan peaked at near Tokyo, and the typhoon flooded 43 houses. High rains caused road damage and landslides, as well as some aquaculture damage. The storm caused 22 ferry routes and 10 flights to be canceled, and temporarily shut down refineries near Tokyo. On the offshore island of
Hachijō-jima is a volcanic Japanese island in the Philippine Sea. It is about south of the special wards of Tokyo. It is part of the Izu archipelago and within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Its only municipality is Hachijō. On 1 March 2018, its p ...
, high winds caused a temporary power outage.


Tropical Storm Vongfong

A tropical depression formed in the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phi ...
during August 15 from the remnants of 18W. It moved northwestward, strengthening into Tropical Storm Vongfong on August 18. It brushed eastern
Hainan Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...
before making
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
on August 19 in southern China near
Wuchuan, Guangdong Wuchuan is a county-level city in the southwest of Guangdong province, China. It is the easternmost county-level division of the prefecture-level city of Zhanjiang. The total area of Wuchuan is , with an estimated population of in 2013. History ...
. Soon after the circulation dissipated, it dropped heavy rainfall across the region. One person died in a traffic accident in Hong Kong, and landslides killed twelve people. The storm destroyed 6,000 houses, mostly in Guangdong, and damage in the country totaled at least $86 million.


Typhoon Rusa

Typhoon Rusa developed on August 22 from the monsoon trough in the open Pacific Ocean, well to the southeast of Japan. For several days, Rusa moved to the northwest, eventually intensifying into a powerful typhoon. The JMA estimated peak 10-minute winds of , and the JTWC estimated peak 1-minute winds of . On August 26, the storm moved across the
Amami Islands The The name ''Amami-guntō'' was standardized on February 15, 2010. Prior to that, another name, ''Amami shotō'' (奄美諸島), was also used. is an archipelago in the Satsunan Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, and is southwest of ...
of Japan, where Rusa left 20,000 people without power and caused two fatalities. Across Japan, the typhoon dropped torrential rainfall peaking at in Tokushima Prefecture. After weakening slightly, Rusa made landfall on
Goheung Goheung County (''Goheung-gun'') is a county in Jeollanam-do Province, South Korea. Naro Space Center The Naro Space Center was completed during 2008 in southern Goheung and is operated by the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute. The sp ...
, South Korea with 10-minute winds of . It was able to maintain much of its intensity due to warm air and instability from a nearby cold front. Rusa weakened while moving through the country, dropping heavy rainfall that peaked at in Gangneung. A 24-hour total of in the city broke the record for the highest daily precipitation in the country; however, the heaviest rainfall was localized. Over 17,000 houses were damaged, and large areas of crop fields were flooded. In South Korea, Rusa killed at least 233 people, making it the deadliest typhoon in over 43 years, and caused $4.2 billion in damage. The typhoon also dropped heavy rainfall in neighboring North Korea, leaving 26,000 people homeless and killing three. Rusa also destroyed large areas of crops in the country, which was already affected by ongoing famine conditions. The typhoon became extratropical over eastern Russia on September 1, dissipating three days later.


Typhoon Sinlaku

Sinlaku formed on August 27 northeast of the Northern Marianas Islands. After initially moving to the north, it began a generally westward motion that it maintained for the rest of its duration. Sinlaku strengthened into a typhoon and attained its peak winds on August 31. Over the next few days, it fluctuated slightly in intensity while moving over or near several Japanese islands. On September 4, the typhoon's eye crossed over Okinawa. It dropped heavy rainfall and produced strong winds that left over 100,000 people without power. Damage on the island was estimated at $14.3 million, including $3.6 million in damage to Kadena Air Base. After affecting Okinawa, Sinlaku threatened northern Taiwan, which had been affected by two deadly typhoons in the previous year. Damage ended up being minimal on the island, although two people were killed. Sinlaku weakened slightly before making its final landfall in eastern China near Wenzhou on September 7. The storm produced a record wind gust there of , and just south of the city, high waves destroyed several piers and a large boat. High rainfall and winds from Sinlaku wrecked 58,000 houses, and large areas of crops were destroyed. Damage in China was estimated at $709 million, and there were 28 deaths there.


Typhoon Ele

An eastern extension of the monsoon trough southwest of Hawaii organized into Tropical Depression Two-C on August 27 and strengthened into Tropical Storm Ele six hours later. Despite the nearby presence of Alika, Ele developed rapidly and strengthened into a hurricane on August 28. After contributing to the demise of Alika, Ele intensified to winds of before crossing the International Date Line on August 30. Reclassified as a typhoon, Ele moved north-northwestward due to a weakness in the ridge to the north. Early on August 31, the JTWC estimated the storm's peak 1-minute winds at . On September 2, the JMA estimated peak 10-minute winds of while Ele was northeast of Wake Atoll. The typhoon turned to the northeast due to an approaching trough, although Ele resumed its previous north-northwest motion after a ridge built behind the trough. It gradually weakened due to cooler waters and increasing wind shear, and on September 6 Ele deteriorated below typhoon status. The thunderstorms became detached from the circulation, causing Ele to weaken to a tropical depression late on September 9. By that time, it began moving to the northeast, and on September 10 it transitioned into an extratropical storm. The remnants of Ele continued to the northeast until moving back into the central Pacific as an extratropical storm on September 11 and dissipating on September 13.


Tropical Storm Hagupit

An area of convection developed on September 8 to the northeast of Luzon. Moving to the west due to a ridge to the north, it slowly organized, forming into a tropical depression on September 9 in the South China Sea. As it approached southeastern China, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Hagupit and reached peak winds of . At around 19:00 UTC on September 11, the storm made landfall west of Macau and quickly weakened into a tropical depression. The JTWC promptly discontinued advisories, although the JMA continued tracking Hagupit over land. The remnants executed a loop over Guangdong before moving offshore and dissipating on September 16 near Hong Kong. Hagupit dropped heavy rainfall along the coast of China for several days, peaking at in Zhanjiang City. The rains flooded widespread areas of crop fields and resulted in landslides. In Guangdong, 330 houses were destroyed, and damage was estimated at $32.5 million. In Hong Kong, 32 people were injured due to the storm, and 41 flights were canceled. In Fuzhou in Fujian Province, thunderstorms related to Hagupit flooded hundreds of houses. Further west in Jiangxi, floods from the storm destroyed 3,800 houses, ruined 180 bridges, and killed 25. Offshore, a helicopter rescued the crew of 25 from a sunken boat during the storm.


Tropical Storm Changmi

An area of thunderstorms increased near the FSM on September 15 within the monsoon trough. Located within an area of moderate wind shear, its convection was intermittent around a weak circulation. On September 18, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA), and the JMA classified the system as a tropical depression; however, the two warning agencies were tracking different circulations within the same system, and by September 19 the circulation JMA was tracking became the dominant system. Shortly thereafter, the agency downgraded the system to a low-pressure area after it weakened. The next day, JMA again upgraded the system to a tropical depression, and the JTWC issued a second TCFA when the system had a partially exposed circulation near an area of increasing convection. Late on September 21, the JMA upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Changmi to the south of Japan. The next day, Changmi attained peak winds of . However, the JTWC noted that the system was absorbing dry air and becoming extratropical, and thus did not issue warnings on the storm. Moving northeastward, Changmi became an extratropical cyclone on September 22, and gradually became more intense until crossing the International Date Line early on September 25.


Tropical Storm Mekkhala

An elongated trough with associated convection developed in the South China Sea by September 21. Light shear and increasing outflow allowed the system to become better organized, and it formed into a tropical depression on September 22 between Vietnam and Luzon. A ridge to the northeast allowed the system to track northwestward. For several days the depression failed to organize further, despite favorable conditions; however, late on September 24 the circulation developed rainbands and a weak eye feature. Early the next day, the JMA upgraded it to Tropical Storm Mekkhala, which quickly intensified to a peak intensity of . At around 12:00 UTC on September 25, Mekkhala made landfall on western Hainan near peak intensity. Soon after, it moved into the Gulf of Tonkin and weakened due to land interaction and increasing shear. Mekkhala remained a weak tropical storm until September 28, when it weakened to a tropical depression and dissipated soon after in the extreme northern portion of the Gulf of Tonkin. Mekkhala dropped heavy rainfall along its path, peaking at in Sanya, Hainan. Along the island, high winds washed ashore or sank 20 boats, and 84 fishermen were rescued. Throughout Hainan, the high rains wrecked 2,500 houses and left $80.5 million in damage. High rains spread into southwestern China, particularly in Guangxi. In Beihai, the storm destroyed 335 houses, resulting in $22 million in damage.


Typhoon Higos

Typhoon Higos developed on September 25 east of the Northern Marianas Islands. It tracked west-northwestward for its first few days, steadily intensifying into a powerful typhoon by September 29. Higos weakened and turned to the north-northeast toward Japan, making landfall in that country's Kanagawa Prefecture on October 1. Shortly thereafter, it crossed over Tokyo, becoming the third strongest typhoon to do so since World War II. It weakened while crossing Honshu, and shortly after striking Hokkaidō on October 2, Higos became extratropical. The remnants passed over Sakhalin and dissipated on October 4. Before striking Japan, Higos produced strong winds in the Northern Marianas Islands while passing to their north. These winds damaged the food supply on two islands. Later, Higos moved across Japan with wind gusts as strong as , including record gusts at several locations. A total of 608,130 buildings in the country were left without power, and two people were electrocuted in the storm's aftermath. The typhoon also dropped heavy rainfall that peaked at . The rains flooded houses across the country and caused mudslides. High waves washed 25 boats ashore and killed one person along the coast. Damage in the country totaled $2.14 billion (¥261 billion JPY), and there were five deaths. Later, the remnants of Higos affected the Russian Far East, killing seven people in two shipwrecks near Primorsky Krai.


Severe Tropical Storm Bavi

A tropical disturbance organized within the monsoon trough in early October near the FSM. The convection gradually consolidated around a single circulation, developing into a tropical depression on October 8. Wind shear was weak and outflow was good, which allowed for slow strengthening; however, the system was elongated, with a separate circulation to the west. Around this time, the system produced gale-force winds on Kosrae in the FSM. Late on October 9, the JMA upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Bavi to the east of Guam, although it was still a broad system at the time. After becoming a tropical storm, Bavi moved generally northward due to a ridge retreating to the northeast. By October 11, winds were fairly weak near the center and were stronger in outer rainbands. That day, the JMA estimated peak winds of . Despite the broad structure, with an exposed circulation at the peak, the JTWC estimated winds as high as , making Bavi a typhoon. Shortly after reaching peak winds, the storm turned to the northeast and entered the westerlies. Increasing shear weakened the convection, and Bavi became extratropical on October 13. It continued to the northeast and crossed into the Central Pacific on October 16.


Severe Tropical Storm Maysak

On October 25, an organized area of convection persisted southeast of Wake Island. With minimal wind shear, it quickly developed a circulation, becoming a tropical depression on October 26. Due to a ridge to the east, it moved generally northwestward and slowly intensified. Late on October 27, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Maysak. Initially, the system absorbed nearby dry air, although the storm was able to continue developing deep convection. An approaching trough turned Maysak to the northeast, and on October 29 it reached peak winds of , according to the JMA. On two occasions, the JTWC assessed Maysak as briefly intensifying into a typhoon, based on an eye feature, although increased shear later caused weakening. Continuing to the northeast, Maysak moved into the central Pacific Ocean on October 30, by which time it had become extratropical.


Typhoon Huko

In the central Pacific Ocean, a tropical depression developed in the monsoon trough on October 24 to the south of Hawaii. It moved generally west-northwestward, intensifying into Tropical Storm Huko on October 26. It became a hurricane two days later, and briefly weakened back to tropical storm status before becoming a hurricane again on October 31. On November 3, Huko crossed the International Date Line into the western Pacific. Despite favorable inflow patterns and warm sea surface temperatures, Huko only strengthened to reach peak winds of . It moved quickly to the west-northwest due to a strong ridge to its north. Dry air caused Huko to weaken slightly, and on November 4 the typhoon passed about northeast of Wake Island. The typhoon brought heavy rains and winds gusts of to the island. Huko moved through a weakness in the ridge, resulting in a turn to the north and northeast. Late on November 5, Huko weakened below typhoon status, and increasing shear caused further weakening. On November 7, Huko became extratropical, and later that day its remnants crossed back into the central Pacific. Several days later, the remnants affected northern California.


Typhoon Haishen

In the middle of November, an area of thunderstorms developed southwest of Chuuk in the FSM within the monsoon trough. With weak shear and good outflow, it slowly organized, becoming a tropical depression on November 20. It moved quickly to the west-northwest, intensifying into Tropical Storm Haishen late on November 20 to the southeast of Guam. While passing south of the island, Haishen produced gale-force winds. The convection organized into a central dense overcast and developed an eye feature. Early on November 23, Haishen intensified into a typhoon; around that time, it began moving to the north due to an approaching trough. The typhoon quickly intensified to peak winds of . Soon after, Haishen began weakening due to increasing shear, and the eye quickly dissipated. Late on November 24, it weakened below typhoon status, and early on November 25 Haishen became extratropical. The remnants continued to the northeast, dissipating on November 26.


Typhoon Pongsona

Typhoon Pongsona was the last typhoon of the season, and was the second costliest disaster in 2002 in the United States and its territories. It formed on December 2, having originated as an area of convection to the east-southeast of Pohnpei in late November. With a ridge to the north, the depression tracked generally westward for several days, intensifying into Tropical Storm Pongsona on December 3. After an eye developed on December 5, the storm attained typhoon status to the north of Chuuk. Steady intensification continued, until it became more rapid on December 8 while approaching Guam. That day, the JMA estimated peak winds of , and the JTWC estimated peak winds of , making Pongsona a super typhoon. Around its peak intensity, the eye of the typhoon moved over Guam and Rota. After striking Guam, Pongsona began moving to the north and later to the northeast, quickly weakening due to the presence of dry air and interaction with an approaching mid-latitude storm. After the convection diminished over the center, Pongsona became extratropical early on December 11. Early the next day, it dissipated east of Japan. On Guam, Pongsona was the third most intense typhoon on record to strike the island, with wind gusts reaching . Damage totaled $700 million, making it one of the five costliest storms on Guam. The typhoon injured 193 people and killed one person. In addition to its strong winds, Pongsona dropped torrential rainfall that peaked at . A total of 1,751 houses were destroyed on Guam, and another 6,740 were damaged to some degree. Widespread areas lost water, and the road system was heavily damaged. On neighboring Rota, Pongsona damaged 460 houses and destroyed 114, causing an additional $30 million in damage. Both Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands were declared federal disaster areas, which made federal funding available for repairing storm damage. In Guam, the federal government provided about $125 million in funding for individuals and other programs.


Other systems

On February 15, a weak tropical depression developed east of Mindanao, according to the JMA; by the next day, the system dissipated. In the beginning of April, a tropical disturbance developed along the southern end of a Shear line (meteorology), stationary cold front west of Enewetak Atoll. While gradually organizing, the system produced gale-force wind gusts in the FSM. On April 5, the JTWC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression 04W. The system moved northwestward due to a nearby extratropical storm, which later caused the depression to also become extratropical about west-southwest of Wake Atoll. The JMA issued its last advisory on April 8. A tropical depression formed in the South China Sea on May 28, given the name "Dagul" by PAGASA. The JTWC never anticipated significant strengthening, and the system largely consisted of convection displaced to the southeast of a broad circulation. A ridge to the southeast steered the depression to the northeast, and on May 30 the depression made landfall in southwestern Taiwan. The combination of land interaction and wind shear caused dissipation that day. The JMA monitored a tropical depression east of Iwo Jima on July 25, although by the next day the agency was no longer tracking the system. On August 3, a small circulation was located just off the southeast coast of Japan, which later developed an area of convection over it. The JTWC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression 17W at 06:00 UTC on August 5, describing the system as a "midget cyclone". A mid-level ridge to the southeast steered the depression eastward away from Japan. Unfavorable conditions caused weakening, and the JTWC discontinued advisories six hours after its first warning. Another tropical depression formed on September 21 to the northeast of the Marshall Islands, but dissipated by the next day. Three non-developing depressions formed in October. The first was classified as a depression by the JMA on October 12 in the South China Sea. It quickly dissipated, although the system dropped heavy rainfall reaching at a station in the Paracel Islands. The second, classified as Tropical Depression 27W by the JTWC, formed on October 17 about east-northeast of Saipan. It moved westward due to a ridge to the north, and failed to intensify due to weak outflow and dry air. It dissipated on October 19. The day before, another depression formed near the International Date Line. Classified as Tropical Depression 28W by the JTWC, it moved generally northward due to a break in the ridge. Wind shear dissipated the depression on October 20.


Storm names

Within the western Pacific Ocean, both the JMA and PAGASA assign names to tropical cyclones that develop in the basin, which can result in a tropical cyclone having two names. As part of its duty as a
Regional Specialized Meteorological Center A Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) is responsible for the distribution of information, advisories, and warnings regarding the specific program they have a part of, agreed by consensus at the World Meteorological Organization as p ...
(RSMC), the JMA's Typhoon Center in Tokyo assigns international names to tropical cyclones on behalf of the
World Meteorological Organization The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics. The WMO originated from the Intern ...
's Typhoon Committee, should they be judged to have 10-minute sustained winds of . The PAGASA assigns names to all tropical cyclones that move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility, located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°N-25°N, even if the cyclone has had an international name assigned to it. The names of significant tropical cyclones are retired, by both List of retired Philippine typhoon names, PAGASA and the List of retired Pacific typhoon names, Typhoon Committee. PAGASA also has an auxiliary naming list, of which the first ten are published, should their list of names be exhausted.


International names

During the season 24 named tropical cyclones developed in the Western Pacific and were named by the Japan Meteorological Agency, when it was determined that they had become tropical storms. These names were contributed to a list of a 140 names submitted by the fourteen members nations and territories of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. All of the names on the list were used for the first time. This is the only time the names Noguri, Changmi, Chataan, Rusa, and Pongsona were used. The former two had their spellings changed while the latter three were retired. Two central pacific storms, Hurricane Ele 02C and Hurricane Huko 03C, crossed into this basin. They became Typhoon Ele and Typhoon Huko, keeping their original name and "C" suffix in their warnings by JTWC.


Philippines

The
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Pagasa may refer to: * ''Pagasa'' (genus), an insect genus in the family Nabidae * PAGASA, an acronym for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration *"May Pagasa", a pen-name of José Rizal José Prot ...
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, and the lists are reused every four years. Should the list of names for a given year prove to be insufficient, names are taken from an auxiliary list, the first 10 of which are published each year before the season starts. The names not retired from this list would be used again in the 2006 Pacific typhoon season, 2006 season. Names that were not assigned are marked in .


Retirement

The names ''Chataan'', ''Rusa'', and ''Pongsona'' were retired by the WMO's Typhoon Committee. The names ''Matmo'', ''Nuri'', and ''Noul'' were chosen to replace ''Chataan'', ''Rusa'' and ''Pongsona'' respectively.


Season effects

The following table does not include unnamed storms, and PAGASA names are in parenthesis. Storms entering from the Central Pacific only include their information while in the western Pacific, and are noted with an asterisk *. , - , Tapah (Agaton) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Typhoon Mitag (2002), Mitag (Basyang) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Federated States of Micronesia, Palau , , , , , , , - , 03W (Caloy) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines , , , , , , , - , 04W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Hagibis , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands , , , , None , , , - , 06W (Dagul) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines, Taiwan , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Ryukyu Islands , , None , , None , , , - , Noguri (Espada) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan, Taiwan , , , , None , , , - , Typhoon Rammasun (2002), Rammasun (Florita) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , China, Korean Peninsula, Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan , , , , , , , - , Typhoon Chataan, Chataan (Gloria) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Chuuk, Guam, Japan , , , , , , , - , Typhoon Halong (2002), Halong (Inday) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Guam, Philippines, Japan , , , , , , , - , Nakri (Hambalos) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines, China, Taiwan, Japan , , None , , , , , - , Fengshen , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan, China , , , , , , , - , 13W (Juan) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines , , , , , , , - , Fung-wong (Kaka) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan , , None , , None , , , - , Kalmaegi , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , South China , , None , , None , , , - , Tropical Storm Kammuri (2002), Kammuri
(Lagalag) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , China , , , , , , , - , 17W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , 18W (Milenyo) , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Philippines , , , , , , , - , Phanfone , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan , , None , , None , , , - , Tropical Storm Vongfong (2002), Vongfong , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , China , , , , , , , - , Rusa , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan, South Korea, North Korea , , , , , , , - , Sinlaku , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan, China , , , , , , , - , Ele , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Hagupit , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , China , , , , , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Mariana Islands , , None , , None , , , - , Changmi , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Mekkhala , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , China , , , , None , , , - , Higos , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Japan, Primorsky Krai , , , , , , , - , Bavi , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , 27W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , 28W , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Taiwan , , None , , None , , , - , Maysak , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Huko , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Haishen , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , TD , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , None , , None , , None , , , - , Pongsona , , , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , bgcolor=#, , , Guam, Northern Marianas Islands , , , , , , , -


See also

* Tropical cyclones in 2002 * List of Pacific typhoon seasons * 2002 Pacific hurricane season * 2002 Atlantic hurricane season * 2002 North Indian Ocean cyclone season * South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2001–02 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, 2001–02, 2002–03 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, 2002–03 * Australian region cyclone seasons: 2001–02 Australian region cyclone season, 2001–02, 2002–03 Australian region cyclone season, 2002–03 * South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2001–02 South Pacific cyclone season, 2001–02, 2002–03 South Pacific cyclone season, 2002–03


Notes


References


External links


Satellite movie of 2002 Pacific typhoon season


{{DEFAULTSORT:2002 Pacific Typhoon Season 2002 Pacific typhoon season, Pacific typhoon seasons Tropical cyclones in 2002, 2002 W