Strongest landfalls worldwide

[MiamiensisWx]

Tropical cyclone landfall intensities (defined by the minimum central pressure) have been extensively discussed, but the landfall strength is more enigmatic. Strength is explicitly determined by the maximum sustained surface wind values. These values are quantified by 1-min (Saffir-Simpson Scale) or 10-min (Japan Meteorological Agency) winds. The assessment of a tropical cyclone's strength at landfall presents even greater conundrums than the intensity. Lack of accurate data is a significant issue, and multifarious factors influence TC strength. For example, the gradient balance, ambient pressures, the radius of maximum winds (RMW), eye size, and pressure gradient (via isobaric analysis) affects the maximum sustained winds. Reliable reconnaissance data and appropriate reductions from respective atmospheric levels (such as 700 mb, 800 mb, 850 mb, etc.) represents the most reliable methods to accurately discern the maximum sustained surface winds. Unfortunately, accurate reconnaissance data and remote sensing has been present from the 1980s onward; this fact leaves large errors in the greater portion of the historical TC records in several basins.

It would be extremely interesting if a comprehensive, astute list of the strongest landfalls worldwide is established via reanalysis efforts. Personally, here are some plausible candidates for the strongest landfalls.

1. 1935 #2 (Atlantic) - RMW/wind radii was very narrow; strong gradient balance was present. Central pressure of 892 mb was documented on Craig Key, Florida. This TC likely represents one of the few landfalls with sustained winds (1-min) of 160-165 kt (185-190 mph). This event was the infamous Labor Day hurricane in the Monroe County (Florida) Keys.

2. 1955 Janet (Atlantic) - System's wind radii and size was very reminiscent of Hurricane Dean in 2007. Ambient pressures were relatively high as well. Minimum central pressure was measured at 914 mb in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Winds (1-min) were likely near the 150 kt (175 mph) value in HURDAT.

3. 2007 Dean (Atlantic) - 1-min winds were 150 kt (175 mph) at landfall near Mahahual, Mexico.

4. 1969 Camille (Atlantic) - System maintained Category 5 (1-min) status for an exceptionally long duration. Inner core was intact at landfall, with few signs of low/mid level dry air intrusion. Upper air regime was conducive as well, and the 500 mb shortwave was more progressive and featured a slightly lower amplitude than Katrina's situation in 2005. Small RMW/eye size and strong pressure gradient would support Category 5 strength at landfall. Operational advisories suggested a landfall strength of 160 mph (140 kt). 165 kt (190 mph) gusts were estimated, although HURDAT (best track) indicates sustained values for the landfall. Plausible landfall strength was 145 kt (165 mph), with a minimum central pressure of 909 mb. The central pressure may have been slightly lower than this reading, which may have narrowly missed the pressure center near Waveland, Mississippi.

5. 1992 Andrew (Atlantic) - Strength was 145 kt (165 mph) at Florida landfall; some data indicates values near 150 kt (175 mph).

6. 1998 Zeb (western North Pacific) - Estimated strength (per Joint Typhoon Warning Center's 1-min values) was 155 kt at landfall on Luzon, the Philippines. Intensity was estimated at 900 mb (?).

7. 2006 Severe Tropical Cyclone Monica (Australia) - System's satellite presentation and relatively small size/RMW was impressive. Wind radii was not extremely large. System crossed Cape Wessel as a Category 5 system on the Australian Bureau of Meteorology scale. The JTWC also estimated 1-min sustained values of Category 5 strength. Adjustment from BOM's 10-min wind value of 135 kt (155 mph) yields 1-min winds of 155 kt (180 mph).

Notable system (offshore):

2006 Cimaron (western North Pacific) - Personally, the relatively small RMW, eye size, and wind radii (along with the satellite presentation) suggests the peak intensity east of the Philippines was greater than the JTWC's 140 kt estimate. 150-155 kt seems more reasonable. Cimaron made landfall as a strong Category 4 (1-min) typhoon.

[HurricaneBill]

I found 18 typhoons that may have made landfall as Category 5s:

1952: Super Typhoon Della (Philippines)

1958: Super Typhoon Winnie (Taiwan)

1959: Super Typhoon Joan (Taiwan)

1959: Super Typhoon Vera (Japan)

1959: Super Typhoon Gilda (Philippines)

1962: Super Typhoon Opal (Taiwan)

1962: Super Typhoon Karen (Guam)

1964: Super Typhoon Louise (Philippines)

1970: Super Typhoon Georgia (Philippines)

1970: Super Typhoon Joan (Philippines)

1987: Super Typhoon Nina (Philippines)

1989: Super Typhoon Gordon (Philippines)

1989: Super Typhoon Elsie (Philippines)

1989: Super Typhoon Gay (India)

1995: Super Typhoon Angela (Philippines)

1998: Super Typhoon Zeb (Philippines)

2000: Super Typhoon Bilis (Taiwan)

2006: Super Typhoon Cimaron (Philippines)

[MGC]

Considering that Camille struck a continental land mass and not an island with the second lowest pressure observed in the USA is remarkable. The 909mb pressure observed in Bay St Louis was in the outer eye and not the center. The pressure gradient was impressive considering there was not a strong high pressure system to enhance the pressure gradient. To the west of the eye at the NASA test facility a pressure of 950mb was observed despite being less than 10 miles from the eye. Biloxi only reported Cat-1 sustained winds. A 24 foot storm surge was observed about 1 mile from my home. Who would have thought 36 years later that record would fall complents of Katrina. Excellent post...MGC

[Aslkahuna]

There are no reporting stations in the immediate landfall area of the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon for Angela in 1995, but Daet which is about 30 miles further along the track had 115kt winds (132 mph) and gusts to 135kt (155 mph) for a borderline Cat 4 which would imply Cat 5 at landfall and in fact the Best Track from JT has 140kt just prior to landfall. Angela was estimated at 150kt when it passed 10 miles north of Cantanduanes Island. The radar site on the north side of the island and in the southern eyewall recorded a peak gust of 140kt (160 mph) with the translation speed of 10kt to the west on the storm. Vera in 1959 is the only documented Cat 5 hit on the Japanese Home Islands and the worst typhoon disaster in Japan in more than 100 years. STY Cora was a Cat 5 at Miyako Jima, one of the southern Ryukyus, who recorded a monster gust in the 170kt range (it still stands as the highest gust recorded in any Tropical Cyclone worldwide pending verification of the reported gust from Cuba in Gustav which is 1 mph higher). STY Karen in 1962 remains the strongest storm to have ever hit Guam though Pamela in 1976 with 125kt winds came close. Both Iwo Jima and Okinawa have had gusts recorded in the 160kt range. When researching worldwide landfalls, the ATCRs from JTWC are an excellent source of data going back to 1959.

Steve

[MiamiensisWx]

Considering that Camille struck a continental land mass and not an island with the second lowest pressure observed in the USA is remarkable. The 909mb pressure observed in Bay St Louis was in the outer eye and not the center. The pressure gradient was impressive considering there was not a strong high pressure system to enhance the pressure gradient. To the west of the eye at the NASA test facility a pressure of 950mb was observed despite being less than 10 miles from the eye. Biloxi only reported Cat-1 sustained winds. A 24 foot storm surge was observed about 1 mile from my home. Who would have thought 36 years later that record would fall complents of Katrina. Excellent post...MGC

Personally, do you concur with my estimate of 145 knots (165 mph) for Camille's Mississippi landfall?

[MiamiensisWx]

There are no reporting stations in the immediate landfall area of the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon for Angela in 1995, but Daet which is about 30 miles further along the track had 115kt winds (132 mph) and gusts to 135kt (155 mph) for a borderline Cat 4 which would imply Cat 5 at landfall and in fact the Best Track from JT has 140kt just prior to landfall. Angela was estimated at 150kt when it passed 10 miles north of Cantanduanes Island. The radar site on the north side of the island and in the southern eyewall recorded a peak gust of 140kt (160 mph) with the translation speed of 10kt to the west on the storm. Vera in 1959 is the only documented Cat 5 hit on the Japanese Home Islands and the worst typhoon disaster in Japan in more than 100 years. STY Cora was a Cat 5 at Miyako Jima, one of the southern Ryukyus, who recorded a monster gust in the 170kt range (it still stands as the highest gust recorded in any Tropical Cyclone worldwide pending verification of the reported gust from Cuba in Gustav which is 1 mph higher). STY Karen in 1962 remains the strongest storm to have ever hit Guam though Pamela in 1976 with 125kt winds came close. Both Iwo Jima and Okinawa have had gusts recorded in the 160kt range. When researching worldwide landfalls, the ATCRs from JTWC are an excellent source of data going back to 1959.

Steve

Thanks - I'm well acquainted with those cases as well.

In regards to Vera, I'm skeptical on the validity of the Category 5 landfall on Honshu island, Japan. The preliminary report is an invaluable reservoir of reconnaissance/meteorological data:

https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/atcr/1959atcr/pdf/wnp/39.pdf

Note that the eye diameter was consistently relatively large after the typhoon attained its maximum intensity (896 mb). At the time of minimum pressure, the eye diameter was 15 nautical miles (n mi). Subsequently, the eye diameter increased to 20-30 n mi, with fluctuations in size. The pressure gradually increased as the TC moved northward and weakened. The last reconnaissance report prior to landfall indicated estimated surface winds of 140 knots (160 mph) and a central pressure of 929 mb. The eye diameter was ~20 n mi around the time of landfall. The central pressure, large (and expanding) wind radii, and eye diameter (along with approaching extratropical transition) does not support 1-min winds of 140 kt/160 mph at that latitude. Reconnaissance winds are notoriously unreliable during these older decades.

[MGC]

145KTS would not be out of the question. There are several here that believe Camille was not a Cat-5 though.....MGC

[Derek Ortt]

an HWIND of Camielle has it as a 127KT cat 4. That also fits in quite well if you do a simple pressure to wind curve of northern GOM landfalls since about 1995

[Aslkahuna]

Looking at the 1959 ATCR, I will agree with the assessment that Vera in 1959 was NOT a Cat 5 landfall as with the current wind/pressure relationship used in WPAC, 929 mb supports a high end Cat 3 or borderline Cat 4 landfall. In fact, the maximum intensity of the storm based upon an 896 mb reading would be 140kt 400 miles NNW of Guam. It does remain, however, the worst modern day typhoon disaster in Japanese history with 5000 deaths.

Steve

[Ptarmigan]

Looking at the 1959 ATCR, I will agree with the assessment that Vera in 1959 was NOT a Cat 5 landfall as with the current wind/pressure relationship used in WPAC, 929 mb supports a high end Cat 3 or borderline Cat 4 landfall. In fact, the maximum intensity of the storm based upon an 896 mb reading would be 140kt 400 miles NNW of Guam. It does remain, however, the worst modern day typhoon disaster in Japanese history with 5000 deaths.

Steve

I would imagine Vera was a large typhoon when it hit Japan.

[Aslkahuna]

Vera was a large typhoon period. Iwo Jima had typhoon force winds 200 miles from the center well before landfall on Honshu.

Steve

[HurricaneBill]

One storm I'm curious about is Cyclone Tracy in 1974.

Officially, Tracy is a Category 4 on the Australian scale. That pretty much equates to a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. But looking at some of the damage pictures from Tracy has me wondering if Tracy's rating is too low.

Here's some Flickr sets of Cyclone Tracy damage:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stubzee/sets/72157601521240859

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34613570@N00/sets/72157606008500089

[CrazyC83]

One storm I'm curious about is Cyclone Tracy in 1974.

Officially, Tracy is a Category 4 on the Australian scale. That pretty much equates to a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. But looking at some of the damage pictures from Tracy has me wondering if Tracy's rating is too low.

Here's some Flickr sets of Cyclone Tracy damage:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stubzee/sets/72157601521240859

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34613570@N00/sets/72157606008500089

Since Tracy was likely bombing out before landfall (makes sense with its tiny size), I'd say a solid Category 4 on the SSHS with the damage pictures, somewhere around 125-130 kt and the winds were easily making it to the surface. Pressure was probably around 945mb at landfall, which is really high for such a strong storm in that part of the world (normal for that intensity would be around 920mb; even in the Atlantic, normal would be around 930mb).

[Derek Ortt]

I'd say based upon the pressure gradient, Tracy was likely a 5. It was smaller than Iris and Iris, with a similar pressure was very near cat 5

[CrazyC83]

I'd say based upon the pressure gradient, Tracy was likely a 5. It was smaller than Iris and Iris, with a similar pressure was very near cat 5

945mb in the Atlantic is stronger (wind-wise) than 945mb in the south Pacific though...

[HurricaneBill]

I'd say based upon the pressure gradient, Tracy was likely a 5. It was smaller than Iris and Iris, with a similar pressure was very near cat 5

Tracy seemed to produce some Andrew-esque damage. I'm wondering if Tracy produced mini-swirls of intense winds like Andrew did.

[Derek Ortt]

I'd say based upon the pressure gradient, Tracy was likely a 5. It was smaller than Iris and Iris, with a similar pressure was very near cat 5

945mb in the Atlantic is stronger (wind-wise) than 945mb in the south Pacific though...

it also was in the western Caribbean, where there is a WPAC pressure to wind relationship

[Squarethecircle]

I've always thought that Tracy looked really bad for a category 3/4 storm.

[Ptarmigan]

TC Tracy is the smallest tropical cyclone besides TS Marco. 945 mb in the South Pacific is weaker than the Atlantic due to lower ambient pressure. Also, it depends on the size. Some Atlantic hurricanes had central pressure of 945 millibars and were Category 4 due to size and higher ambient pressure, while some were Category 2, like Ike because they were large. Katrina had 920 mb and was only Category 3 due to its massive size.

[HurricaneRobert]

I've always thought that Tracy looked really bad for a category 3/4 storm.

The eye looks pretty good here: