| Track: | 1973 Pacific typhoon season summary.jpg |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Year: | 1973 |
| First Storm Formed: | May 12, 1973 |
| Last Storm Dissipated: | December 27, 1973 |
| Strongest Storm Name: | Nora |
| Strongest Storm Pressure: | 875 |
| Strongest Storm Winds: | 160 |
| Average Wind Speed: | 1 |
| Total Depressions: | 39 |
| Total Storms: | 21 |
| Total Hurricanes: | 12 |
| Total Intense: | 3 (unofficial) |
| Fatalities: | >1,011 |
| Damages: | 7 |
| Damagespre: | > |
| Five Seasons: | 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 |
| Atlantic Season: | 1973 Atlantic hurricane season |
| East Pacific Season: | 1973 Pacific hurricane season |
| North Indian Season: | 1973 North Indian Ocean cyclone season |
The 1973 Pacific typhoon season, in comparison to the two years preceding it, was a below average season, with only 21 named storms and 12 typhoons forming. However, it featured Typhoon Nora, which ties Typhoon June of 1975 for the second strongest typhoon on record. It has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1973, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the international date line. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 1973 Pacific hurricane season. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west pacific basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Tropical depressions in this basin have the "W" suffix added to their number. Tropical depressions that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility are assigned a name by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or PAGASA. This can often result in the same storm having two names.
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bar:Month width:5 align:center fontsize:S shift:(0,-20) anchor:middle color:canvas from:01/05/1973 till:31/05/1973 text:May from:01/06/1973 till:30/06/1973 text:June from:01/07/1973 till:31/07/1973 text:July from:01/08/1973 till:31/08/1973 text:August from:01/09/1973 till:30/09/1973 text:September from:01/10/1973 till:31/10/1973 text:October from:01/11/1973 till:30/11/1973 text:November from:01/12/1973 till:31/12/1973 text:December
25 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 21 became tropical storms. 12 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 3 reached super typhoon strength.[1]
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Wilda 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | June 28 |
| Dissipated: | July 6 |
| Type1: | STS |
| Type2: | storm |
| 1-Min Winds: | 60 |
| Pressure: | 980 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Formed: | July 4 |
| Dissipated: | July 10 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat1 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 70 |
| Pressure: | 980 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Billie 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | July 11 |
| Dissipated: | July 19 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat4 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 130 |
| Pressure: | 915 |
Tropical Storm Billie, which developed on July 12 east of the Philippines, rapidly strengthened on the 14th and 15th to a 150 mph super typhoon. It tracked due north, fluctuating in intensity for the next 3 days. A building ridge over the Sea of Japan forced Billie to the northwest, where it weakened greatly, first to a tropical storm on the 18th, then to a tropical depression on the 19th as it passed over northeastern China. The storm dissipated on the 20th.
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Dot 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | July 11 |
| Dissipated: | July 21 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat2 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 85 |
| Pressure: | 975 |
Typhoon Dot struck Hong Kong causing sustained storm force winds, killing one person.[2]
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Clara 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | July 11 |
| Dissipated: | July 15 |
| Type1: | STS |
| Type2: | storm |
| 1-Min Winds: | 55 |
| Pressure: | 985 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Ellen Pacific 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | July 16 |
| Dissipated: | July 29 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat3 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 105 |
| Pressure: | 940 |
Typhoon Ellen formed as a disturbance on July 16 in the vicinity of Okinotorishima, from a trough in the convergence zone trailing to the southeast of Typhoon Billie the day before.[3] Its circulation closed up by 17 July,[3] and at 0900 JST (0000 UTC) on the following day, the JMA upgraded it to a tropical storm.[4] Due to its sluggish, erratic movements, Shikoku and Kyushu received heavy rains between July 23 and July 26. This contributed to the above-average monthly precipitation for July 1973 in southern Shikoku and eastern Kyushu, when the rest of Japan was suffering from droughts.[5]
| Basin: | WPac |
| Formed: | July 23 |
| Dissipated: | July 30 |
| Type1: | nwpstorm |
| Type2: | storm |
| 1-Min Winds: | 40 |
| Pressure: | 1000 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Georgia 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | August 5 |
| Dissipated: | August 15 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat1 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 70 |
| Pressure: | 980 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Iris 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | August 6 |
| Dissipated: | August 21 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat2 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 85 |
| Pressure: | 970 |
Iris struck North Korea and Japan.
| Basin: | WPac |
| Formed: | August 8 |
| Dissipated: | August 13 |
| Type1: | nwpstorm |
| Type2: | storm |
| 1-Min Winds: | 45 |
| Pressure: | 1000 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Formed: | August 10 |
| Dissipated: | August 18 |
| Type1: | nwpdepression |
| Type2: | depression |
| 1-Min Winds: | 30 |
| Pressure: | 1008 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Formed: | August 18 |
| Dissipated: | August 22 |
| Type1: | nwpstorm |
| Type2: | storm |
| 1-Min Winds: | 45 |
| Pressure: | 990 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Kate 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | August 20 |
| Dissipated: | August 26 |
| Type1: | STS |
| Type2: | storm |
| 1-Min Winds: | 60 |
| Pressure: | 975 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Formed: | August 28 |
| Dissipated: | September 3 |
| Type1: | nwpdepression |
| Type2: | depression |
| 1-Min Winds: | 30 |
| Pressure: | 1002 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Louise 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | August 30 |
| Dissipated: | September 6 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat1 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 75 |
| Pressure: | 975 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Marge 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | September 10 |
| Dissipated: | September 15 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat1 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 80 |
| Pressure: | ≤960 |
See main article: Typhoon Marge (1973).
Hainan, Qionghai Jiaji town recorded a minimum central pressure of 937.8 hPa when Marge made landfall. Marge killed 903 people in Hainan.Marge made its final landfall in Tam Diep Mountains (border of Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces) Vietnam in late September 14, 1973; brought heavay rainfall and flooding in North Vietnam.[6] [7]
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Nora 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | October 1 |
| Dissipated: | October 10 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat5 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 160 |
| Pressure: | 875 |
See main article: Typhoon Nora (1973). The monsoon trough spawned a tropical depression east of the Philippines on October 1. Under weak steering currents, it meandered westward, where favorable conditions allowed for it to strengthen, first to a tropical storm on the 2nd, then to a typhoon on the 3rd. Nora continued to the northwest, and explosively deepened on the 5th and 6th to a 185 mph super typhoon. At the time, it had a minimum central pressure of 875 millibars, the lowest pressure on record at the time and currently tied for 9th. The typhoon weakened as it headed to the northwest, and struck northeastern Luzon on the 7th as a 115 mph typhoon. Nora continued to the northwest, weakening to a minimal typhoon as it hit southeast China on the 10th. The typhoon caused 18 fatalities, with over $2 million in damage.
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Opal 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | October 3 |
| Dissipated: | October 8 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat1 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 75 |
| Pressure: | 970 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Patsy 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | October 5 |
| Dissipated: | October 15 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat5 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 140 |
| Pressure: | 895 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Ruth 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | October 11 |
| Dissipated: | October 19 |
| Type1: | typhoon |
| Type2: | cat2 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 90 |
| Pressure: | 960 |
27 people were killed when Typhoon Ruth crossed Luzon on October 15 and caused $5 million in damage. Ruth continued to the northwest, and hit Hainan Island and Quang Ninh, Vietnam on the 19th, respectively.
| Basin: | WPac |
| Formed: | November 9 |
| Dissipated: | November 12 |
| Type1: | STS |
| Type2: | storm |
| 1-Min Winds: | 55 |
| Pressure: | 985 |
On November 12 this system emerged in the Bay of Bengal and became Tropical Storm Thirteen (13B)[1]
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Thelma 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | November 13 |
| Dissipated: | November 18 |
| Type1: | STS |
| Type2: | storm |
| 1-Min Winds: | 55 |
| Pressure: | 990 |
| Basin: | WPac |
| Track: | Vera 1973 track.png |
| Formed: | November 18 |
| Dissipated: | November 26 |
| Type1: | STS |
| Type2: | storm |
| 1-Min Winds: | 50 |
| Pressure: | 990 |
One of the strongest tropical cyclones to hit Visayas when it entered on November 20, although the system didn't reach typhoon status. Tropical Storm Openg affected around 3.4 million people.[8]
Western North Pacific tropical cyclones were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The first storm of 1973 was named Wilda and the final one was named Vera.
Agnes Bess Carmen Della Elaine Faye Gloria Hester Irma Judy Kit Lola Mamie Nina Ora Phyllis Rita Susan Tess Viola Winnie | Alice Betty Cora Doris Elsie Flossie Grace Helen Ida June Kathy Lorna Marie Nancy Olga Pamela Ruby Sally Therese Violet
|
Wanda | Amy Babe Carla Dinah Emma Freda Gilda Harriet Ivy Jean Kim Lucy Mary Nadine Olive Polly Rose Shirley Trix Virginia Wendy |
| Atring | Bining | Kuring | Daling | Elang | |
| Goring | Huling | Ibiang | Luming | Miling | |
| Narsing | Openg | ||||
| Auxiliary list | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
This table will list all the storms that developed in the northwestern Pacific Ocean west of the International Date Line and north of the equator during 1973. It will include their intensity, duration, name, areas affected, deaths, missing persons (in parentheses), and damage totals. Classification and intensity values will be based on estimations conducted by the JMA, however due to lack of information around this time sustained winds were recorded by the JTWC. All damage figures will be in 1973 USD. Damages and deaths from a storm will include when the storm was a precursor wave or an extratropical low.
|-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || South China || None || None |||-| Wilda (Atring) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, China || Unknown || Unknown |||-| Anita || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Vietnam, Thailand || Unknown || Unknown |||-| Billie (Bining) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, Ryukyu Islands, China || Unknown || Unknown |||-| Dot || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || China, Ryukyu Islands, Korean Peninsula || Unknown || |||-| Clara || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None |||-| Ellen || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Japan || None || None |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Mariana Islands || None || None |||-| Fran (Kuring) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines || None || None |||-| Georgia || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || China || Unknown || Unknown |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines || None || None |||-| Iris (Daling) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Ryukyu Islands, Korean Peninsula || Unknown || Unknown |||-| Hope || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None |||-| 11W || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines || None || None |||-| Joan (Elang) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, Taiwan, China || None || None |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Taiwan || None || None |||-| Kate (Goring) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, South China, Vietnam || Unknown || Unknown |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, China || None || None |||-| 14W || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || South China, Vietnam || None || None |||-| Louise (Huling) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, South China || Unknown || Unknown |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None |||-| Marge (Ibiang) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, South China || Unknown || |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None |||-| Nora (Luming) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, South China || || |||-| Opal || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos || Unknown || Unknown |||-| Patsy (Miling) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, Vietnam || Unknown || Unknown |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None |||-| Ruth (Narsing) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Caroline Islands, Philippines, South China || || |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Vietnam || None || None |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Mariana Islands || None || None |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Palau || None || None |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None |||-| Sarah || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand || Unknown || Unknown |||-| Thelma || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand || Unknown || Unknown |||-| Vera (Openg) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines || Unknown || Unknown |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Malaysia || None || None |||-| TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines || None || None |||-