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Typhoon Pamela (1954)

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Pacific typhoon in 1954 This article is about the 1954 typhoon. For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Pamela.

Typhoon Pamela
Pamela at its peak intensity over the South China Sea on September 2
Meteorological history
FormedOctober 26, 1954
DissipatedNovember 7, 1954
Typhoon
10-minute sustained (JMA)
Lowest pressure900 hPa (mbar); 26.58 inHg
Category 5-equivalent super typhoon
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/FWC)
Highest winds280 km/h (175 mph)
Overall effects
Fatalities6
Injuries13
Missing26
Areas affectedPhilippines (primarily Luzon), Hong Kong, Macau, South China
Part of the 1954 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Pamela was an intense and destructive typhoon which affected the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, and South China during October and November 1954.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key Saffir–Simpson scale   Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown Storm type circle Tropical cyclone square Subtropical cyclone triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

On October 26, a tropical cyclone formed east of the Philippines, having a minimum pressure of 1,006 hPa (29.7 inHg). Early the next day, the Fleet Weather Center (FWC) began tracking the cyclone, which had intensified into a tropical storm, naming it Pamela. The JMA followed suit the next day, noting that it had intensified into a tropical storm and deepened to have a minimum pressure of 998 hPa (29.5 inHg). Intensifying further, on October 30, both the FWC and JMA noted that Pamela had rapidly intensified into a typhoon.

Soon after, Pamela began intensifying again, having 1-minute sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) early early on October 31, being a Category 2-equivalent hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. At 12:00 UTC that same day, Pamela would intensify into a super typhoon according to the FWC, attaining a minimum pressure of 960 hPa (28 inHg). Soon after, it peaked with sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h), later peaking with a minimum pressure of 900 hPa (27 inHg) early the next day. However, soon after, it began steadily weakening, with its pressures rising steadily.

Despite that, on November 5, Pamela re-intensified into a super typhoon over the South China Sea, becoming the first of only four super typhoons in the area—the others were Yagi in 2024, Rammasun in 2014, and Rai in 2021. The next day, Pamela made landfall in China as a minimal typhoon. As a result, early on September 7, Pamela weakened into a tropical storm, prior to the JMA last tracking the typhoon a few hours later. The FWC kept tracking it until it had weakened into a tropical depression early the next day.

Preparations and impact

All of Hong Kong's cross harbour ferry services and some tram services were suspended prior to the typhoon. The SS Chusan, which was loading cargo in Victoria Harbour, had to leave it as Pamela approached. In Hong Kong, baby was killed by a loosened rock and three fisherman died after their boat capsized. Additionally, an electrician was indirectly killed while repairing a electrical line broken during the typhoon. In total, five deaths and thirteen injuries were recorded in the island. Both Quarry Bay and North Point received a storm surge of 1.16 m (3.8 ft).

In Haiphong, all of the Task Force 90 ships, vessels which were involved in Operation Passage to Freedom, had to evade the typhoon until November 7. Alongside the southern coast of China, Pamela sunk around 1,100 fishing boats, causing it to be the "worst disaster to the fishing people of South China in a century". The USS Muskingum, a cargo ship which at the time was 130 mi (210 km) southwest of Taiwan, was caught in the typhoon. As a result, the British steamer HMS Birmingham, a Norwegian motor ship Hoi Houw, and a ship off the coast of Luzon began searching for it. A man fell off the USS Helena and had to be saved by a lifeboat crew. Elsewhere, the moorings of the SS Gujarat were torn. Two Hong Kong fishing trawlers, which had a crew of 14 and 12 respectively, went missing due to rough seas produced by Pamela.

References

  1. ^ "RSMC Best Track Data (Text)". Japan Meteorological Agency. 1951–1959. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "Typhoon Pamela (16W) Best Track". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  3. "List of weather charts on October 29, 1954 (Fri)". Digital Typhoon. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  4. "List of weather charts on October 30, 1954 (Fri)". Digital Typhoon. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  5. Carpineti, Alfredo; Large, Holly (September 10, 2024). "Deadly Tropical Storm Yagi Has Become A Super Typhoon – What Does That Mean?". IFLScience. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  6. ^ "Typhoon Buffets Hong Kong, Kills Five". The West Australian. November 8, 1954. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  7. "'Pamela' puts Chusan back on schedule". The Straits Times. November 12, 1954. p. 5. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  8. "Sarasota Herald-Tribune". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. November 8, 1954. p. 8. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  9. "Daytona Beach Morning Journal". Vol. 30, no. 168. Daytona Beach Morning Journal. November 8, 1954. p. Front Cover. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  10. Institute, Hong Kong Chronicles (June 30, 2022). Hong Kong Chronicles: Overview & Chronology. Chung Hwa Book Co. (H.K.) Ltd. p. 286. ISBN 978-988-8807-32-1. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  11. Lee, T. C.; C. F., Wong (October 2, 2007). Historical Storm Surges and Storm Surge Forecasting in Hong Kong (PDF) (Report). Hong Kong: Hong Kong Observatory. p. 7. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  12. "Storm Surge Records: Typhoon Pamela (Nov 1954)". Hong Kong Observatory. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  13. Frankum, Ronald Bruce (2007). Operation Passage to Freedom: The United States Navy in Vietnam, 1954-1955. Texas Tech University Press. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-89672-608-6.
  14. "St. Joseph News-Press". St. Joseph News-Press. November 15, 1954. p. 16. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  15. "SHIP CAUGHT IN TYPHOON PAMELA: SOS". Sun News-Pictorial. AAP. November 6, 1954. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  16. "Man overboard". USS Helena (CA-75). Retrieved September 10, 2024.
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