1979 жылғы Батыс Тынық мұхитындағы тропиктік дауылдар маусымы

Period of formation of tropical cyclones in the Western Pacific Ocean in 1979

The 1979 Pacific typhoon season featured the largest and most intense tropical cyclone recorded globally, Typhoon Tip. The season also used both male and female names as tropical cyclone names for the first time. Additionally, the season was slightly below average in terms of tropical cyclone activity, with only 24 storms, 12 typhoons, and 4 super typhoons developing. The season had no official bounds; it ran year round in 1979, 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 1979 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.

54 tropical depressions formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which 24 became tropical storms. 13 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 4 reached super typhoon strength.

On December 31, a tropical depression developed over the low latitudes of the open West Pacific. It tracked northwestward, reaching tropical storm strength that night and typhoon strength on the 5th. Alice turned to the west, and continued to intensify with generally favorable conditions to a peak of 125 mph winds on the 8th. Bess held on to its peak intensity for 18 hours before vertical wind shear caused Bess to rapidly dissipate on March 25. Typhoon Cecil stuck Leyte on April 15, causing 18 deaths, damage of $10 million and leaving 8,900 homeless. Cecil was also the first tropical cyclone in the Western Pacific to be given a male name.

Initially, TD 05 drifted southwestward east of the Paracel Islands. TD 05 was not forecast to intensify significantly, but it merged with an extratropical frontal boundary near 22. N 124.8E and produced an improved satellite signature which included a banding type eye. Ellis was in a favorable position at that time and steady intensification occurred over the next 2 days. Ellis intensified into a typhoon on July 2 and reached its peak intensity of 100 mph on later that day. Continued intensification was anticipated at that time, but a slow weakening trend was actually observed. Faye was forecast to reach typhoon status in the next 18 hours. However, Faye weakened. Its broad, loose wind field prevented it from strengthening further, and Irving weakened as it continued northward. On the 17th, Irving hit southwest South Korea as a minimal typhoon, and merged with a frontal boundary over extreme eastern Russia on the 18th. Torrential rains led to 150 fatalities, with damage at $10–$20 million (1979 USD).

A tropical disturbance organized into a tropical storm on August 15. It tracked to the northwest, becoming a tropical storm on the 17th. Judy rapidly intensified, reaching typhoon status on the 18th and a peak of 155 mph winds on the 20th. It also had an eye temperature of at 700 hPa height, making it the warmest eye of a tropical cyclone on record.

Around the same time the precursor to Tropical Storm Ken developed, a tropical disturbance developed south of Marcus Island. Lola then transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 9 to the east of Japan.

On September 17, a tropical disturbance rapidly developed into a tropical storm and was given the name Nancy. Weak steering currents allowed Nancy to track across the southern portion of Hainan and do a cyclonic loop. The weak currents allowed Nancy to make landfall in Vietnam before dissipating on September 22. Owen then started to weaken as the storm moved northward. By the 30th, Owen made landfall near Osaka, Japan and weakened to a tropical storm. Owen then transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 1.

Developing at the apex of a wave in the easterly flow in late September 1979, Tropical Storm Pamela formed on September 23 and dissipated on September 26, due to strong shear caused by the nearby Typhoon Owen. A strong mid level southeasterly steering current caused Roger to move northwest. Roger then executed a cyclonic loop on October 5. The storm continued to move northwest until north of the ridge axis, after which it turned in a north northeastward direction. Roger then became an extratropical cyclone on October 7, as it merged with a cold front south of Japan. Reconnaissance aircraft indicated that Vera maintained its peak strength for 24 hours before weakening as it approached Catanduanes Island. The storm moved west and turned to the northwest, while reducing its forward movement on December 3. The JTWC predicted intensification as the storm moved towards Guam. However, Abby weakened to a tropical depression on the 6th as it moved west of Truk. On December 7, Abby reintensified into a weak tropical storm. On the 8th, Abby weakened once again to a tropical depression and accelerated forward. By December 9, aircraft reconnaissance indicated that Abby had two centers of circulation. On the 10th, Abby attained typhoon strength which made it the last typhoon of 1979. On the next day, Abby recurved in response to a mid tropospheric short wave trough. Typhoon Abby reached maximum intensity of with a minimum pressure of 951 mb on December 13. As Abby continued to move east northeast, it rapidly weakened due to strong westerlies. Typhoon Abby then dissipated on December 14 due to strong shear. Ben was the last tropical cyclone of the 1979 Pacific typhoon season.

Naming storms using both female and male names are supposed to be used alternatively. Because Alice is a female name followed by Bess with the same gender, the JTWC retired the name Alice and replaced it with Andy, a male name, which was first used in the 1982 season.