The 2000 Pacific typhoon season marked the first year using names contributed by the World Meteorological Organization. It was a rather below-average season, producing a total of 23 tropical storms, 13 typhoons and 4 intense typhoons. The season ran throughout 2000, though typically most tropical cyclones develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Damrey, developed on May 7, while the season's last named storm, Soulik, dissipated on January 4 of the next year.
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 often results in a storm having two names. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) will name a tropical cyclone should it be judged to have 10-minute sustained wind speeds of at least 65 km/h (40 mph) anywhere in the basin, whilst the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as tropical depressions in their area of responsibility, located between 115°E and 135°E and between 5°N and 25°N, regardless of whether or not the tropical cyclone has already been given a name by the JMA. Tropical depressions monitored by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) are given a number with a "W" suffix.
Seasonal forecasts
During the year, the Japan Meteorological Agency (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, as designated by the World Meteorological Organization in 1989. The JMA issued forecasts and analyses every six hours starting at midnight UTC using numerical weather prediction (NWP) and a climatological tropical cyclone forecast model. They used the Dvorak technique and NWP to estimate 10-minute sustained winds and barometric pressure. The JTWC also issued warnings on storms within the basin, operating from Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and supplying forecasts to the United States Armed Forces in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Season summary
The season began with Typhoon Damrey on May 4, marking the first tropical depression, tropical storm, typhoon, and super typhoon of the season. The storm later dissipated after eight days. Five days later, Tropical Storm Longwang formed, drifting across the Philippines, dissipating after three days. Three tropical depressions formed across the rest of May and the first part of July. Typhoon Kirogi later formed on July 2, affecting eastern Japan, then dissipating after six days. The next day, Typhoon Kai-tak later formed, affecting Taiwan, then dissipating after seven days.
Three tropical depressions, two tropical storms (Tembin, Chanchu), and one severe Tropical Storm (Bolaven) formed on the rest of July, then Typhoon Jelawat formed in August as a strong typhoon. Two tropical depressions formed, then Typhoon Ewiniar formed and dissipated. Three tropical depressions formed, then Typhoon Bilis formed as a super typhoon, then a tropical depression formed. A tropical depression, a tropical storm (Bopha), and a typhoon (Wukong) formed on the first week of September, then on the second week, a tropical depression and a severe tropical storm (Sonamu) formed. Then on the third week Typhoon Shanshan formed, and for the fourth week, two tropical depressions formed.
In October, three tropical depressions formed, then Typhoon Yagi formed. Typhoon Xangsane also formed, then dissipated at the end of October. In November, a severe tropical storm (Bebinca) and a tropical depression formed. In December, Tropical Storm Rumbia formed, then three tropical depressions, then Typhoon Soulik.
Systems
Typhoon Damrey (Asiang)
The first storm of the season started out as a tropical low near Palau on May 3, when the JTWC first gave the system a poor chance of formation. However within the next few hours the low quickly organized, and the next day the JMA recognized the low as a depression. Operationally it wasn't until May 5 that the JTWC issued its first warning for the newly formed depression. Drifting northwest the depression gradually organized into a tropical storm on May 6. It was given the name Asiang on May 6 by PAGASA and Damrey on May 7 by the JMA, respectively. At this time a weakening sub-tropical ridge was moving northward causing Damrey to move in a northeasterly direction. Damrey became a typhoon early on May 8 and soon thereafter satellite images began to show an eye forming at the center. During the next 24 hours Damrey quite steadily intensified, reaching winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) by May 9. The system became very symmetrical and small, allowing the typhoon to reach a peak intensity of 180 mph (290 km/h) and gusts as high as 220 mph late on May 9. The JTWC unofficially estimated a pressure of 878 mbar, which would make it one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever. Due to the compact structure of the typhoon it would only take twenty-four hours of high vertical wind shear, from a nearby high pressure, to reduce Damrey to a tropical storm. The convection continue to decrease around the LLCC and the system picked up in forward momentum under deteriorating environment. By May 12 Damrey became fully extra-tropical and eventually dissipated on May 16.
Damrey was the strongest May typhoon since Phyllis in 1958. Phyllis, however, attained higher sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h). Damrey had no significant effects on land in its life.
Tropical Storm Longwang (Biring)
On May 15, a monsoonal trough associated with a low pressure area formed north west of the Philippines. On May 17 the low pressure area started to drift across the northern Philippines, and rapidly intensified into a tropical storm before quickly dissipating due to vertical wind shear on May 20. The remnants were soon absorbed by a non-tropical low on May 22.
Unnamed tropical depression
A vortex in an active trough over the South China Sea developed into a small tropical depression on June 18, 35 km south-southwest of Hong Kong. It moved northward and made landfall that day, with its very small circulation being well captured by the Observatory's network of automatic weather stations. The depression brought light rain to Hong Kong and strong winds. Although this tropical depression was widely recognised by Asian agencies, there are still disputes on the nature of this system. It had an unusually small size and formed surprisingly close to land.
Typhoon Kirogi (Ditang)
On June 30, an area of disturbed weather was identified roughly 650 km (405 mi) east of the Philippine island of Mindanao. This system gradually organized as it remained stationary, prompting the JTWC to issue a TCFA the following day. The JMA and JTWC began monitoring the disturbance as a tropical depression early on July 2, with the former classifying it as 05W. Several hours later, PAGASA also issued their first advisory on the depression, giving it the local name Ditang. Tracking northward, the system intensified into a tropical storm, at which time it received the name Kirogi, before undergoing rapid intensification late on July 3. Following this phase, the storm attained typhoon intensity and developed a well-defined 59 km (37 mi) wide symmetrical eye. Typhoon Kirogi attained its peak intensity early on July 4 with winds of 155 km/h (100 mph 10-minute sustained) and a barometric pressure of 940 mbar (hPa; 27.76 inHg).
In Japan, hundreds of residents were evacuated as Typhoon Kirogi approached the country. Since the storm weakened considerably from its peak intensity, damage was much less than initially anticipated. In all, damages from the storm amounted to 15 billion yen (2000 value, $140 million USD) and 3 confirmed fatalities.
Typhoon Kai-tak (Edeng)
On July 2, a low pressure area formed north west of the Philippines and became a tropical depression on July 3 and started to drift northward, becoming a storm on the 5th and a typhoon on the 6th. Kai-tak continued northward, hitting Taiwan on the 9th. Kai-tak dissipated on the 11th over the Yellow Sea. It was named after Hong Kong's old international airport, Kai Tak Airport.
The combined effects of Kai-tak and Tropical Depression Gloring led to the collapse of a large garbage pile, devastating a scavenger community with 300 shanty homes near Manila. At least 218 people died in the avalanche – some of whom were decapitated by machinery – and at least 73 others were injured.
Tropical Storm Tembin
On July 13 a cluster of thunderclouds grouped together to form a low pressure area. On July 14 it started to organize and slowly became a tropical depression on July 19, and quickly intensified into a tropical storm. On July 22 convection was displaced to south of the storm's center due to high wind shear, and caused it to dissipate.
Tropical Depression 10W (Huaning)
JTWC treated 10W and 11W as separate depressions, although PAGASA and JMA both considered them the same system. On July 25, 11W became Severe Tropical Storm Bolaven.
Severe Tropical Storm Bolaven (Huaning)
On July 17, a disturbance with a large area of rotation formed south east of the Philippines. On July 24, favorable conditions allow the disturbance to quickly organize so it became a tropical depression the next day.
Damage of the flooding brought by the extratropical remnants of Bolaven in Primorsky Krai exceeded 600 million rubles ($20 million, 2000 USD).
Tropical Storm Chanchu
The remnants of Tropical Storm Upana encountered a favorable environment just west of the dateline, and they formed Tropical Depression 12W. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Chanchu. The name Chanchu, submitted by Macau, is a Chinese word for pearl. Chanchu moved north, and had dissipated by July 30.
Meteorologist Gary Padgett suggested that there was good evidence Chanchu was actually a regeneration of Upana. The official policy is that dateline crossers keep their name. However, there was supposedly some doubt at the time, so Chanchu and Upana were officially treated as distinct tropical cyclones. Also, since Upana had dissipated several days earlier, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center had already assigned a new number for the system, Gary Padgett deemed it likely that the Japan Meteorological Agency's decision to rename the cyclone was the best choice. Also, a scatterometer pass near 0500 UTC on July 23 indicated an open wave with no closed circulation, evidence that Upana had fully dissipated before restrengthening.
Typhoon Jelawat
On July 29, a cluster of thunderstorms quickly formed into a low pressure area, which became Tropical Depression 13W on August 1. Favorable conditions allowed the system to rapidly intensify, and it was named Jelawat. On August 2, it reached its peak intensity as a Category 4 typhoon. On August 3, Jelawat weakened into a category 2 typhoon due to unfavorable wind shear. On August 6, Jelawat restrengthened into a category 3 typhoon due to more favorable conditions, and started to develop a large eye which was 60 kilometers across. Weak steering winds soon caused Jelawat to move slowly from August 7 to August 8. On August 7, Jelawat underwent an eyewall replacement cycle for 4 hours, and began to display annular characteristics, with a large, symmetric eye 170 kilometers across surrounded by a thick ring of intense convection. After developing a large, symmetric eye, Jelawat restrengthened from a category 1 typhoon to a category 2 typhoon, but soon weakened back to a category 1 typhoon as it encountered wind shear. It made landfall at southern Shanghai and rapidly weakened.
Typhoon Ewiniar
Typhoon Ewiniar developed on August 9. It strengthened into a typhoon while moving northward. Ewiniar weakened and eventually curved east-northeastward. The typhoon re-intensified, but dissipated on August 18.
Typhoon Bilis (Isang)
On August 14, a low pressure area formed south of the Mariana islands and started to organize. On August 17 the low pressure area became a tropical depression and as it tracked northwestward, becoming a tropical storm on the 18th and a typhoon on the 19th. Favorable conditions allow Bilis continued to intensify to a super typhoon on the 21st, and it struck the southeastern coast of Taiwan as a Category 5 typhoon on the 22nd. It weakened slightly to a 140 miles per hour (230 km/h) typhoon while crossing the country, and hit China on the 23rd. Significant rainfall fell across Taiwan, with up to 949 millimetres (37.4 in) recorded across northeast sections of the mountainous island. Bilis was responsible for 17 deaths and $133.5 million in damage on Taiwan. The flooding was significant and an unknown number of people drowned in the flooding.
Tropical Storm Kaemi
On August 19, a low-pressure area formed west of the Philippines. Favorable conditions allow the low-pressure area to strengthen into a tropical depression on August 20. Kaemi made landfall over Vietnam on August 21, and it was reported that tropical storm Kaemi killed 14 people in Vietnam.
Typhoon Prapiroon (Lusing)
On August 24 a large area of disturbed weather formed south of the Philippine sea. Prapiroon killed 75 people in total and caused $6 billion in damages in Korean peninsula, China and the Philippines.