WESTERN PACIFIC · 1982 SEASON

Typhoon Bess (1982)

Recorded track and intensity · 21 Jul 1982–6 Aug 1982

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
BESS: complete recorded track, 21 Jul 1982–6 Aug 1982Recorded track from 21 Jul 1982 to 6 Aug 1982. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.PHILIPPINESTAIWAN21 Jul, 00:00 UTC22 Jul, 00:00 UTC23 Jul, 00:00 UTC24 Jul, 00:00 UTC25 Jul, 00:00 UTC26 Jul, 00:00 UTC27 Jul, 00:00 UTC28 Jul, 00:00 UTC29 Jul, 00:00 UTC30 Jul, 00:00 UTC31 Jul, 00:00 UTC1 Aug, 00:00 UTC2 Aug, 00:00 UTC3 Aug, 00:00 UTC4 Aug, 00:00 UTC5 Aug, 00:00 UTC6 Aug, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 521 JUL6 AUG

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DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5Post-tropical
All times UTC

Wind speed & pressure

29 Jul, 06:00 UTC
Wind speed 140 ktPressure 900 hPa
0900809601601020kthPa21 Jul26 Jul31 Jul6 Aug

Forward speed & ACE

29 Jul, 06:00 UTC
Forward speed 13 ktCumulative ACE 19.29 10⁴ kt²
002017.54035kt10⁴ kt²21 Jul26 Jul31 Jul6 Aug

Hover or tap either graph to follow the track. The slider controls both graphs. Each line uses its matching colored axis.

Forward speed measures the center’s motion. ACE accumulates squared one-minute winds at 00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC during tropical or subtropical stages at 34 kt or above. Missing observations make ACE partial. Missing measurements remain gaps.

Maximum sustained wind140 kt

161 mph / 259 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure900 hPa

29 Jul 1982 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration16 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance6,810 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Bess is listed in the Western Pacific basin for the 1982 season. Its archived track begins on 21 Jul 1982, 00:00 UTC at 10.6°N, 164.6°E. US-agency wind is not available for this first observation. These dates describe the available observations, which may include stages before and after the tropical cyclone phase.

The first Category 5 observation appears on 29 Jul 1982, 03:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 140 knots (161 mph / 259 km/h), first recorded on 29 Jul 1982, 06:00 UTC at 21.4°N, 143.5°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 900 hPa on 29 Jul 1982, 00:00 UTC.

The full record spans 384 hours and approximately 6,810 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 41.7°N, 151.2°E on 6 Aug 1982, 00:00 UTC. The final tropical-stage observation is earlier, on 2 Aug 1982, 03:00 UTC.

This summary is calculated from the NOAA IBTrACS archive. Category 5 describes the storm’s peak recorded wind intensity, not its intensity at landfall or the severity of impacts at any location. Landfall times, damage and casualties have not been independently reviewed for this page.

METHODOLOGY

Data sources and limitations

The map and summary are generated from NOAA’s IBTrACS v04r01 archive. Wind and category use US-agency records; minimum pressure is calculated during the tropical stage, with the archive’s pressure source retained. Category 5 refers to the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale; local agencies may use different classifications. Coastlines use Natural Earth’s 1:10m land data.

Track distance adds great-circle distances between consecutive observations, excluding gaps over 12 hours. This track has no gaps over 12 hours. The line shows the storm’s center, not its size, rainfall or flood extent. Converted wind speeds are rounded to the nearest whole unit.

Archive retrieved

NOAA IBTrACS archive · Field documentation

Sources & methodology