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WESTERN PACIFIC · 1952 SEASON

Typhoon Della (1952)

Recorded track and intensity · 20 Nov 1952–27 Nov 1952

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
DELLA: complete recorded track, 20 Nov 1952–27 Nov 1952Recorded track from 20 Nov 1952 to 27 Nov 1952. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.PHILIPPINES21 Nov, 00:00 UTC22 Nov, 00:00 UTC23 Nov, 00:00 UTC24 Nov, 00:00 UTC25 Nov, 00:00 UTC26 Nov, 00:00 UTC27 Nov, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 520 NOV27 NOV

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

Wind speed & pressure

25 Nov, 12:00 UTC
Wind speed 150 ktPressure 980 hPa
09808010001601020kthPa20 Nov22 Nov25 Nov27 Nov

Forward speed & ACE

25 Nov, 12:00 UTC
Forward speed 7 ktCumulative ACE 11.74 10⁴ kt²
0015103020kt10⁴ kt²20 Nov22 Nov25 Nov27 Nov

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 wind150 kt

173 mph / 278 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure980 hPa

24 Nov 1952 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration7.25 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance4,000 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Della is listed in the Western Pacific basin for the 1952 season. Its archived track begins on 20 Nov 1952, 12:00 UTC at 6.7°N, 144.4°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 25 Nov 1952, 09:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 150 knots (173 mph / 278 km/h), first recorded on 25 Nov 1952, 12:00 UTC at 18.2°N, 121.3°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 980 hPa on 24 Nov 1952, 12:00 UTC.

The full record spans 174 hours and approximately 4,000 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 23.7°N, 121.3°E on 27 Nov 1952, 18:00 UTC. The final tropical-stage observation is earlier, on 27 Nov 1952, 09:00 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

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