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WESTERN PACIFIC · 1989 SEASON

Typhoon Elsie (1989)

Recorded track and intensity · 13 Oct 1989–22 Oct 1989

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
ELSIE: complete recorded track, 13 Oct 1989–22 Oct 1989Recorded track from 13 Oct 1989 to 22 Oct 1989. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.PHILIPPINESTAIWAN13 Oct, 00:00 UTC14 Oct, 00:00 UTC15 Oct, 00:00 UTC16 Oct, 00:00 UTC17 Oct, 00:00 UTC18 Oct, 00:00 UTC19 Oct, 00:00 UTC20 Oct, 00:00 UTC21 Oct, 00:00 UTC22 Oct, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 513 OCT22 OCT

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

Wind speed & pressure

18 Oct, 18:00 UTC
Wind speed 140 ktPressure 915 hPa
0900809601601020kthPa13 Oct16 Oct19 Oct22 Oct

Forward speed & ACE

18 Oct, 18:00 UTC
Forward speed 10 ktCumulative ACE 16.38 10⁴ kt²
001012.52025kt10⁴ kt²13 Oct16 Oct19 Oct22 Oct

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 measurements remain gaps.

Maximum sustained wind140 kt

161 mph / 259 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure915 hPa

18 Oct 1989 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration9.5 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance3,630 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Elsie is listed in the Western Pacific basin for the 1989 season. Its archived track begins on 13 Oct 1989, 00:00 UTC at 14°N, 137°E. The first observation lists sustained winds of 20 knots. These dates describe the available observations, which may include stages before and after the tropical cyclone phase.

The first Category 5 observation appears on 18 Oct 1989, 18:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 140 knots (161 mph / 259 km/h), first recorded on 18 Oct 1989, 18:00 UTC at 16.4°N, 124.1°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 915 hPa on 18 Oct 1989, 12:00 UTC.

The full record spans 228 hours and approximately 3,630 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 18.4°N, 104.8°E on 22 Oct 1989, 12:00 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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