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WESTERN PACIFIC · 1958 SEASON

Typhoon Helen (1958)

Recorded track and intensity · 8 Sept 1958–22 Sept 1958

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
HELEN: complete recorded track, 8 Sept 1958–22 Sept 1958Recorded track from 8 Sept 1958 to 22 Sept 1958. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.ASIAPacific Ocean8 Sep, 00:00 UTC9 Sep, 00:00 UTC10 Sep, 00:00 UTC11 Sep, 00:00 UTC12 Sep, 00:00 UTC13 Sep, 00:00 UTC14 Sep, 00:00 UTC15 Sep, 00:00 UTC16 Sep, 00:00 UTC17 Sep, 00:00 UTC18 Sep, 00:00 UTC19 Sep, 00:00 UTC20 Sep, 00:00 UTC21 Sep, 00:00 UTC22 Sep, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 58 SEP22 SEP

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

Wind speed & pressure

14 Sep, 00:00 UTC
Wind speed 150 ktPressure 935 hPa
0920809701601020kthPa8 Sep12 Sep17 Sep22 Sep

Forward speed & ACE

14 Sep, 00:00 UTC
Forward speed 6 ktCumulative ACE 16.86 10⁴ kt²
002017.54035kt10⁴ kt²8 Sep12 Sep17 Sep22 Sep

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 pressure920 hPa

13 Sept 1958 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration14 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance8,250 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Helen is listed in the Western Pacific basin for the 1958 season. Its archived track begins on 8 Sept 1958, 00:00 UTC at 10°N, 142°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 13 Sept 1958, 21:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 150 knots (173 mph / 278 km/h), first recorded on 14 Sept 1958, 00:00 UTC at 23.1°N, 129.1°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 920 hPa on 13 Sept 1958, 00:00 UTC.

The full record spans 336 hours and approximately 8,250 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 54.2°N, 179°E on 22 Sept 1958, 00:00 UTC. The final tropical-stage observation is earlier, on 18 Sept 1958, 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

Browse all Category 5 storm pages