2003 Western Pacific typhoon season
Typhoon Lupit 2003
Typhoon Lupit damaged food crops and contaminated water supplies on small Micronesian islands in November 2003. It reached Category 5 strength after crossing the region, then turned toward Japan as it weakened.
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167 mph
Nov 27, 2003 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
Across the islands of Micronesia
Lupit developed within the monsoon trough west of the Marshall Islands and moved west-southwest. It became a tropical storm on November 21 and a typhoon two days later. The system brought tropical-storm winds to Pohnpei and damaged or destroyed about 200 homes in Chuuk State, where waves flooded roads and houses.
The heaviest losses occurred in Yap State, especially on Ulithi and Fais. Wind wrecked crops, and saltwater contaminated drinking supplies. Ulithi recorded 263 millimeters of rain and gusts of 158 km/h. Across the Federated States of Micronesia, damage reached about US$1.7 million in 2003 currency, with no reported deaths.
Peak strength in the Philippine Sea
Lupit turned northwest and reached maximum one-minute winds of 145 kt on November 27. It later weakened as wind shear increased and dry air entered the circulation. A turn north and northeast carried it toward Japan, where rainfall caused mudslides and flight cancellations. Lupit became extratropical south of Japan on December 2.
Further reading
QUICK ANSWERS
Lupit in brief
What was Typhoon Lupit's highest wind speed?
167 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on Nov 27, 2003, 12:00 PM UTC.
What category was Typhoon Lupit?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on Nov 26, 2003, 06:00 AM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Typhoon Lupit's lowest pressure?
892 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on Nov 27, 2003, 12:00 PM UTC.
When did Typhoon Lupit occur?
The archived track runs from Nov 14, 2003, 12:00 PM UTC to Dec 3, 2003, 06:00 AM UTC, with the tropical stage from Nov 14, 2003, 12:00 PM UTC to Dec 2, 2003, 09:00 AM UTC.
Where did Typhoon Lupit form?
In the Western Pacific basin, in the 2003 season. Its first archived position is 12.8°N, 172.3°E on Nov 14, 2003, 12:00 PM UTC.
Did Typhoon Lupit make landfall?
No archived position places Typhoon Lupit's center over land, but positions are six-hourly and a brief landfall can fall between them.
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 and Field documentation
Sources & methodology