2015 Western Pacific typhoon season
Typhoon Noul 2015
Noul was a compact typhoon that intensified sharply before reaching northeastern Luzon. It then curved east of Taiwan and weakened while accelerating toward Japan.
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161 mph
May 10, 2015 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
From the Caroline Islands toward Luzon
Noul developed over the Caroline Islands on May 2 and moved generally westward to west-northwestward. Its early passage brought heavy rain to Yap, where damage was estimated at about US$100,000. The cyclone gradually strengthened before developing a distinct eye and intensifying rapidly on May 9.
Archived sustained winds reached 140 knots early on May 10. Known locally as Dodong, Noul reached northeastern Luzon during this powerful phase and then weakened sharply. Nearly 3,800 people evacuated in the Philippines, and travel cancellations stranded thousands more. Two people died while preparing for the storm.
A northeastward departure
Noul passed east of Taiwan, where its rain helped ease water restrictions. It accelerated northeastward into less favorable conditions and became extratropical south of Japan on May 12. The remaining circulation continued across the Pacific for several more days, with the archive ending on May 16.
Further reading
QUICK ANSWERS
Noul in brief
What was Typhoon Noul's highest wind speed?
161 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on May 10, 2015, 12:00 AM UTC.
What category was Typhoon Noul?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on May 9, 2015, 09:00 PM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Typhoon Noul's lowest pressure?
918 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on May 10, 2015, 12:00 AM UTC.
When did Typhoon Noul occur?
The archived track runs from May 2, 2015, 06:00 AM UTC to May 16, 2015, 12:00 AM UTC, with the tropical stage from May 2, 2015, 06:00 AM UTC to May 11, 2015, 09:00 PM UTC.
Where did Typhoon Noul form?
In the Western Pacific basin, in the 2015 season. Its first archived position is 7.4°N, 144.1°E on May 2, 2015, 06:00 AM UTC.
Did Typhoon Noul make landfall?
No archived position places Typhoon Noul'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