2001 Western Pacific typhoon season
Typhoon Podul 2001
Typhoon Podul strengthened over the western Pacific in October 2001 and remained a super typhoon for about three days. Its track stayed over water before turning toward the North Pacific.
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161 mph
Oct 24, 2001 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
Organizing near Pohnpei
Podul began as an area of thunderstorms near Pohnpei on October 16. Wind shear slowed its early development, but the system organized into a tropical storm by October 20. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center classified it as a typhoon the following day, when it was north-northwest of Pohnpei and well east of Guam.
A sustained peak over the ocean
Podul developed a distinct eye and underwent changes in its concentric eyewalls as it strengthened. The archive records maximum one-minute winds of 140 kt on October 24, equivalent to Category 5. The storm retained super-typhoon strength for about 72 hours in the saved season account.
The typhoon turned north-northeast and accelerated as dry and colder air entered its circulation. It weakened into an extratropical system on October 28 and dissipated the following day. No archived center position lies over land.
Further reading
QUICK ANSWERS
Podul in brief
What was Typhoon Podul's highest wind speed?
161 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on Oct 24, 2001, 06:00 AM UTC.
What category was Typhoon Podul?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on Oct 24, 2001, 03:00 AM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Typhoon Podul's lowest pressure?
898 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on Oct 24, 2001, 06:00 AM UTC.
When did Typhoon Podul occur?
The archived track runs from Oct 17, 2001, 12:00 PM UTC to Oct 29, 2001, 12:00 PM UTC, with the tropical stage from Oct 17, 2001, 12:00 PM UTC to Oct 27, 2001, 09:00 PM UTC.
Where did Typhoon Podul form?
In the Western Pacific basin, in the 2001 season. Its first archived position is 4.5°N, 157.6°E on Oct 17, 2001, 12:00 PM UTC.
Did Typhoon Podul make landfall?
No archived position places Typhoon Podul'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