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WESTERN PACIFIC · 1959 SEASON

Typhoon Vera (1959)

Recorded track and intensity · 20 Sept 1959–29 Sept 1959

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
VERA: complete recorded track, 20 Sept 1959–29 Sept 1959Recorded track from 20 Sept 1959 to 29 Sept 1959. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.PHILIPPINESTAIWAN20 Sep, 00:00 UTC21 Sep, 00:00 UTC22 Sep, 00:00 UTC23 Sep, 00:00 UTC24 Sep, 00:00 UTC25 Sep, 00:00 UTC26 Sep, 00:00 UTC27 Sep, 00:00 UTC28 Sep, 00:00 UTC29 Sep, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 520 SEP29 SEP

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

Wind speed & pressure

23 Sep, 12:00 UTC
Wind speed 165 ktPressure 895 hPa
0880909501801020kthPa20 Sep23 Sep26 Sep29 Sep

Forward speed & ACE

23 Sep, 12:00 UTC
Forward speed 11 ktCumulative ACE 7.72 10⁴ kt²
003017.56035kt10⁴ kt²20 Sep23 Sep26 Sep29 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 wind165 kt

190 mph / 306 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure895 hPa

23 Sept 1959 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration9.25 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance8,670 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Vera is listed in the Western Pacific basin for the 1959 season. Its archived track begins on 20 Sept 1959, 00:00 UTC at 11°N, 160°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 23 Sept 1959, 06:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 165 knots (190 mph / 306 km/h), first recorded on 23 Sept 1959, 12:00 UTC at 19.6°N, 141.9°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 895 hPa on 23 Sept 1959, 06:00 UTC.

The full record spans 222 hours and approximately 8,670 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 36°N, 178.5°E on 29 Sept 1959, 06:00 UTC. The final tropical-stage observation is earlier, on 27 Sept 1959, 03:00 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