1995 Western Pacific typhoon season
Typhoon Ward 1995
Typhoon Ward crossed the western Pacific in October 1995 and turned northeast before reaching the Asian mainland. Its strongest phase came near the bend in that ocean track.
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161 mph
Oct 19, 1995 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
Across the western Pacific
The archive begins with Ward east of the Mariana Islands. It moved west-northwest through the tropics, then gained latitude as it strengthened. Over successive daily positions, the track shifted from near 13°N, 155°E to around 19°N, 137°E, with one-minute winds increasing from 20 to 120 kt.
Turning northeast at peak strength
Ward reached peak one-minute winds of 140 kt on October 19, equivalent to Category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Its minimum central pressure was 940 hPa. Near 134°E, the typhoon changed from a westward course to a northward and then northeastward track.
The storm weakened as it headed east of Japan and across the North Pacific. Late archived positions lie near 33°N, 156°E and then 40°N, 176°E. No archived center position lies over land; the saved season account also describes Ward's turn out to sea.
Further reading
QUICK ANSWERS
Ward in brief
What was Typhoon Ward's highest wind speed?
161 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on Oct 19, 1995, 12:00 PM UTC.
What category was Typhoon Ward?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on Oct 19, 1995, 12:00 PM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Typhoon Ward's lowest pressure?
940 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on Oct 19, 1995, 06:00 PM UTC.
When did Typhoon Ward occur?
The archived track runs from Oct 13, 1995, 06:00 PM UTC to Oct 24, 1995, 06:00 AM UTC, with the tropical stage from Oct 16, 1995, 06:00 AM UTC to Oct 22, 1995, 09:00 AM UTC.
Where did Typhoon Ward form?
In the Western Pacific basin, in the 1995 season. Its first archived position is 8.4°N, 162.5°E on Oct 13, 1995, 06:00 PM UTC.
Did Typhoon Ward make landfall?
No archived position places Typhoon Ward'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