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WESTERN PACIFIC · 1952 SEASON

Typhoon Wilma (1952)

Recorded track and intensity · 21 Oct 1952–31 Oct 1952

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
WILMA: complete recorded track, 21 Oct 1952–31 Oct 1952Recorded track from 21 Oct 1952 to 31 Oct 1952. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.TAIWAN22 Oct, 00:00 UTC23 Oct, 00:00 UTC24 Oct, 00:00 UTC25 Oct, 00:00 UTC26 Oct, 00:00 UTC27 Oct, 00:00 UTC28 Oct, 00:00 UTC29 Oct, 00:00 UTC30 Oct, 00:00 UTC31 Oct, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 521 OCT31 OCT

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

Wind speed & pressure

26 Oct, 00:00 UTC
Wind speed 160 ktPressure 930 hPa
0920809701601020kthPa21 Oct24 Oct28 Oct31 Oct

Forward speed & ACE

26 Oct, 00:00 UTC
Forward speed 17 ktCumulative ACE 16.39 10⁴ kt²
0010202040kt10⁴ kt²21 Oct24 Oct28 Oct31 Oct

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 measurements remain gaps.

Maximum sustained wind160 kt

184 mph / 296 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure930 hPa

25 Oct 1952 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration10 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance5,640 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Wilma is listed in the Western Pacific basin for the 1952 season. Its archived track begins on 21 Oct 1952, 12:00 UTC at 5.5°N, 152°E. The first observation lists sustained winds of 30 knots. These dates describe the available observations, which may include stages before and after the tropical cyclone phase.

The first Category 5 observation appears on 25 Oct 1952, 12:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 160 knots (184 mph / 296 km/h), first recorded on 26 Oct 1952, 00:00 UTC at 11°N, 132.8°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 930 hPa on 25 Oct 1952, 18:00 UTC.

The full record spans 240 hours and approximately 5,640 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 13.8°N, 103.3°E on 31 Oct 1952, 12:00 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