Typhoon Fengshen (2002)

Typhoon Fengshen

Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale)
Typhoon Fengshen intensifying on July 16
Formed	July 13, 2002
Dissipated	July 28, 2002
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 185 km/h (115 mph) 1-minute sustained: 270 km/h (165 mph)
Lowest pressure	920 hPa (mbar); 27.17 inHg
Fatalities	5 total
Damage	$4 million (2002 USD)
Areas affected	Japan, China
Part of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Fengshen was the strongest storm of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season. It developed on July 13 from the monsoon trough near the Marshall Islands, and quickly intensified due to its small size. By July 15, Fengshen attained typhoon status, and after initially moving to the north, it turned toward the northwest. On July 18, the typhoon reached its peak intensity of 185 km/h (115 mph 10‑minute winds), according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center estimated peak winds of 270 km/h (165 mph 1‑minute winds), and the agency estimated that Fengshen was a super typhoon for five days. This broke the record for longest duration at that intensity, previously set by Typhoon Joan in 1997, and which was later tied by Typhoon Ioke in 2006.

While near peak intensity, Typhoon Fengshen underwent the Fujiwhara effect with Typhoon Fung-wong, causing the latter storm to loop to its south. Fengshen gradually weakened while approaching Japan, and it crossed over the country's Ōsumi Islands on July 25 as a severe tropical storm. The typhoon washed a freighter ashore, killing four people and forcing the other 15 crew members to be rescued. In the country, Fengshen dropped heavy rainfall that caused mudslides and left $4 million (¥475 million 2002 JPY), in crop damage. There was an additional death in the country. After affecting Japan, Fengshen weakened in the Yellow Sea to a tropical depression, before moving across China's Shandong Peninsula and dissipating on July 28.

Late on July 13, a tropical depression developed near the Marshall Islands northeast of Kwajalein Atoll. The cyclone quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Fengshen just six hours after forming. On July 14, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) initiated warnings on Fengshen just two hours after first monitoring the disturbance. By that time, the system consisted of a distinct circulation with developing convection, located in an area of weak wind shear. The storm initially moved northwestward, emerging from the monsoon trough as a small cyclone. Quick intensification followed, and an upper-level low to the northwest assisted in providing outflow. After a 13 km (8 mi) wide eye developed, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) upgraded Fengshen to a typhoon on July 15 to the southwest of Wake Island; the JTWC also upgraded the storm the same day.