Typhoon Gordon (1989)

Typhoon Gordon (Goring)

Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale)
Typhoon Gordon approaching Luzon near peak intensity on July 15
Formed	July 9, 1989
Dissipated	July 19, 1989
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 185 km/h (115 mph) 1-minute sustained: 260 km/h (160 mph)
Lowest pressure	915 hPa (mbar); 27.02 inHg
Fatalities	306 total
Damage	$381 million (1989 USD)
Areas affected	Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao, and China
Part of the 1989 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Gordon, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Goring, was a powerful tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage and loss of life in the Philippines and Southern China in July 1989. Originating from a single cumulonimbus cloud on July 9, Gordon developed into a tropical depression near the Northern Mariana Islands and quickly intensified as it tracked west-southwestward. On July 13, the storm attained typhoon status and subsequently underwent a period of rapid intensification. By July 15, the storm attained its peak strength as a Category 5 equivalent super typhoon with winds estimated at 260 km/h (160 mph). After striking the northern Philippines, Gordon moved through the South China Sea and slowly weakened. On July 18, the storm made landfall in southern China and was last noted the following day as it dissipated over land.

Throughout Gordon's path from the Philippines to China, the storm caused widespread damage and loss of life. Across the Philippines, 90 people were killed by the typhoon and an estimated 120,000 people were left homeless. Though a weaker storm when it struck China, damage was more severe due to extensive flooding. Several coastal cities were completely inundated. Throughout the country, at least 200 people died and losses reached 1.2 billion yuan ($319 million USD). Additionally, 14 people drowned offshore and 2 others died in Hong Kong.

In early July, widespread showers and thunderstorms developed across the Western Pacific underneath a tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT). On July 9, a single cumulonimbus cloud west of Wake Island became associated with the TUTT and quickly organized. By July 11, the system featured a small central dense overcast and soon became sufficiently organized for the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to declare it as Tropical Depression 11W. Upon classification, the system was located roughly 320 km (200 mi) east of the Northern Mariana Islands. The development of the depression was unprecedented in two ways: first, a single cloud developed into a tropical cyclone; and second, it became tropical while situated underneath a cold-core low.