Typhoon Kate (1970)

Super Typhoon Kate (Titang)

Category 4 (Saffir–Simpson scale)
Typhoon Kate west of the Philippines on October 22
Formed	October 14, 1970
Dissipated	October 25, 1970
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 240 km/h (150 mph)
Lowest pressure	940 hPa (mbar); 27.76 inHg
Fatalities	631 confirmed, 284 missing
Damage	$50 million (1970 USD)
Areas affected	Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam
Part of the 1970 Pacific typhoon season

Super Typhoon Kate, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Titang, was the second of two super typhoons to strike the Philippines within a week in October 1970, the first being Super Typhoon Joan. As a result, Kate produced heavy damage and over 631 casualties. At the time, Kate was the deadliest typhoon to strike the Philippines.

Super Typhoon Kate was first identified by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) on October 7, 1970, and by the Japan Meteorological Agency on October 9, 1970 as a tropical disturbance near the Marshall Islands. The system tracked in a general westward direction and relocated itself further south during this period in response to Typhoon Joan wake to the northwest. By October 13, convection sharply increased as the system entered a region of strong diffluence. The following day, the disturbance featured a marked increase in organization as thunderstorms continued to consolidate around the center of circulation. During the afternoon of October 15, reconnaissance aircraft reached the storm and reported that it was already nearing typhoon status. Sustained winds were measured at 110 km/h (70 mph) along with a barometric pressure of 985 mbar (hPa; 29.12 inHg). At this time cyclone storm was classified as Tropical Storm Kate, the 18th named storm of the 1970 season. Additionally, the storm had begun developing an eyewall, an indication that the system was likely to intensify further. Over the following three days, the storm continued its westward track while gaining strength.