Typhoon Mitag (2002)

Typhoon Mitag (Basyang)

Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale)
Typhoon Mitag at peak intensity on March 6
Formed	February 26, 2002
Dissipated	March 8, 2002
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 175 km/h (110 mph) 1-minute sustained: 260 km/h (160 mph)
Lowest pressure	930 hPa (mbar); 27.46 inHg
Fatalities	2 indirect
Damage	$150 million (2002 USD)
Areas affected	Federated States of Micronesia
Part of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Mitag, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Basyang, was the first super typhoon on record in the month of March. The second storm of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season, Mitag developed from a trough near the equator on February 25 near the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). It moved westward through the archipelago and intensified into a typhoon before passing near Yap on March 2. High winds and heavy rainfall affected the state, resulting in an islandwide power outage and destroying hundreds of houses. Mitag caused severe crop damage that resulted in food shortages. The rainfall and storm surge flooded much of the coastline as well as Yap's capital, Colonia. Damage totaled $150 million, mostly from crop damage. There was one death related to the storm's aftermath.

After affecting Yap, Mitag turned to the northwest and later to the north due to an approaching trough. It passed to the north of Palau, contributing to one death there. Despite predictions of weakening, the typhoon continued to intensify, reaching peak winds of 175 km/h (110 mph 10 minute sustained) on March 5. The combination of cooler air and interaction with the westerlies caused Mitag to weaken significantly. Only four days after reaching peak winds, the storm had dissipated well to the east of the Philippines.

The origins of Typhoon Mitag were from a trough near the equator in late February 2002. A circulation developed on February 25 south of Pohnpei, which initially had disorganized convection due to moderate wind shear. After further organization, the system developed into a tropical depression on February 26. Located south of the subtropical ridge, it moved generally westward, intensifying into Tropical Storm Mitag near Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) on February 28. This was based on analysis from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA); the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) estimated that the system intensified into a tropical storm a day prior. It passed just south of Weno in Chuuk while continuing westward, intensifying quickly due to decreasing wind shear. The JTWC upgraded the storm to a typhoon on March 1, and the JMA followed suit a day later.