Typhoon Vera
| Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale) | |
Surface weather analysis of Typhoon Vera near peak intensity on September 23
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| Formed | September 20, 1959 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | September 29, 1959 |
| (Extratropical after September 27, 1959) | |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 305 km/h (190 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 895 hPa (mbar); 26.43 inHg |
| Fatalities | 4,487–5,098 |
| Damage | $600 million (1959 USD) () |
| Areas affected | Japan |
| Part of the 1959 Pacific typhoon season | |
Typhoon Vera, also known as the Isewan Typhoon (伊勢湾台風 Ise-wan Taifū?), was an exceptionally intense tropical cyclone that struck Japan in September 1959, becoming the strongest and deadliest typhoon on record to make landfall on the country. The storm's intensity resulted in damage of unparalleled severity and extent, and was a major setback to the Japanese economy, which was still recovering from World War II. In the aftermath of Vera, Japan's disaster management and relief systems were significantly reformed, and the typhoon's effects would set a benchmark for future storms striking the country.
Vera developed on September 20 between Guam and Chuuk State, and initially tracked westward before taking a more northerly course, reaching tropical storm strength the following day. By this point Vera had assumed a more westerly direction of movement and had begun to rapidly intensify, and reached its peak intensity on September 23 with maximum sustained winds equivalent to that of a modern-day Category 5 hurricane. With little change in strength, Vera curved and accelerated northward, resulting in a landfall on September 26 near Shionomisaki on Honshu. Atmospheric wind patterns caused the typhoon to briefly emerge into the Sea of Japan before recurving eastward and moving ashore Honshu for a second time. Movement over land greatly weakened Vera, and after reentering the North Pacific Ocean later that day, Vera transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 27; these remnants continued to persist for an additional two days.
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