 Pulasan approaching eastern China on September 18 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 15, 2024 |
| Extratropical | September 21, 2024 |
| Dissipated | September 27, 2024 |
| Tropical storm | |
| 10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
| Highest winds | 85 km/h (50 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 992 hPa (mbar); 29.29 inHg |
| Tropical storm | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 110 km/h (70 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 995 hPa (mbar); 29.38 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 15 |
| Injuries | 47 |
| Missing | 12 |
| Damage | US$4.15 million |
| Areas affected | Philippines, Eastern China, South Korea, Japan (especially Ishikawa Prefecture), British Columbia |
Part of the 2024 Pacific typhoon season | |
Tropical Storm Pulasan, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Helen, was a tropical cyclone that impacted East China, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines in September 2024. Pulasan developed over the Philippine Sea as a tropical depression on September 15 and strengthened into the fourteenth named storm of the annual typhoon season the following day. After gaining organization, the system rapidly developed and reached its peak intensity with winds of 85 km/h (50 mph) and a central pressure of 992 hPa (29.29 inHg). Pulasan then turned northwestward, eventually moving across Okinawa Island and making landfall in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, followed by a second landfall in Shanghai, just days after Typhoon Bebinca affected the Shanghai area on September 19. As the storm moved overland, it maintained a well-defined circulation center; however, it gradually turned northeastward under the influence of prevailing mid-latitude westerlies. Pulasan reemerged over the East China Sea, just off the coast of China, showcasing a large, near-symmetric area of deep convection to the southeast on September 20. By 06:00 UTC on September 21, Pulasan had transitioned into an extratropical low as it moved east-northeastward and became embedded within the polar front jet to the north, passing over southern South Korea. The extratropical storm entered the Sea of Japan on September 22, crossed the Tōhoku region, and then emerged into the Pacific Ocean while being absorbed by another extratropical cyclone. The extratropical remnants of Pulasan were last noted by the Japan Meteorological Agency on September 24 near the International Dateline; however, the Ocean Prediction Center indicated that these remnants crossed the International Dateline and entered the Central North Pacific Ocean late on September 25. Afterward, the remnants gradually approached the coast of British Columbia, making landfall on September 27 and dissipating after moving inland the same day.
In China, the Yangjiazhai meteorological station in Fengxian District and the Nicheng Park meteorological station in Pudong District both recorded more than 300 mm (12 in) of rainfall within a six-hour period, breaking historical records for each district since meteorological observations began. Xinhua reported that the city evacuated 112,000 people and suspended some ferry and train services. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration noted that the southwest monsoon, enhanced by Soulik and Pulasan, would bring strong to gale-force winds across the Philippines. Heavy rains caused by Pulasan triggered widespread landslides and flooding in the Noto Peninsula, causing extensive damage that was exacerbated by the 2024 Noto earthquake, which devastated the region in January. In South Korea, the cities of Changwon, Yeosu and Busan recorded 519.2 mm (20.44 in), 399.5 mm (15.73 in) and 390.2 mm (15.36 in) of rainfall, respectively, on September 21. The remnants of Tropical Storm Pulasan caused 15,000 customers to lose power, primarily on Vancouver Island, especially in Campbell River and Courtenay. In total, the tropical storm caused at least 15 deaths, 47 injuries, and left twelve people missing.