Typhoon Dot (1964)

Typhoon Dot (Enang)
Contour map of air pressures near the typhoon
Surface weather analysis of the typhoon on October 12
Meteorological history
FormedOctober 3, 1964 (October 3, 1964)
DissipatedOctober 19, 1964 (October 19, 1964)
Typhoon
10-minute sustained (JMA)
Highest winds150 km/h (90 mph)
Lowest pressure980 hPa (mbar); 28.94 inHg
Category 2-equivalent typhoon
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds165 km/h (105 mph)
Overall effects
Fatalities≤26
Missing10
Areas affectedChina, Hong Kong, Palau, Philippines

Part of the 1964 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Dot (known as Typhoon Enang in the Philippines)[1] was a strong tropical cyclone that made landfalls on Luzon and near Hong Kong in October 1964. It was the fifth typhoon to impact Hong Kong during the active 1964 Pacific typhoon season, and prompted the issuance of the No. 10 typhoon signal from the Royal Observatory in Hong Kong—the highest warning possible. The storm's precursor disturbance formed west of Pohnpei on October 3 and tracked towards the west, becoming a tropical storm by October 6. Gradually strengthening, Dot moved towards the west-northwest, northwest, and then curved west, leading to a landfall at typhoon intensity on Luzon on October 9. A freighter with 32 crewmembers went missing west of the island after passing through the typhoon and was never recovered.

Dot tracked slowly and strengthened further across the South China Sea between October 9–13. The Royal Observatory began issuing tropical cyclone signals on October 10. A day later, Dot reached its peak intensity with one-minute sustained winds of around 165 km/h (103 mph) and ten-minute sustained winds of about 150 km/h (93 mph). Dot curved northward and maintained this intensity as its final landfall near Hong Kong on October 13, during which the Royal Observatory hoisted the No. 10 typhoon signal. Dot's slow movement near landfall prolonged its impacts, with the Royal Observatory recording eight hours of gale-force winds and over 330 mm (13 in) of rain. A peak gust of 220 km/h (140 mph) was clocked at Tate's Cairn, and the strong winds damaged most buildings around Hong Kong and shattered windows. Rain-triggered landslides destroyed homes and blocked roads. In total, Dot killed at least 26 people and injured 85 others according to the Royal Observatory, in addition to causing millions of U.S. dollars in property damage.

  1. ^ "Annual Report of the Weather Bureau, FY 1964–1965". Manila, Philippines: Philippines Weather Bureau. 1965. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)