Typhoon Joe

Typhoon Joe (Nitang)
Joe during the late morning hours of July 20
Meteorological history
FormedJuly 15, 1980 (July 15, 1980)
DissipatedJuly 24, 1980 (July 24, 1980)
Very strong typhoon
10-minute sustained (JMA)
Highest winds155 km/h (100 mph)
Lowest pressure940 hPa (mbar); 27.76 inHg
Category 3-equivalent typhoon
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds195 km/h (120 mph)
Overall effects
Fatalities351 
Damage$14.5 million (1980 USD)
Areas affected
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Part of the 1980 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Joe, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Nitang, affected the Philippines, China, and Vietnam during July 1980. An area of disturbed weather formed near the Caroline Islands on July 14. Shower activity gradually became better organized, and two days later, the system was upgraded into a tropical depression. On July 18, the depression was classified as Tropical Storm Joe. Initially, Joe moved northwest, but began to turn to the west-northwest, anchored by a subtropical ridge to its north. Joe started to deepen at a faster clip, and attained typhoon intensity on July 19. The eye began to clear out, and the next day, Joe reached its highest intensity. Shortly thereafter, Joe moved ashore the Philippines. There, 31 people were killed and 300,000 others were directly affected. Around 5,000 homes were destroyed, resulting in an additional 29,000 homeless. Damage in the nation was estimated at $14.5 million (1980 USD).[nb 1]

The storm weakened rapidly over land, but re-intensified over the open waters of the South China Sea. Joe crossed the Leizhou Peninsula on July 22, where it became the strongest system to hit the peninsula in 26 years. A total of 188 people were killed in the area. Further north, in Hong Kong, two people were killed and 59 were injured. After weakening slightly, Joe made its final landfall in Vietnam while still at typhoon intensity. In Vietnam, 130 people were killed, 300,000 were directly affected, 165,000 lost their homes, 50,000 acres (20,000 ha) of rice paddies were flooded. In addition, 15,800 buildings were destroyed while 16,300 homes were flooded. Inland over Vietnam, Joe dissipated on July 24.
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