 Oliwa prior to peak intensity on September 10 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2 September 1997 |
| Extratropical | 17 September 1997 |
| Dissipated | 19 September 1997 |
| Very strong typhoon | |
| 10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
| Highest winds | 185 km/h (115 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 915 hPa (mbar); 27.02 inHg |
| Category 5-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 260 km/h (160 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 898 hPa (mbar); 26.52 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 12 total |
| Missing | 10 |
| Damage | $50.1 million |
| Areas affected | Northern Mariana Islands, Japan, South Korea |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1997 Pacific hurricane and typhoon seasons | |
Typhoon Oliwa was one of a record eleven super typhoons in the 1997 Pacific typhoon season. Oliwa (Hawaiian for Oliver) formed in the central Pacific Ocean on September 2 to the southwest of Hawaii, but it became a typhoon in the western Pacific. Oliwa explosively intensified on September 8, increasing its winds from 85 mph to 160 mph (140 to 260 km/h) in a 24‑hour period. Afterward, it slowly weakened, and after passing east of Okinawa, Oliwa turned northeast and struck Japan with winds of 85 mph (137 km/h). There, it affected 30,000 people and killed 12; thousands of houses were flooded, and some were destroyed. Offshore South Korea, the winds and waves wrecked 28 boats, while one boat went missing with a crew of 10 people. Oliwa dissipated on September 19 in northern Pacific Ocean near the International Date Line.