Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | November 17, 1991 |
Extratropical | December 1, 1991 |
Dissipated | December 3, 1991 |
Violent typhoon | |
10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
Highest winds | 220 km/h (140 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 895 hPa (mbar); 26.43 inHg |
Category 5-equivalent super typhoon | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
Highest winds | 280 km/h (175 mph) |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | None |
Damage | $36 million (1991 USD) |
Areas affected | Pohnpei, Guam |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season |
Typhoon Yuri was the most intense tropical cyclone in 1991 in terms of minimum central pressure. The nineteenth typhoon and final super typhoon of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season, Yuri was a tropical disturbance that strengthened into a tropical depression on November 22 in the Philippine Sea.[1] Moving rather slowly at first, the system continued to intensify, and was given the name Yuri. It had become a severe tropical storm about 1,480 kilometers east of Truk Island and took on a west-northwestward track at 22 km/h. Typhoon intensity was attained that night when Yuri was 1,050 km. Yuri turned more to the west on 26 November and reached peak intensity the following morning packing winds of over 220 km/h near its centre. Moving northwestwards at 30 km/h, Yuri passed 140 km to the south-southwest of Guam on the evening of November 27. After recurving November 29, Yuri accelerated northeastwards on November 30 and weakened to a severe tropical storm that night. By the morning of December 1, it had degenerated into a tropical storm about a few hundred kilometers east-northeast of Iwo Jima. Extratropical transition was completed soon afterward, and the storm's remnants persisted until December 3.[1]
Although Yuri never directly made landfall, it still had managed to cause $3 million (1991 USD) in damage to Pohnpei, including the loss of a radio tower. In Guam, the storm caused extensive beach erosion and destroyed between 60 and 350 buildings. There, damage totaled $33 million (1991 USD).[2] It is one of the most closely observed storms ever; its eye was studied for research.