1980 West Pacific typhoon season
All year · Season ended
The 1980 West Pacific typhoon season produced 23 named storms, 14 typhoons and 8 major typhoons, against a 1991–2020 average of 25.5, 15.8 and 9.0. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 230, 80% of the average.
Named storms
23
Avg 25.5 (1991–2020)
Typhoons
14
64 kt or stronger · avg 15.8
Major (Cat 3+)
8
Including 1 Category 5
Accumulated energy
80% of normal
ACE 230 vs 1991–2020 avg 286
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Tracks colored by peak strengthTDTSC1C2C3C4C5
1980 season at a glance
- Named storms: 23 (1991–2020 average 25.5).
- Typhoons (64 kt+): 14 (average 15.8).
- Major, 96 kt+: 8, including 1 at Category 5 strength (average 9.0).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 229.8, 80% of the 286 average.
- Named-storm days: 128.8, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Carmen, April 4.
- First typhoon: Dom, May 12.
- First major storm: Ellen, May 15.
- Last storm to dissipate: Ed, December 24.
- All systems tracked: 31, including 8 that stayed below tropical-storm strength.
Counts use 1-minute best-track winds: named storms reached 34 kt (39 mph), the next column 64 kt (74 mph) and major storms 96 kt (111 mph). Regional agencies here use 10-minute winds (3-minute in India), so their official counts can differ.
Every storm of the 1980 season
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Min pressure | Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD 1W | – | TD | — | Oras, Philippines |
| Carmen | – | TS | 985 mb | — |
| Dom | – | C2 | 960 mb | — |
| Ellen | – | C3 | 930 mb | — |
| Forrest | – | TS | 992 mb | Gabaldon, Philippines |
| Georgia | – | TS | 980 mb | Huicheng, China |
| Herbert | – | TS | 990 mb | Panalanoy, Philippines |
| Unnamed | – | TD | — | — |
| Ida | – | TS | 980 mb | Jieyang, China |
| TD 10W | – | TD | — | Encheng, China |
| Joe | – | C3 | 940 mb | San Mariano, Philippines |
| Kim | – | C4 | 910 mb | San Mariano, Philippines |
| Lex | – | C1 | 960 mb | — |
| Marge | – | C3 | 945 mb | — |
| TD 14W | – | TD | — | — |
| Norris | – | C2 | 945 mb | Yilan, Taiwan |
| Unnamed | – | TD | — | — |
| Unnamed | – | TD | — | — |
| Orchid | – | C2 | 960 mb | Kanoya, Japan |
| Unnamed | – | TD | — | — |
| Ruth | – | C1 | 980 mb | Wenchang, China |
| Sperry | – | C1 | 975 mb | — |
| Percy | – | C4 | 915 mb | Huanggang, China |
| Thelma | – | TS | 960 mb | — |
| Vernon | – | C3 | 935 mb | — |
| Wynne | – | C5 | 890 mb | — |
| Alex | – | TS | 998 mb | — |
| Betty | – | C4 | 925 mb | Nagtipunan, Philippines |
| Cary | – | TS | 996 mb | Sorsogon, Philippines |
| Unnamed | – | TD | — | — |
| Ed | – | TS | 990 mb | — |
- TD 1W: This system formed in the West Pacific in March 1980 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h). It made 2 landfalls, first near Oras, Philippines and last near Bulan, Philippines. The system was tracked for 13 days.
- Carmen: Carmen formed in the West Pacific in April 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 985 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 9 days.
- Dom: Dom formed in the West Pacific in May 1980 and peaked as a Category 2 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 960 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 17 days.
- Ellen: Ellen formed in the West Pacific in May 1980 and peaked as a Category 3 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 930 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 14 days.
- Forrest: Forrest formed in the West Pacific in May 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 992 mb. It made landfall near Gabaldon, Philippines. The system was tracked for 14 days.
- Georgia: Georgia formed in the West Pacific in May 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 980 mb. It made landfall near Huicheng, China. The system was tracked for 6 days.
- Herbert: Herbert formed in the West Pacific in June 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 990 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Panalanoy, Philippines and last near Jiangping, China. The system was tracked for 10 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the West Pacific in June 1980. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
- Ida: Ida formed in the West Pacific in July 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 980 mb. It made landfall near Jieyang, China. The system was tracked for 10 days.
- TD 10W: This system formed in the West Pacific in July 1980 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h). It made landfall near Encheng, China. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- Joe: Joe formed in the West Pacific in July 1980 and peaked as a Category 3 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 940 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near San Mariano, Philippines and last near Haiphong, Vietnam. The system was tracked for 9 days.
- Kim: Kim formed in the West Pacific in July 1980 and peaked as a Category 4 super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 910 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near San Mariano, Philippines and last near Donghai, China. The system was tracked for 9 days.
- Lex: Lex formed in the West Pacific in July 1980 and peaked as a Category 1 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 960 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 18 days.
- Marge: Marge formed in the West Pacific in August 1980 and peaked as a Category 3 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 945 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 11 days.
- TD 14W: This system formed in the West Pacific in August 1980 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 25 mph (35 km/h). It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
- Norris: Norris formed in the West Pacific in August 1980 and peaked as a Category 2 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 945 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Yilan, Taiwan and last near Fuqing, China. The system was tracked for 8 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the West Pacific in August 1980. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the West Pacific in August 1980. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Orchid: Orchid formed in the West Pacific in September 1980 and peaked as a Category 2 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 960 mb. It made landfall near Kanoya, Japan. The system was tracked for 14 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the West Pacific in September 1980. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Ruth: Ruth formed in the West Pacific in September 1980 and peaked as a Category 1 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 980 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Wenchang, China and last near Thanh Hóa, Vietnam. The system was tracked for 7 days.
- Sperry: Sperry formed in the West Pacific in September 1980 and peaked as a Category 1 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 975 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 12 days.
- Percy: Percy formed in the West Pacific in September 1980 and peaked as a Category 4 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 915 mb. It made landfall near Huanggang, China. The system was tracked for 6 days.
- Thelma: Thelma formed in the West Pacific in September 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 960 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
- Vernon: Vernon formed in the West Pacific in September 1980 and peaked as a Category 3 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 935 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 10 days.
- Wynne: Wynne formed in the West Pacific in October 1980 and peaked as a Category 5 super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 890 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 13 days.
- Alex: Alex formed in the West Pacific in October 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 998 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
- Betty: Betty formed in the West Pacific in October 1980 and peaked as a Category 4 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 925 mb. It made landfall near Nagtipunan, Philippines. The system was tracked for 18 days.
- Cary: Cary formed in the West Pacific in October 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 996 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Sorsogon, Philippines and last near Binangonan, Philippines. The system was tracked for 8 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the West Pacific in November 1980. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
- Ed: Ed formed in the West Pacific in December 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 990 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 10 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 1980
Super Typhoon Wynne was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 175 mph (280 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 890 mb, on October 9. That is Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
32 West Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 14 matched it. It produced 16% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 1980
14 of the season’s 31 systems made landfall, 4 of them at typhoon strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.
- March 23: TD 1W near Oras, Philippines, 35 mph (tropical depression)
- March 24: TD 1W near Bulan, Philippines, 35 mph (tropical depression)
- May 23: Georgia near Huicheng, China, 60 mph (tropical storm)
- May 25: Forrest near Gabaldon, Philippines, 45 mph (tropical storm)
- June 23: Herbert near Panalanoy, Philippines, 30 mph (tropical depression)
- June 26: Herbert near Baocheng, China, 50 mph (tropical storm)
- June 28: Herbert near Jiangping, China, 45 mph (tropical storm)
- July 11: Ida near Jieyang, China, 45 mph (tropical storm)
- July 19: TD 10W near Encheng, China, 30 mph (tropical depression)
- July 20: Joe near San Mariano, Philippines, 80 mph (Category 1)
- July 22: Joe near Xucheng, China, 80 mph (Category 1)
- July 23: Joe near Haiphong, Vietnam, 30 mph (tropical depression)
- July 25: Kim near San Mariano, Philippines, 115 mph (Category 3)
- July 27: Kim near Donghai, China, 45 mph (tropical storm)
- August 27: Norris near Yilan, Taiwan, 70 mph (tropical storm)
- August 28: Norris near Fuqing, China, 50 mph (tropical storm)
- September 11: Orchid near Kanoya, Japan, 75 mph (Category 1)
- September 14: Ruth near Wenchang, China, 50 mph (tropical storm)
- September 16: Ruth near Thanh Hóa, Vietnam, 65 mph (tropical storm)
- September 18: Percy near Huanggang, China, 50 mph (tropical storm)
- October 28: Cary near Sorsogon, Philippines, 30 mph (tropical depression)
- October 29: Cary near Binangonan, Philippines, 30 mph (tropical depression)
- November 4: Betty near Nagtipunan, Philippines, 120 mph (Category 3)
How 1980 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 32nd of 47 West Pacific seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 5 other seasons), 32nd for typhoons and 32nd for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 33 named storms, in 1994, and the highest ACE is 483, in 2004.
1980 storm names
The 1980 season used 23 names: Carmen, Dom, Ellen, Forrest, Georgia, Herbert, Ida, Joe, Kim, Lex, Marge, Norris, Orchid, Ruth, Sperry, Percy, Thelma, Vernon, Wynne, Alex, Betty, Cary, Ed.
8 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.
1980 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 1980?
The 1980 West Pacific typhoon season had 23 named storms, 14 typhoons and 8 major typhoons, from 31 systems tracked in all. The 1991–2020 average is 25.5 named storms, 15.8 at 64 kt or more and 9.0 major per season. The first to form was Carmen and the last was Ed.
What was the strongest storm of 1980?
Super Typhoon Wynne. It peaked at 175 mph (280 km/h, 150 kt) with a lowest pressure of 890 mb on October 9. That is Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 32 West Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 16% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 1980 season end?
The West Pacific has no official season, so the 1980 season is simply the calendar year: every storm that formed by December 31 counts. The last system, Ed, dissipated on December 24. Since 1980, 51 West Pacific storms reached tropical-storm strength in December.