1988 Pacific typhoon season

Systems

A total of 26 tropical cyclones formed this year in the Western Pacific, of which all became tropical storms. Of the 26, 10 storms reached typhoon intensity, of which 1 reached supertyphoon strength. Nine tropical cyclones moved through the Philippines this season.

Typhoon Roy (Asiang)

Typhoon Roy, which crossed the open Western Pacific as a Category 4 typhoon in January, caused moderate to extensive damage across the Federated States of Micronesia and the Philippines, causing $23.5 million (1988 USD) but only one death.

Typhoon Susan (Biring)

Typhoon Susan formed at the end of May just to the north of Luzon Island in the Philippines. As a depression Susan dropped heavy rains in and around the Manila area the resulting landslides killed 6 people. As Susan moved away from the Philippines the storm strengthened into a typhoon shortly before cross in the southern tip of Taiwan and turning extratropical just after passing Okinawa.

Typhoon Warren (Huaning)

A tropical depression formed to the east of Guam shortly before passing north of the island. Shortly after passing the island the storm strengthened into Tropical Storm Warren. Warren kept gathering strength and reached peak intensity of 135 mph while 300 miles east of Luzon Island. Typhoon Warren moved westward and brushed the extreme northern tip of Luzon Island in the Philippines causing $10 million in damage. Warren then made landfall near Shantou, China, 13,000 homes were destroyed and 17 people were killed in Guangdong Province.

Tropical Storm Bill (Isang)

Tropical Storm Bill, which formed on August 5 east of Taiwan, moved northwest to hit eastern China as a 45 mph tropical storm. Torrential rains and heavy flooding resulted in 110 casualties and widespread damage to roads and dams.

Typhoon Hal

This system first became a tropical depression well to the southeast of Japan, while moving to the northwest. Hal intensified into a tropical storm on September 9, and then turned to the southeast on September 10. Typhoon intensity was reached on September 11. Early on September 12, Hal sharply recurved, first turning to the north-northwest and eventually northeast on September 15. Accelerating northeastward, Hal became an extratropical cyclone on September 17. While the center never crossed land, two people in Honshu were reported missing with 13 others injured. As an extratropical cyclone, Hal restrengthened. By late on September 18, its central pressure had fallen to 950.0 hectopascals (28.05 inHg) and the storm was causing winds up to 72 knots (133 km/h). After peaking in strength, Hal moved through the eastern Bering Sea on September 19 and into Alaska on September 20. The weakening low moved on an anticyclonic path through southern Alaska before emerging into the Gulf of Alaska on September 23. The cyclone drifted erratically southward, dissipating in the Gulf of Alaska on September 25.

Typhoon Uleki

Uleki had developed on August 28 well to the southeast of Hawai'i and become a hurricane in the north-central Pacific before crossing the International Dateline. At 00:00 UTC on September 8, the CPHC transferred warning responsibility of Uleki to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the storm was subsequently referred to as a typhoon. Three hours later Uleki made its closest approach to Midway Atoll, passing 200 mi (320 km) to the south. Shortly thereafter the system crossed the International Dateline and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) also began advising on the system. The JMA estimated Uleki to have had a pressure of 945 mb (hPa; 27.91 inHg) at this time; however, this value was derived from satellite estimates rather than direct measurements. Uleki maintained this strength through September 10 as it continued on its west-northwest course. On that day, the typhoon again entered a region of weak steering currents between two anticyclones within the subtropical ridge. A trough approaching from the west was forecast to prompt Uleki to turn east; however, the typhoon maintained a general northwest motion in a stair-stepped fashion. Increasing wind shear and cooler air soon imparted weakening, and Uleki degraded to a tropical storm by September 12.

Continued effects from shear stripped the cyclone of all deep convection and by September 14 only a band of cirrus clouds remained in association with Uleki. The JTWC issued their final warning on the system at 00:00 UTC that day accordingly. The JMA maintained the system as a tropical depression as the former typhoon began turning to the east. Uleki later transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 16 as it accelerated to the east. The system dissipated the following day near the International Dateline, far from any major landmasses.

Severe Tropical Storm Kit (Maring)

Tropical Storm Kit formed from an area of disturbed weather 300 miles east of Manila. A depression formed on the 19th of September and strengthened into Tropical Storm Kit shortly before making landfall on the extreme northern tip of Luzon Island. Kit continued towards the northwest and made landfall 120 miles northeast of Hong Kong. Widespread flooding was reported and 3 people were killed in Guangdong Province in China.

Typhoon Ruby (Unsang)

Typhoon Ruby, which developed east of the Philippines on October 20, rapidly intensified to a 145 mph typhoon while approaching central Luzon. It hit on the 24th, and rapidly weakened to a minimal typhoon over the island. Ruby, with its disrupted circulation, remained weak over the South China Sea, and land interaction with Vietnam caused it to dissipate on the 28th. Ruby caused over 300 fatalities, with widespread flooding and damage over its track. Ruby brought heavy rains and a 12-foot storm surge to Guam and the Marianas Islands. On Luzon, the storm's 140 mph (220 km/h) winds caused tremendous damage to the town of Siniloan. In the Polillo Islands, east of Manila, Ruby spawned rare tornadoes that leveled homes. In the northern part of the Philippines, many fishing boats were wrecked by 30–40 foot waves, and 32 more people drowned. Damage in the Philippines totaled 5.64 billion Philippine Pesos (1989 pesos).

The passenger ferry the MV Doña Marilyn was in the Visayan Sea when the storm struck the vessel. The storm caused the ferry to list to the starboard until one of the decks was below the water, causing the ship to fill up rapidly. The passengers and crew tried to save the ship, but to no avail. The Doña Marilyn sank stern first taking 389 people with it. Only 147 people survived by clinging to life rafts.

Typhoon Skip (Yoning)

Just 2 weeks after Ruby hit Luzon, Skip, which formed on November 3, hit the central Philippines as a 145 mph typhoon. Ruby reached the South China Sea on the 7th, and steadily weakened until dissipation on the 12th. Skip was responsible for killing 104 people (with 95 missing) and extensive damage to the coconut, rice, and sugar crops.

Severe Tropical Storm Tess (Welpring)

After passing through the Philippines, a tropical disturbance organized in the South China Sea into a tropical depression late on the morning of November 4. Turning westward and strengthening, the cyclone became a tropical storm later that day, and then a typhoon by late November 5. It moved into Vietnam on November 6 and quickly weakened, becoming the only tropical cyclone that season to make landfall in the country. Its remains later moved across the Mekong River delta.

Storm names

During the season 26 named tropical cyclones developed in the Western Pacific and were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, when it was determined that they had become tropical storms. These names were contributed to a revised list which started on 1979.

Philippines

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration uses its own naming scheme for tropical cyclones in their area of responsibility. PAGASA assigns names to tropical depressions that form within their area of responsibility and any tropical cyclone that might move into their area of responsibility. Should the list of names for a given year prove to be insufficient, names are taken from an auxiliary list, the first 6 of which are published each year before the season starts. Names not retired from this list will be used again in the 1992 season. This is the same list used for the 1984 season. PAGASA uses its own naming scheme that starts in the Filipino alphabet, with names of Filipino female names ending with "ng" (A, B, K, D, etc.). Names that were not assigned/going to use are marked in gray.

Retirement

Because Typhoons Unsang and Yoning made extensive damage within the Philippines, the PAGASA later retired the names Unsang and Yoning and was replaced by Ulpiang and Yerling for the 1992 season.