Despite the storm's extreme intensity,damage was relatively limited in Guam,and no causalities were caused by June,primarily as a result of staying west of the island chain,although storm surge was still a hazard that caused problems. June caused significant flooding and wind damage on Guam,some more localized then other areas,with total losses estimated at $1.3million (1975 USD). At least 29 people were left homeless as a result. In Yap,the storm resulted in flood damage to property and crops on several atolls.
Meteorological history
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity,according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
June's origins can be traced back on November 14, when a tropical disturbance formed over the island of Micronesia.[2]:46 Located within very weak steering currents initially, the disturbance did not move much and meandered slowly westward, gradually before consolidating into a tropical depression at 06:00UTC on November 16, about 445nmi (824km) south of Guam. A sprawling storm, satellite data suggested the cyclone intensified into a tropical storm shortly afterwards about six hours later, with the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) assigning it the name June.[2] The storm remained nearly quasi-stationary throughout the day on November 17 as it approached a weakness in a ridge to its north, strengthening at a steady pace, while being constantly surveyed by the Hurricane Hunters of the 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. An approaching trough from the west began to steer June to the north the following day, at which point June then intensified into a typhoon.[2]
Source: JMA Typhoon Best Track Analysis.[4] National Hurricane Center Tropical Cyclone Reports.[5][6]
A small, 9 kilometres (5.6mi)-wide eye developed,[7] and, attributed to very favorable environmental conditions, June commenced a period of explosive intensification on November 18. The central pressure proceeded to drop 90mb (2.7inHg) in a day, with a 52mb (1.5inHg) drop recorded in only 11 hours,[2] while the JTWC noted that the maximum sustained winds had increased to 295km/h (185mph), making it a Category5-equivalent super typhoon on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Very early on November 19, at 08:13UTC, a Hurricane Hunter aircraft within the eye of the extremely powerful typhoon measured a then-record low sea level pressure of 876mb (25.9inHg) via dropsonde.[7] The sonde did not hit the center of the eye, so the lowest central pressure is assessed as having been slightly lower, at 875mb (25.8inHg), tying it with Nora in 1973 as the third-most intense tropical cyclone on record – with Hurricane Patricia of 2015 and Typhoon Tip in 1979 achieving lower pressures. Subsequent studies observed that as a result of the sonde missing the center, the true pressure of June might have been even lower then estimated.[7] The Hurricane Hunters also observed frequent lightning within the eyewall, further signaling its extreme intensity. At the time of its peak, June was located about 200 nautical miles (370km) west of Guam, its closest approach to the island.[2][8]:37
After peaking, the small eye of June soon clouded over and filled, as an eyewall replacement cycle soon commenced later on November 19.[2] The size of the powerful typhoon also increased as June towards more westward that night, with tropical storm-force winds extending out 250nmi (460km) from the center.[2] During the eyewall cycle, June became the first instance from Hurricane Hunters to observe three concentric eyewalls in a tropical cyclone.[9] June temporarily plateaued in intensity during the next day, before unfavorable conditions caused the typhoon to resume weakening, falling below Category5-equivalent intensity on November 21. Accelerating north and then northeast into the westerlies at forward speeds up to 70 miles per hour (110km/h), more pronounced weakening took place as June began losing tropical characteristics due to very strong wind shear.[2] June became extratropical on November 22, and the JTWC issued their last advisory. The remnants of June then turned northwards, affecting the Aleutian Islands, and then far northeastern Siberia before it was last noted over that region on November 23.[2]
Preparations and impact
Guam
June never made a direct landfall and damage was relatively limited. However, June passed nearly 200mi (320km) west of Guam, which was enough to cause some preparations to be taken. Approximately 3,200 residents on the island were reported to have taken shelter in centers set up for evacuation purposes.[2] At the Andersen Air Force Base, a peak wind gust of 80 miles per hour (130km/h) was reported.[8]Storm surge caused severe damage to portions of a highway between the villages of Merizo and Umatac. More severe and localized damage, the worst observed from the typhoon, was observed in Mangilao, where several homes were destroyed, and many others had roofs damaged or torn off.[8] Power poles and cars were among the things that were reported to be damaged. 29 people were reported to have ended up homeless as a result of June's impacts. Total damages were reported to be $1.3million, with damages to crops account for 38% of the total damage.[8] No deaths occurred as a result of June.
Yap
On the island of Yap, severe damage was reported in Eauripik Atoll, with descriptions of "a sizable portion" of the island being washed away by storm surge.[2] Property damage and crop damage was also observed on the island as well. Multiple other low-lying atolls or islands in Yap also reported similar results.[2] As with the island of Guam, no deaths occurred in Yap.
Records and distinctions
Measurements from aircraft belonging to the 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the United States Air Force measured a central pressure of 876mbar (25.9inHg) at the edge of the eye. This made June the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed on record at the time, surpassing the pressures measured in Typhoon Ida in 1958 and Typhoon Nora in 1973, until the record was surpassed by Typhoon Tip in 1979 with a minimum central pressure of 870 hPa, and Hurricane Patricia in 2015 with a minimum central pressure of 872 hPa, making June the third most intense tropical cyclone recorded.[10]
↑Todd B. Kimberlain; Eric S. Blake; John P. Cangialosi (February 1, 2016). Hurricane Patricia(PDF) (Report). Tropical Cyclone Report. Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
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