| 1940 Pacific typhoon season | |
|---|---|
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | February 1, 1940 |
| Last system dissipated | December 24, 1940 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Twenty-Six |
| • Lowest pressure | 952 hPa (mbar) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total storms | 38 |
| Typhoons | 1 |
| Total fatalities | 3 |
| Total damage | Unknown |
The 1940 Pacific typhoon season
Data for most of the storms were provided through the World Wide Consolidated Tropical Cyclone data file known as TD-9636. The document utilized several sources to indicate where storms were located, and as a result there were duplications.[1] During the season, the Philippine Weather Bureau issued monthly bulletins, which later provided info for tropical cyclone tracks. The agency used weather stations that were established by Spain and the United States after each country ruled over the archipelago. The weather data ceased in August of 1940, which were later rebuilt in 1945.[2] Also in 1940, meteorology records were disrupted in Hong Kong, which were later restored in 1947,[3] due to World War II.[4]
On February 1, a tropical cyclone formed over western Mindanao in the Philippines. It moved northwestward across Palawan island and was last noted later on February 1.[5]
Two months later, a tropical depression developed on April 9 to the east of Yap in the western Caroline Islands. It moved west-northwestward, passing south of the island without gaining much intensity. The depression later bypassed Palau to the north, dissipating on April 13 about 400 km (250 mi) west-northwest of the island.[6][7]
On April 23, a tropical cyclone was observed east of Palau, moving to the west-southwest. It curved south of the island before turning to the west-northwest. While the storm was approaching Mindanao, a ship reported a minimum pressure of 985 mbar (29.09 inHg) and force 12 on the Beaufort scale, indicating that the system was a typhoon. Early on April 26, the typhoon made landfall just south of Port Lamon on eastern Mindanao, where a pressure of 980 mbar (29 inHg) was reported. Along the coast, the storm produced strong winds and heavy rainfall, and killed three people after capsizing a boat. The storm later crossed over Negros island and near Cebu, where winds of 70 km/h (43 mph) were reported. The storm later entered the South China Sea,[7] dissipating near Palawan on April 28.[8]
