Typhoon Bess (1974)

On October 6, 1974, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began monitoring a tropical disturbance several hundred miles southeast of Guam. Tracking quickly westward to west-northwestward in response to a strong subtropical ridge to the north, the system gradually organized, passing near Ulithi atoll on October 7. Accompanied by a broad monsoonal flow, the disturbance featured multiple centers of circulation. On October 8, it developed into a tropical depression and soon into a tropical storm, at which time it was assigned the name Bess. Early on October 9, an aircraft reconnaissance mission into Bess revealed that a new dominant center of circulation had developed to the north of the original low. The southern low soon dissipated as the northern one became a tropical storm. The northern system retained the name Bess and is considered the same storm by the JTWC. After the northern circulation became the dominant center on October 9, a deepening trough in the westerlies caused a decrease in synoptic pressures, resulting in Bess' forward motion greatly decreasing. Later that day, Bess made landfall in northern Luzon, roughly south of Escarpada Point, with winds estimated at . Though classified a minimal typhoon by the JTWC, Inland, a barometric pressure of 976.9 mbar (hPa; 28.85 inHg) was recorded in Tuguegarao as the typhoon passed to the north. Due to the interaction with the high terrain of northern Luzon, Bess temporarily weakened to a tropical storm before regaining typhoon strength over the South China Sea during the afternoon of October 11. As the storm emerged back over water, satellite images revealed a relatively large system with clouds spanning an area in diameter. Upon reintensifying, Bess turned due west in response to a dominating high-pressure area over Southern China. With a large difference in pressures between the two systems, a strong northeasterly flow developed between them. This resulted in gale-force winds occurring up to from Bess's center. During the evening of October 12, the combined effects of a winter monsoon and entrainment of cool, dry air from mainland China began to weaken the system. By the following morning, Bess had weakened to tropical storm as it passed south of Hong Kong. The system later struck Hainan Island with winds of before lessening to a tropical depression. The dissipating system emerged over the Gulf of Tonkin on October 14 and ultimately dissipated as it began moving ashore in northern Vietnam later that day. ==Impact==

Striking northern Luzon as a typhoon, Bess produced damaging winds and torrential rainfall across the region. Gusts peaked at in Aparri, Cagayan while Baguio experienced gusts of . While much of the peninsula received of rain, a 24‑hour maxima of was reported in Baguio. The rainfall triggered widespread flash flooding and landslides, resulting in 26 fatalities and extensive damage. Total losses amounted to $9.2 million (1974 USD). The plane took off from Clark Air Base during the night on October 12 and made its final contact six hours later roughly north of Manila. Search and rescue missions for the crew only found pieces of debris, such as an aircraft survival radio, soundproofing material, and orange cushion-like material. Following the incident, the 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron established the Swan 38 Memorial Scholarship for outstanding students in the 403d Wing. ==Retirement==

Because of the damage and loss of life caused by the storm, the name Bess was retired and replaced with Bonnie. However, when the list of typhoon names was changed to incorporate male names in 1979, the name was re-introduced to the roster. Coincidentally, it was again retired in 1982 when a powerful storm named Bess caused extensive damage and loss of life in Japan. ==See also==