Tropical Storm Kim (1983)

Meteorological history

Tropical Storm Kim originated from a weak tropical disturbance that formed to the northeast of Truk on October 9. Over the next few days, the disturbance persisted while moving west; however, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) initially expected the disturbance to dissipate over the southern Philippines without further development. On October 14, the disturbance became less organized over the Sulu Sea, only to move into the South China Sea the next day, where the disturbance was upgraded into a tropical depression by the JTWC. By this time, the monsoon trough was well developed in the South China Sea and provided a favorable environment aloft for further development. At 18:00 UTC on October 15, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) started monitoring the system.

Early on October 16, a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) was issued, and at midday, the JTWC reported that the system attained tropical storm status. Later on October 16, the JMA upgraded Kim into a tropical storm, with winds of 75 km/h, its peak intensity. Five hours later, the JTWC reported that Kim made landfall on the coast of Vietnam at its peak intensity of 75 km/h. Operationally, the JTWC stopped issuing advisories early the next day after Kim's atmospheric circulation became less defined, though intensity estimates from the JMA suggested that Kim maintained tropical storm intensity during this time. Following a decrease in organization, the JMA ceased tracking the system on October 18.

The remnants of Kim moved into Cambodia and then across the rest of Indochina while producing a large amount of convection. Under the anticipation of regeneration in the Andaman Sea, a TCFA was again issued by the JTWC during the afternoon hours on October 18. Early the next day, the JTWC classified Kim as a tropical depression. Initially, the regenerated depression was expected to move across the southern tip of Burma and intensify further in the Bay of Bengal. Even though Kim moved across southern Burma as expected, it never moved into the Bay of Bengal. Instead, it drifted northwards along the coast of Burma, parallel to the Arakan Mountain Range and gradually weakened. The JTWC issued their last warning on Kim at 18:00 UTC on October 20 while located over the Arakan Mountains.

Impact

Despite its weak intensity, Kim's rapid development left many unprepared for the storm, which brought flooding to much of Thailand, which were already suffering the effects of Tropical Storm Herbert a few weeks earlier. Sixteen of Thailand's 73 provinces were flooded, with the Prachinburi province suffering the worst impacts from the flooding, where seven people drowned. The capital city of Bangkok, which at that time had a population of 6 million, was devastated and virtually every street and alley was flooded. In all, 844 houses and 76,533 fishing ponds were damaged, while the tropical storm also destroyed or severely damaged 1,344 roads, 242 bridges, and 240 irrigation ditches. An additional 300 boats, 3,000 houses, and 19,750 acres (8,000 ha) of rice were destroyed.

Nationwide, damage from both Kim and Herbert totaled $26 million. Due to Kim alone, over 200 people were killed, including four that were electrocuted and "several" children that drowned due to flash flooding. Tropical Storm Kim contributed the worst monsoon season in Thailand in 30 years, which continued for four months after the storm.

References

Notes

References

1. Joint Typhoon Warning Center. (1984). "Annual Tropical Cyclone Report: 1983". United States Navy, United States Airforce.
2. Japan Meteorological Agency. (October 10, 1992). "RSMC Best Track Data – 1980–1989".
3. (February 2001). "Annual Report on Activities of the RSMC Tokyo – Typhoon Center 2000". Japan Meteorological Agency.
4. Christopher W Landsea. (April 26, 2004). "Frequently Asked Questions". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.
5. (December 17, 2002). "Tropical Storm 16W Best Track". Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
6. (2010). "1983 KIM (1983282N09155)". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
7. (1984). "Meteorological Results: 1983". [[Hong Kong Observatory.
8. (October 20, 1983). "Heavy floods in Thailand kill 21".
9. (October 20, 1983}} {{subscription required). "Prolonged Floods Hit Thailand".
10. (October 21, 1983}} {{subscription required). "International News".
11. Prasert Angsurattana & Veerasak Upomchoke. (2003-04-15). "The Role of Agro environmental Education and Resources and related disasters in Thailand". University of Tuskuba.
12. (October 20, 1983). "Foreign News Briefs".
13. (October 19, 1983). "International News".
14. Dick DeAnglis. (1984). "Hurricane Alley". United States Weather Bureau.