Typhoon Clara (1981)
Typhoon Clara reached Category 4 in the Western Pacific between September 13, 1981 and October 2, 1981, with a lowest pressure of 925 mb, and made landfall.
Track and intensity
The whole track of Typhoon Clara, colored by strength, with the other storms of the 1981 season in the same basin behind it, and its wind and pressure hour by hour. Every fix is in the track table below.
The storm
- Basin
- Western Pacific
- Dates
- September 13, 1981 to October 2, 1981
- Peak strength
- Category 4, 120 kt (138 mph)
- Lowest pressure
- 925 mb (27.32 inHg)
- Landfall
- Yes
- Accumulated cyclone energy
- 14.3
- Fastest the center moved
- 36 kt (41 mph)
- Identifier
- WP201981
Deaths and damage
No source this site reads publishes a machine-readable casualty or damage figure for a storm of this era. The National Hurricane Center’s season tables begin in 1995 and carry deaths and damage only from 2005 in the Atlantic and 2020 in both basins; the US Storm Events record begins in 1996.
Track
| Time (UTC) | Position | Wind | Pressure | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 00:00 | 9.9N 150.4E | Disturbance | ||
| Sep 13, 06:00 | 9.9N 148.6E | Disturbance | ||
| Sep 13, 12:00 | 9.9N 146.9E | Disturbance | ||
| Sep 13, 18:00 | 9.9N 144.9E | 15 kt | 1004 mb | Mixed |
| Sep 14, 00:00 | 9.9N 144.2E | 15 kt | 1004 mb | Mixed |
| Sep 14, 06:00 | 10.0N 143.4E | 15 kt | 1004 mb | Mixed |
| Sep 14, 12:00 | 10.1N 142.5E | 20 kt | 1004 mb | Mixed |
| Sep 14, 18:00 | 10.3N 141.5E | 20 kt | 1004 mb | Mixed |
| Sep 15, 00:00 | 10.5N 140.5E | 20 kt | 1004 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 15, 06:00 | 11.1N 139.5E | 25 kt | 1002 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 15, 12:00 | 11.8N 138.7E | 25 kt | 1000 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 15, 18:00 | 12.3N 137.3E | 25 kt | 998 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 16, 00:00 | 12.4N 135.8E | 30 kt | 998 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 16, 06:00 | 12.5N 134.7E | 30 kt | 996 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 16, 12:00 | 12.5N 133.7E | 30 kt | 996 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 16, 18:00 | 12.7N 132.7E | 35 kt | 996 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 17, 00:00 | 12.8N 131.8E | 35 kt | 994 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 17, 06:00 | 13.3N 131.0E | 35 kt | 992 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 17, 12:00 | 13.5N 130.2E | 45 kt | 990 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 17, 18:00 | 13.8N 129.5E | 50 kt | 985 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 18, 00:00 | 14.2N 128.8E | 60 kt | 975 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 18, 06:00 | 14.7N 128.0E | 70 kt | 975 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 18, 12:00 | 15.2N 127.1E | 75 kt | 970 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 18, 18:00 | 15.7N 126.3E | 75 kt | 960 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 19, 00:00 | 16.4N 125.4E | 90 kt | 955 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 19, 06:00 | 17.1N 124.5E | 95 kt | 930 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 19, 12:00 | 17.8N 123.7E | 115 kt | 925 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 19, 18:00 | 18.3N 122.9E | 120 kt | 930 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 20, 00:00 | 18.8N 122.1E | 120 kt | 940 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 20, 06:00 | 19.2N 121.2E | 110 kt | 950 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 20, 12:00 | 19.7N 120.3E | 90 kt | 960 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 20, 18:00 | 20.1N 119.3E | 85 kt | 960 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 21, 00:00 | 20.7N 118.5E | 85 kt | 960 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 21, 06:00 | 21.1N 117.8E | 85 kt | 960 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 21, 12:00 | 21.8N 116.9E | 80 kt | 965 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 21, 18:00 | 22.6N 116.0E | 70 kt | 975 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 22, 00:00 | 23.6N 115.2E | 50 kt | 985 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 22, 06:00 | 24.6N 113.9E | 30 kt | 998 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 22, 12:00 | 25.3N 112.7E | 20 kt | 1004 mb | Mixed |
| Sep 22, 18:00 | 25.5N 114.0E | 1004 mb | Tropical storm | |
| Sep 23, 00:00 | 26.0N 114.0E | 1006 mb | Tropical storm | |
| Sep 23, 06:00 | 28.0N 115.0E | 1006 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 23, 12:00 | 30.5N 118.0E | 1008 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 23, 18:00 | 32.0N 120.0E | 1006 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 24, 00:00 | 33.5N 122.0E | 1006 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 24, 06:00 | 34.5N 124.5E | 1004 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 24, 12:00 | 35.5N 127.5E | 1004 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 24, 18:00 | 35.5N 129.0E | 1004 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 25, 00:00 | 36.0N 132.0E | 1004 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 25, 06:00 | 36.0N 133.0E | 1004 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 25, 12:00 | 36.0N 133.5E | 1004 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 25, 18:00 | 36.0N 134.0E | 1000 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 26, 00:00 | 36.0N 134.5E | 1000 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 26, 06:00 | 36.0N 137.0E | 1000 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 26, 12:00 | 36.0N 138.0E | 1000 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 26, 18:00 | 37.0N 141.0E | 998 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 27, 00:00 | 38.0N 142.0E | 996 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 27, 06:00 | 40.0N 145.0E | 992 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 27, 12:00 | 41.5N 146.0E | 990 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 27, 18:00 | 43.0N 147.0E | 990 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 28, 00:00 | 45.0N 148.0E | 988 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 28, 06:00 | 46.5N 148.0E | 988 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 28, 12:00 | 48.0N 148.0E | 984 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 28, 18:00 | 50.0N 148.0E | 984 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 29, 00:00 | 51.0N 147.5E | 988 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 29, 06:00 | 51.5N 147.0E | 988 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 29, 12:00 | 52.5N 146.5E | 988 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 29, 18:00 | 53.5N 146.0E | 992 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 30, 00:00 | 54.0N 146.0E | 996 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 30, 06:00 | 54.0N 146.0E | 996 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 30, 12:00 | 54.5N 146.0E | 996 mb | Extratropical | |
| Sep 30, 18:00 | 54.5N 146.0E | 996 mb | Extratropical | |
| Oct 1, 00:00 | 54.5N 146.0E | 996 mb | Extratropical | |
| Oct 1, 06:00 | 54.5N 147.0E | 1000 mb | Extratropical | |
| Oct 1, 12:00 | 54.5N 148.0E | 1000 mb | Extratropical | |
| Oct 1, 18:00 | 54.5N 148.5E | 1000 mb | Extratropical | |
| Oct 2, 00:00 | 54.5N 149.0E | 1004 mb | Extratropical | |
| Oct 2, 06:00 | 55.0N 149.5E | 1008 mb | Extratropical | |
| Oct 2, 12:00 | 55.5N 150.0E | 1008 mb | Extratropical | |
| Oct 2, 18:00 | 56.0N 150.0E | 1008 mb | Extratropical |
Other Western Pacific storms of 1981
- Typhoon FredaWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm GeraldWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Depression GeraldWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm HollyWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon IkeWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon JuneWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon KellyWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm LynnWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm MauryWestern Pacific · 1981
- Unnamed tropical depressionWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm NinaWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon OgdenWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm PhyllisWestern Pacific · 1981
- Unnamed tropical stormWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm RoyWestern Pacific · 1981
- Unnamed tropical depressionWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm SusanWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm WarrenWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm VanessaWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon ThadWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon AgnesWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon BillWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon DoyleWestern Pacific · 1981
- Unnamed tropical depressionWestern Pacific · 1981
- Super Typhoon ElsieWestern Pacific · 1981
- Unnamed tropical depressionWestern Pacific · 1981
- Tropical Storm FabianWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon GayWestern Pacific · 1981
- Unnamed tropical depressionWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon HazenWestern Pacific · 1981
- Super Typhoon IrmaWestern Pacific · 1981 · 595 deaths
- Tropical Storm JeffWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon KitWestern Pacific · 1981
- Typhoon LeeWestern Pacific · 1981
What this means
A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.
Sources
Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.