Typhoon Orchid (1991)

Typhoon Orchid, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Sendang, was a long-lived typhoon that brushed Japan during October 1991. An area of disturbed weather formed near the Caroline Islands in early October. A mid-latitude cyclone weakened a subtropical ridge to its north, allowing the disturbance to slowly gain latitude, and on October 3, the system organized into a tropical depression. On the next day, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Orchid. Continuing to intensify, the cyclone strengthened into a typhoon on the morning of October 6. Typhoon Orchid tracked due westward south of subtropical ridge while rapidly intensifying, and on October 7, Orchid reached its peak intensity. Shortly after its peak, the typhoon began to recurve north as the ridge receded. After interacting with Typhoon Pat, Orchid weakened below typhoon intensity on October 12. After accelerating to the northwest while gradually weakening, Orchid transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 14.

In conjunction with Pat, high waves claimed two lives on Guam. Because of the storm's slow movement as it tracked south of Japan, Typhoon Orchid dropped heavy precipitation across most of Japan. One person was killed and twenty people were injured across Japan. A total of 17 flights were cancelled while 1,072 trains were halted, stranding 342,000 passengers. In addition, 18 ferries were cancelled. The storm inflicted 249 landslides, flooded over 675 homes, and was accountable for extensive road damage in Japan. In all, damage was estimated at ¥2.15 billion (US$15.8 million).