Typhoon Winnie, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Ibiang, was the worst tropical cyclone to impact the Chinese provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangsu, and Shandong in 200 years. Originating from an area of low pressure over the Pacific Ocean on August 5, 1997, the system organized into a tropical depression. It headed northwestward, slowly strengthening into a tropical storm on August 9. Intensification became more rapid as conditions became more favorable, and Winnie reached typhoon strength on August 10. On August 12, 1997, Winnie attained Super Typhoon status, with peak 1-minute sustained winds of 160 mph. Winnie then weakened and passed north of Taiwan, before making landfall in Eastern China at Category 1-equivalent typhoon strength on the August 18. Winnie continued northeast over