 Typhoon Paka , known in the Philippines as Typhoon Rubing , was the last tropical cyclone in the 1997 Pacific Ocean hurricane and typhoon season , and was among the strongest Pacific typhoons in the month of December . Paka , which is the Hawaiian name for Pat , developed on November 28 from a trough well to the southwest of Hawaii . The storm tracked generally westward for much of its duration , and on December 7 it crossed into the western Pacific Ocean . Much of its track was characterized by fluctuations in intensity , and on December 10 the cyclone attained typhoon status as it crossed the Marshall Islands . On December 16 , Paka struck Guam and Rota with winds of 230 km / h ( 145 mph ) , and it strengthened further to reach peak winds on December 18 over open waters . Subsequently , it underwent a steady weakening trend , and on December 23 Paka dissipated . 
