 The monsoon trough spawned a tropical depression near Kwajalein on July 22 . It headed northwestward , becoming a tropical storm on July 23 and a typhoon on July 24 . A shortwave trough forced Bess southwestward where it remained a 90 knots ( 170 km / h ) typhoon . It looped and stalled until another shortwave trough brought the typhoon to the northwest . Bess rapidly intensified to a 140 knots ( 260 km / h ) super typhoon , and weakened steadily as it turned more northward . Bess crossed the Japanese coast on August 1 as a minimal typhoon , and was absorbed by a low pressure center in the Sea of Japan on August 2 . Bess caused torrential mudslides in Japan , causing extensive damage and 59 casualties . The name Bess was retired after this season . 
