Though the center remained offshore, strong winds and high tides also impacted Hong Kong, causing minor flooding.

On October 6, 1974, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began monitoring a tropical disturbance several hundred miles southeast of Guam.

Tracking quickly westward to west-northwestward in response to a strong subtropical ridge to the north, the system gradually organized, passing near Ulithi atoll on October 7.

Early on October 9, an aircraft reconnaissance mission into Bess revealed that a new dominant center of circulation had developed to the north of the original low.

[1] Due to the cyclone's proximity to the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration also monitored the storm and assigned it with the local name Susang.

[3] Later that day, Bess made landfall in northern Luzon, roughly 95 km (59 mi) south of Escarpada Point, with winds estimated at 120 km/h (75 mph).

Though classified a minimal typhoon by the JTWC,[1] the Hong Kong Royal Observatory reported that reconnaissance planes had recorded surface winds of 140 km/h (87 mph) before the system moved ashore.

[2] Inland, a barometric pressure of 976.9 mbar (hPa; 28.85 inHg) was recorded in Tuguegarao as the typhoon passed 55 km (34 mi) to the north.

[1] Due to the interaction with the high terrain of northern Luzon, Bess temporarily weakened to a tropical storm before regaining typhoon strength over the South China Sea during the afternoon of October 11.

[1] As the storm emerged back over water, satellite images revealed a relatively large system with clouds spanning an area 485 km (301 mi) in diameter.

[2] During the evening of October 12, the combined effects of a winter monsoon and entrainment of cool, dry air from mainland China began to weaken the system.

In contrast to the unusually strong winds, Bess produced virtually no rainfall as it passed by, with only a trace of precipitation measured between October 11 and 14 in Hong Kong.

[2] While over the South China Sea on October 12, a United States Air Force WC-130H Hercules reconnaissance aircraft (call sign Swan 38),[8] with a crew of six, went missing while collecting data on the cyclone.

[1][9] The plane took off from Clark Air Base during the night on October 12 and made its final contact six hours later roughly 95 km (59 mi) north of Manila.