Hurricane Fausto (2002)
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The 2002 Pacific hurricane season was an average season which produced fifteen named storms. Eight hurricanes formed, including a record-equaling three
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, a record it shares with the
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and
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seasons. It was also a near-average season in terms of
accumulated cyclone energy Accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) is a metric used to compare overall activity of tropical cyclones, utilizing the available records of windspeeds at six-hour intervals to synthesize storm duration and strength into a single index value. The ACE ...
(ACE), having an ACE of 125. The season officially began on May 15, 2002 in the East Pacific Ocean, and on June 1, 2002 in the Central Pacific; both ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclone formation occurs in these regions of the Pacific. The first system of the 2002 season, Hurricane Alma, formed on May 24, and the last, Tropical Depression Sixteen-E, dissipated on November 16. The strongest hurricane of the season,
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, formed on October 22 and peaked as a Category 5 hurricane two days later. Land impact was relatively significant. Kenna made landfall near
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, located in the
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of
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on October 25, killing four people. Kenna was, at the time, the second-most powerful hurricane to ever strike the western coast of Mexico, hitting with winds of 140  mph (220 km/h), as well as the strongest landfall in terms of windspeed until
Hurricane Patricia Hurricane Patricia was the most powerful tropical cyclone on record worldwide in terms of maximum sustained winds and the second-most intense on record worldwide in terms of pressure, with a minimum atmospheric pressure of 872 mbar (hPa; ), beh ...
in
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. Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Julio made landfall in Mexico, and Tropical Storm Boris dumped torrential rain along the Mexican coast, despite remaining offshore. Hurricanes Elida and Hernan also reached Category 5 intensity, but neither caused any damage. Damage across the basin reached $101.23 million (2002 USD), while 7 people were killed by Julio and Kenna.


Seasonal summary

The season officially began on May 15 in Eastern Pacific and on June 1 in Central Pacific; both ended on November 30. In the eastern Pacific, the season saw below average activity in terms of the number of total storms and hurricanes, but about average activity in terms of major hurricanes. There were 16 tropical storms in the eastern Pacific Ocean in the season. Of those, eight became hurricanes, of which six became major hurricanes by reaching Category 3 or higher on the
Saffir–Simpson scale The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) is a tropical cyclone intensity scale that classifies hurricanes—which in the Western Hemisphere are tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical sto ...
. Three reached Category 5 intensity, equaling the record set in
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, and later equaled in
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. Additionally, four tropical depressions formed and dissipated before reaching the intensity of a tropical storm. Three tropical storms formed in the
Central Pacific Hurricane Center The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central Pacif ...
's
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, where overall activity was near normal. Two of the storms strengthened into hurricanes, with one of them intensifying into a major hurricane. Two additional systems tracked into the area from the eastern Pacific. Activity commenced on May 24, with the formation of the first tropical depression, which became Hurricane Alma, and intensified into a rare May major hurricane. June was extremely quiet with only one named storm developing, Tropical Storm Boris. Though it remained offshore, Boris was able to dump torrential rain along the coast of southwestern Mexico. There were two hurricanes and one tropical storm in July. Among them, Hurricane Elida underwent one of the fastest rates of
rapid intensification Rapid intensification (RI) is any process wherein a tropical cyclone strengthens very dramatically in a short period of time. Tropical cyclone forecasting agencies utilize differing thresholds for designating rapid intensification events, th ...
on record for an eastern Pacific hurricane. It went from a depression to an hurricane in 30 hours, then proceed to intensify into a Category 5 hurricane during the 24 hours that followed. August was active with five systems developing, of which three became hurricanes. Fausto peaked as a strong Category 4 hurricane in the eastern Pacific, before crossing into the central Pacific as a depression. Then, after degenerating into a remnant low well northeast of Hawaii Fausto regenerated into a weak tropical storm at an unusually high latitude. Late that month, Ele became the first of two central Pacific hurricanes to cross the
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into the western Pacific where they became
typhoon A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
s; the other was Huko in late October. Hernan closed out the month; forming on August 30, it peaked at Category 5 strength two days later, far from land. Activity decreased appreciably in September and October as most of the storms remained weak and were short-lived. The exception was
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, which formed on October 22 and peaked as a Category 5 hurricane two days later; it was the strongest hurricane of the season, Kenna was one of two
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
ing systems this season, the other being Tropical Storm Julio in September. All casualties and most of the damage incurred during the season was caused by Kenna. No named storms formed during the final few weeks of the season, which effectively came to a close on November 16 when Tropical Depression Sixteen-E, dissipated. A moderately strong
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, ongoing during the season, may have contributed to the disproportionate number of major hurricanes, as well as reduced activity in the
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
. Also of note was an unusual gap in storm formation during the first three weeks of August in this season, historically a prime period for tropical cyclone formation.


Systems


Hurricane Alma

A
tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
emerged off the west coast of Africa on May 8. Generally failing to produce
convection Convection is single or Multiphase flow, multiphase fluid flow that occurs Spontaneous process, spontaneously through the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoy ...
while in the Atlantic basin, the wave moved westward over the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, entering the eastern Pacific basin on May 18. Upon doing so, the wave began to generate convection, and it developed a lowpressure area south of Guatemala on May 19. The system underwent a complex interaction with a gale over the
Gulf of Tehuantepec The Gulf of Tehuantepec () is a large body of water on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, southeastern Mexico, at . Many (but not all) Pacific hurricanes form in or near this body of water. A strong, gale-force wind called the T ...
while moving slowly westward. Gradually becoming better organized, it developed into Tropical Depression ''OneE'' on May 24. The pace of further development was initially languid, with OneE taking two days to strengthen into a tropical storm. Now named ''Alma'', the storm turned first to the west-northwest, then to the northwest, and finally to the north as it rounded the western periphery of a subtropical
ridge A ridge is a long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep sides. The sides of a ridge slope away from a narrow top, the crest or ridgecrest, wi ...
that was located over Mexico. Alma strengthened at a steadier rate as it gained latitude, becoming a hurricane on May 28. Two days later, Alma reached its peak intensity as a low-end Category 3 major hurricane with
maximum sustained winds The maximum sustained wind associated with a tropical cyclone is a common indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, it is found within the eyewall at a certain distance from the center, known as the radius of ma ...
of 115 mph (185 km/h). This made it the second Pacific major hurricane recorded in the month of May, following the previous season's Hurricane Adolph. Operationally, the
National Hurricane Center The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the IERS Reference Meridian, Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian ...
(NHC) assessed Alma to have been slightly weaker – with peak winds of 110 mph (175 km/h), at the upper bound of Category 2 strength – but the agency retroactively upgraded it about two months later. Shortly after peaking, Alma entered a region of cooler
sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (or ocean surface temperature) is the ocean temperature, temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between and below the sea ...
s and southwesterly
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
. These unfavorable conditions caused the hurricane to rapidly weaken into a tropical storm on May 31. Meanwhile, steering currents decayed to the point where Alma became nearly stationary. Alma weakened into a tropical depression early on June 1, and degenerated into a lowpressure area without convection later that day without having ever impacted land.


Tropical Storm Boris

A trough of low pressure produced a large area of convection south of Mexico during the first week of June. Concurrently, a tropical wave entered the eastern Pacific basin from the southwestern Caribbean Sea and moved slowly westward toward the trough. The two features began to interact on June 7, and the combined area of unsettled weather quickly became better organized. A circulation developed on June 8, marking the formation of a tropical depression. The nascent cyclone steadily strengthened while moving to the west-northwest; it became a tropical storm, named ''Boris'', early on June 9 and reached peak winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) shortly thereafter. The motion of Boris then stalled as the storm got stuck in between two
high-pressure area A high-pressure area, high, or anticyclone, is an area near the surface of a planet where the atmospheric pressure is greater than the pressure in the surrounding regions. Highs are middle-scale meteorological features that result from interpl ...
s. Because Boris was no longer moving in tandem with strong upper-level easterly winds, the resultant
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
caused the storm to weaken. Boris spent the rest of its life drifting while continuing to weaken; it shifted first to the northeast, then to the east, as its intensity dropped to that of a tropical depression late on June 10. The following day, Boris degenerated into a convectively barren remnant low. Boris's remnants moved southeastward until dissipating early on June 12. Boris dumped heavy rains on sections of the Mexican coast. The maximum amount was at San Felipe Usila. These rains damaged several homes at an unspecified location. In addition, rainfall damaged several homes in
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, but the National Hurricane Center believes that Boris likely did not cause the rain. No deaths were attributed to this storm.


Tropical Depression Three-E

A tropical wave that crossed Central America organized and developed into a tropical depression on June 27. Contrary to forecasts, the depression did not strengthen further because of strong
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
. By June 29, the depression had become a remnant low, which was observed as a swirl of clouds for a few more days before dissipating.


Tropical Storm Cristina

An area of disturbed weather near
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drifted to a location south of
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,
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, and organized into Tropical Depression ''Four-E'' on July 9. It moved westward through a hostile environment of strong shear. The wind shear disrupted the cyclone's convection and weakened its circulation. Despite the shear, the depression strengthened into a tropical storm early on July 12 and was named ''Cristina''. This broke down the steering ridge, and Cristina turned to the north and peaked on July 14. Then, the wind shear won out and Cristina quickly weakened. Cristina dissipated into a swirl of clouds on July 16, without ever threatening land. No impact was reported.


Hurricane Douglas

A
tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
exited the west coast of Africa on July 8 and crossed the Atlantic without much development. In the Caribbean, showers increased, but wind shear prevented development. The wave crossed into the eastern Pacific on July 16, and wind shear decreased to allow the convection to organize. Tropical Depression Five-E developed on July 20 about south of Manzanillo, Mexico. At that time, gradual strengthening was anticipated. The depression quickly intensified into Tropical Storm Douglas. Around that time, most of the deep convection was situated south of the
atmospheric circulation Atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of Atmosphere of Earth, air and together with ocean circulation is the means by which thermal energy is redistributed on the surface of the Earth. The Earth's atmospheric circulation varies fro ...
. Initially expected to become a hurricane only briefly, late on July 21, the NHC reported that Douglas had become a hurricane. Upon becoming a hurricane, Douglas was situated in low wind shear environment; however, Hurricane Douglas was expected to reach cold waters in 36 hours, and thus was not predicted to become a major hurricane. Douglas became a
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on July 22, reaching peak winds of . Douglas held this intensity for 18 hours as it traveled westward. When Douglas weakened from its peak intensity, it had an organized cloud pattern, but the thunderstorm activity was weakening, typical of most
Pacific hurricanes A Pacific hurricane is a tropical cyclone that develops within the northeastern and central Pacific Ocean to the east of 180°W, north of the equator. For tropical cyclone warning purposes, the northern Pacific is divided into three regions: t ...
that reach cooler waters. The weakening briefly stopped after Douglas went through an
eyewall replacement cycle In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds greater than , or hurricane-force, and particularly in major hurricanes of Saffir–Simps ...
, but Douglas was downgraded to a tropical storm late on July 24 as the storm only had a small area of deep convection left. Tropical storm Douglas briefly stopped weakening as convection increased, only to fade away again hours later. The storm was downgraded to a tropical depression early on July 26, and later that day degenerated into a remnant low-pressure area. The remnant low dissipated the next day.


Hurricane Elida

Elida formed from a
tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
that left the coast of
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on July 13. The wave moved uneventfully through the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
and the
Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere, located south of the Gulf of Mexico and southwest of the Sargasso Sea. It is bounded by the Greater Antilles to the north from Cuba ...
, emerging over the
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
on July 21. The wave began organizing the next day, becoming Tropical Depression Six-E on July 23 while south-southeast of Puerto Escondido, Mexico. The depression was predicted to move westward due to the presence of a
ridge of high pressure A high-pressure area, high, or anticyclone, is an area near the surface of a planet where the atmospheric pressure is greater than the pressure in the surrounding regions. Highs are middle-scale meteorological features that result from interpl ...
which was also controlling the movement of Hurricane Douglas. Due to low shear and warm ocean waters, it was predicted that the depression would reach hurricane strength in 48 hours. The depression began rapid intensification while moving westward, and only six hours after being recognized as a depression, the system was upgraded to Tropical Storm Elida while displaying banding features and a
central dense overcast The central dense overcast, or CDO, of a tropical cyclone or strong subtropical cyclone is the large central area of thunderstorms surrounding its circulation center, caused by the formation of its eyewall. It can be round, angular, oval, or ir ...
. The forecast was revised, now predicting the storm to attain hurricane strength the next day. The storm continued to rapidly intensify and gradually developed a banding
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
feature and
infrared Infrared (IR; sometimes called infrared light) is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than that of visible light but shorter than microwaves. The infrared spectral band begins with the waves that are just longer than those ...
satellite images showed a possible eyewall in the central dense overcast. After six more hours, a small eye had formed and Elida was upgraded to a high-end Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale with winds on July 24, only eighteen hours after having first been initiated as a tropical depression. Elida continued to rapidly strengthen, breaking the Dvorak estimates and reaching six hours afterward, making it a Category 4 hurricane and resulting in a rare forecast for the hurricane to reach Category 5 intensity. The hurricane, moving at , proceeded to make a west-northwestward turn while displaying an eye with an estimated diameter of . On July 25, Elida attained peak winds of 160 mph (260 km/h), making it a Category 5 hurricane. At the time, the NHC assessed a slightly lower peak as a high end Category 4. At this time, Elida was observed to have formed concentric eyewalls, but it was not until the hurricane moved over cooler waters that the storm's
eyewall replacement cycle In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds greater than , or hurricane-force, and particularly in major hurricanes of Saffir–Simps ...
was completed. When the
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sensor aboard the
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's satellite
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observed and recorded Hurricane Elida at peak intensity, it was the first time that the instrument had observed a hurricane. The sensor was originally designed primarily for recording oceanic biology and water quality as well as land vegetation, clouds, and water vapor. Due to its strong intensity, Elida produced high waves that affected the Mexican coastline. After its peak, the hurricane began to weaken in an irregular fashion. After the inner eyewall dissolved, the intensity of the hurricane decreased to a low-level Category 3 storm, with winds of . By this time, Elida had reached the edge of the ridge that kept the cyclone from turning northwest, and a turn to the northwest was beginning. The hurricane proceeded to undergo another eyewall replacement cycle, lowering its intensity to Category 2 intensity. Late on July 26, the eye disappeared from satellite. The weakening trend continued, and Elida weakened to a tropical storm on July 27. At this time, a weakness in the
subtropical ridge The horse latitudes are the latitudes about 30 degrees north and south of the Equator. They are characterized by sunny skies, calm winds, and very little precipitation. They are also known as subtropical ridges or highs. It is a high-pressur ...
allowed the storm to make a turn towards the north. Early on July 28, Elida began redeveloping, regaining moderate convection and possibly reintensifying, but eventually, the storm weakened back into a depression early on July 29. On the next day, Elida degenerated into a remnant low, and the last advisory was issued while an area of convection was displaced to the north of the center, with seas in the area. The center was from Punta Eugenia, Mexico when the last advisory was issued. The remnant low of Elida moved northeast and eventually dissipated on July 31, west of
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, California.


Tropical Depression Seven-E

A tropical wave that had reached the Eastern Pacific from Africa was first spotted on July 23. The wave continued westward with little development occurring until August 3, when convection increased. After additional slow organization, the wave was classified as Tropical Depression ''Seven-E'' on August 6 near the tip of
Baja California Baja California, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California, is a state in Mexico. It is the northwesternmost of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1952, the area was known as the North Territory of B ...
. The system did not strengthen much, and development was halted when wind shear destroyed the system on August 8. The depression never came near land and hence no one was killed or injured. Like Tropical Depression Three-E, this cyclone was forecast to reach tropical storm intensity, but it never did.


Hurricane Fausto

A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on August 11 and moved across the Atlantic without developing, entering the eastern Pacific on August 17. The system developed a broad circulation, eventually organizing into Tropical Depression Eight-E on August 21 to the southwest of Mexico. The system quickly intensified into Tropical Storm Fausto after developing rainbands. Located south of a ridge, Fausto moved west-northwestward through an area of warm waters, and it continued intensifying as its outflow increased. On August 22, the storm intensified into a hurricane, as an eye developed in the center of the convection. On August 24, Fausto reached a peak intensity with estimated peak winds of and a minimum
barometric pressure Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1,013.2 ...
of , making it a Category 4 hurricane. Around that time, the hurricane had a large well-defined eye surrounded by a ring of convection. Around when it reached peak intensity, Fausto encountered an area of cooler water temperatures. The hurricane quickly weakened, degrading to a tropical storm on August 26, by which time the convection had diminished. On the next day, Fausto crossed 140˚W and entered the central Pacific. The CPHC downgraded Fausto to a remnant low on August 28 while the system was located over north of
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on August 28 at 1200 UTC. The remnants turned more to the west, toward an area of warmer waters and a
tropical upper tropospheric trough A tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT), also known as the mid-oceanic trough, is a trough situated in the upper-level (at about 200 hPa) tropics. Its formation is usually caused by the intrusion of energy and wind from the mid-latitudes into ...
. The interaction caused thunderstorms to reform, and Fausto regenerated into a tropical depression on August 30 about north of
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. On September 1, Fausto briefly reintensified into a tropical storm as it curved northward, steered by an approaching trough. On September 3, the front absorbed Fausto, and soon after the system moved across the
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of Alaska.


Tropical Storm Alika

An area of convection acquired a closed circulation and became Tropical Depression ''One-C'' on August 22. It stayed disorganized for the next several days. It organized more fully and intensified into a tropical storm on August 25 and was named ''Alika''. After peaking as a moderately strong tropical storm on August 25, wind shear caused by the pre-Ele tropical depression and an upper-level low near
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weakened the storm to a depression on August 27. Alika dissipated the next day, having never threatened land.


Tropical Storm Genevieve

A tropical wave formed Tropical Depression ''Nine-E'' on August 26. It was upgraded to a tropical storm and named ''Genevieve'' the next day. It moved westward and nearly strengthened to a hurricane, peaking in intensity on August 28. At that point, the cyclone encountered cooler waters, which caused it to weaken slowly, weakening to a depression on August 30. The depression hung on until it lost convection on the September 2. A swirl of remnant clouds persisted for a few more days. Genevieve had no impact on land, with no reports of casualties or damage being received by the National Hurricane Center.


Hurricane Ele

An eastern extension of the monsoon
trough Trough may refer to: In science * Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench * Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure * Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave * Trough level (medicine), the l ...
south of
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organized into Tropical Depression ''Two-C'' on August 27 and strengthened into Tropical Storm ''Ele'' six hours later. Despite the nearby presence of Alika, Ele developed rapidly and strengthened into a hurricane on August 28. After contributing to the dissipation of Alika, Ele continued intensifying. It reached Category 2 intensity late on August 28 and quickly became a major hurricane six hours later. The hurricane then crossed the
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and became a typhoon in the
2002 Pacific typhoon season The 2002 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly above average Pacific typhoon season, producing twenty-six named storms, fifteen becoming typhoons, and eight super typhoons. It had an ACE over 400 units, making it one of the most active seasons ...
. Typhoon Ele turned to the northwest after crossing the dateline and continued to strengthen. It reached Category 4 before turning north and weakening again. After briefly restrengthening back into a Category 4, the typhoon weakened and turned to the northwest. Ele was downgraded to a tropical storm on September 7, a depression on September 9, and then dissipated shortly afterwards. Ele did not affect land.


Hurricane Hernan

On August 16, a
tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
left the coast of Africa. It traveled westward across the Atlantic Ocean, crossing over Central America and emerging in the eastern Pacific, where it merged with a pre-existing
Intertropical Convergence Zone The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ , or ICZ), known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms because of its monotonous windless weather, is the area where the northeast and the southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the t ...
disturbance. The system gradually developed moderate
convection Convection is single or Multiphase flow, multiphase fluid flow that occurs Spontaneous process, spontaneously through the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoy ...
, and on August 30 it had developed sufficient convection to be designated Tropical Depression 10-E. The depression produced persistent strong thunderstorms, primarily in two areas of deep convection located to the northeast and west of the center of circulation. Although the center was elongated,
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
over the system remained light and
outflow Outflow may refer to: *Capital outflow, the capital leaving a particular economy *Bipolar outflow, in astronomy, two continuous flows of gas from the poles of a star * Outflow (hydrology), the discharge of a lake or other reservoir system *Outflow ...
was good, which led forecasters to predict modest intensification. On the afternoon of August 30, banding features became evident, and the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Hernan with sustained winds of . Further organization occurred, and the center of circulation became encircled by convective thunderstorms. On August 31, the storm was upgraded to a
Category 1 hurricane Category 1 can refer to: *Category 1 cable, an electrical standard for communications wiring * Category 1 tropical cyclone, on any of the Tropical cyclone scales * Category 1 pandemic, on the Pandemic Severity Index, an American influenza pandemic ...
as it moved northwestward about southwest of Acapulco. Light wind shear and favorable ocean temperatures led to steady intensification of the storm, and satellite images indicated that an
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
had developed late on August 31. The storm quickly reached Category 3 hurricane intensity on the
Saffir–Simpson scale The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) is a tropical cyclone intensity scale that classifies hurricanes—which in the Western Hemisphere are tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical sto ...
. As Hernan continued strengthening, its eye became ragged, while its lateral movement to the northwest rose to 17 mph around the southern periphery of a strong deep-layer ridge over the United States. By September 1, the hurricane reached its peak intensity as a Category 5 hurricane, with 1-minute sustained winds of and a minimum pressure of 921 mb (hPa). At that time, it intensified at a rate of , just under the threshold for "rapid intensification". However, for a 12-hour period from August 31 to September 1, it deepened at , within the range of "explosive deepening" due to favorable conditions including light wind shear and warm water. On September 2, Hernan began weakening after its cloud tops had warmed slightly. Soon after, an
eyewall replacement cycle In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds greater than , or hurricane-force, and particularly in major hurricanes of Saffir–Simps ...
began, causing the storm to be downgraded to Category 3 status, just before it turned slightly to the west later in the day. The storm underwent another eyewall replacement cycle as winds decreased further. As the storm entered cooler waters, it quickly weakened below major hurricane intensity. Soon Hernan was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane, and its
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
became cloud-filled. On September 5, Hernan was downgraded to a tropical storm as the storm rapidly decayed despite developing a new band of convection. Later in the day, the system was downgraded to a tropical depression as it began to lose its tropical characteristics. Strong wind shear developed, weakening the depression further. On September 6, the system degenerated into a remnant
low-pressure system In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclem ...
, which spawned a remnant plume of moisture that meandered off the coast of California, producing light showers. Hernan passed close enough to
Socorro Island Socorro Island () is a volcanic island in the Revillagigedo Islands, a Mexican possession lying off the country's western coast. The size is , with an area of . It is the largest of the four islands of the Revillagigedo Archipelago. The last e ...
to bring strong winds to the island, but caused minimal damage. In addition, the hurricane's large and powerful wind field caused waves between and in height and strong
rip current A rip current (or just rip) is a specific type of water current that can occur near beaches where waves break. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water that moves directly away from the shore by cutting through the lines of bre ...
s on the southwest coast of California. Rough surf caused minor impact; in the open waters near the center of Hernan, waves generated by the storm were unofficially estimated to exceed . However, official buoys reported swells of . Along the coast of Mexico, waves reached , causing minor beach erosion. Other than the aforementioned regions, Hernan had no significant impact on land.


Tropical Depression Eleven-E

Of the four tropical depressions this season that did not become named storms, only Eleven-E threatened land. An area of disturbed weather associated with a
tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
formed into a tropical cyclone on September 5. It tracked northwestward, before turning southwest. It weakened into a remnant low on September 8. The remnant turned north and dissipated on September 10 offshore of the Baja California peninsula. The cyclone was nearly a tropical storm when it peaked on September 6. It was forecast to become a tropical storm and pass close to the peninsula. This prompted a
tropical storm warning Tropical cyclone warnings and watches are alerts issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local pop ...
and a hurricane watch. With the weakening of the cyclone the watch and warning were discontinued. No damage or casualties were reported in association with this tropical cyclone.


Tropical Storm Iselle

Part of the same tropical wave that formed Tropical Depression Seven in the
Atlantic basin The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
organized into Tropical Depression ''Twelve-E'' on September 15. It strengthened further into Tropical Storm ''Iselle'' the next day. The storm headed northwest and paralleled the coast of Mexico, nearly strengthening into a hurricane late on September 17. While near its peak intensity, a
trough Trough may refer to: In science * Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench * Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure * Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave * Trough level (medicine), the l ...
abruptly recurved the system to the northeast.
Wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
also increased, and Iselle consequently fell apart on satellite imagery. It weakened to a depression on September 19. Iselle then degenerated into a remnant low the next day and rapidly degenerated, dissipating on September 20. Iselle never made landfall. Iselle threatened parts of southwestern Mexico and warnings and watches were issued for that area. Heavy rains were reported over parts of the Baja California Peninsula. The highest amount of rainfall was at Guadeloupe and Mulege, Baja California Sur. There were no reports of damage or casualties.


Tropical Storm Julio

The origins of Julio were from a
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
-like area of convection, possibly related to
Hurricane Isidore Hurricane Isidore was a powerful tropical cyclone that caused widespread flooding and heavy damage across Mexico, Cuba, and the United States in September 2002. The ninth named storm and the second hurricane in the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season ...
, that persisted off the west coast of Central America on September 21. Thunderstorms increased, and a circulation developed late on September 23. After further organization, the system developed into Tropical Depression Thirteen-E early on September 25 about southwest of
Acapulco Acapulco de Juárez (), commonly called Acapulco ( , ; ), is a city and Port of Acapulco, major seaport in the Political divisions of Mexico, state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Mexico City. Located on a deep, semicirc ...
. Initially, the storm was expected to attain a peak intensity of . The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Julio, which attained peak winds of early on September 26. At peak, the storm was centered just west-northwest of
Lázaro Cárdenas Lázaro Cárdenas del Río (; 21 May 1895 – 19 October 1970) was a Mexican army officer and politician who served as president of Mexico from 1934 to 1940. Previously, he served as a general in the Constitutional Army during the Mexican Revo ...
. Soon after, Julio made
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
along the coast of Southwestern Mexico, and it rapidly deteriorated over the mountainous terrain. At 1200 UTC September 26, the storm was downgraded into a tropical depression. Even though the storm was initially expected to enter the extreme southern
Gulf of California The Gulf of California (), also known as the Sea of Cortés (''Mar de Cortés'') or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (''Mar Vermejo''), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja California peninsula from ...
and regain tropical storm strength, Julio dissipated near Manzanillo later that day instead. Upon Julio becoming a
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
, a tropical storm warning was issued from
Zihuatanejo Zihuatanejo (), and/or Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, is the fourth largest city in the Mexican state of Guerrero. It was known by 18th-century English mariners as Chequetan and/or Seguataneo. Politically the city belongs to the municipalities of Mexico, m ...
to Punta San Telma while a tropical storm watch was in effect from Punta San Telma to Manzanillo. While the storm was making landfall, Zihuatanejo reported winds, with gusts up to at 2042 UTC September 25. The highest rainfall reported was at Zihuatanejo and
La Unión, Guerrero La Unión is a city and seat of the municipality of La Unión de Isidoro Montes de Oca, in the Mexican state of Guerrero. In 2005 its population was 3,079.Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía The National Institute of Statistics ...
. Tropical Storm Julio was responsible for heavy rains to Zihuatanejo, where 100 homes were damaged or destroyed. Across the city, numerous roofs were damaged and many trees fell. Many houses and streets were flooded as well. Meanwhile, in Acapulco, heavy rains triggered flash flooding that damaged another 100 houses. Throughout Colima, many rivers overflowed its banks. Furthermore, 2,000 homes were flooded. Roughly 100 families were evacuated to shelters in
Michoacán Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo, is one of the 31 states which, together with Mexico City, compose the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The stat ...
. In addition, many small shacks lost their roof due to the storm's high winds. On the outskirts of the
Taxco Taxco de Alarcón (; usually referred to as simply Taxco) is a small city and administrative center of Taxco de Alarcón Municipality located in the Mexico, Mexican state of Guerrero. Taxco is located in the north-central part of the state, from ...
, situated inland, a
school bus A school bus is any type of bus owned, leased, contracted to, or operated by a school or school district. It is regularly used to Student transport, transport students to and from school or school-related activities, but not including a charter ...
carrying 40 kids flipped over, killing three and injuring 18 others. An estimated 2700 acres (700 ha) of crops were lost because of the storm. Parts of Guerrero were later declared a disaster area. However, the city of Zihuaranejo was quickly cleaned up proceeding the storm.


Hurricane Kenna

A disturbance possibly associated with a tropical wave organized into Tropical Depression ''Fourteen-E'' on October 22. It strengthened into a tropical storm that same day and a hurricane on October 23. The next day, Kenna became the third Category 5 hurricane of the season. A trough over Mexico recurved the hurricane, and it started accelerating towards Mexico. Despite moving over waters that were still warm,
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
weakened the system to a minimal Category 4 by the time of its landfall over Mexico late on October 25. Mountainous terrain rapidly weakened Kenna, and the system dissipated early on October 26. Hurricane Kenna was the third-strongest
Pacific hurricane A Pacific hurricane is a tropical cyclone that develops within the northeastern and central Pacific Ocean to the east of 180°W, north of the equator. For tropical cyclone warning purposes, the northern Pacific is divided into three regions: t ...
to make landfall on record. It was also the second-strongest October hurricane in any season, and the third strongest Pacific hurricane overall. In
San Blas, Nayarit San Blas is both a municipality and municipal seat located on the Pacific coast of Mexico in Nayarit. City San Blas is a port and popular tourist destination, located about north of Puerto Vallarta, and west of the state capital Tepic, and thr ...
, 8,800 people were affected; 1,540 houses were damaged or destroyed, which was 80% to 90% of houses in the town. In
Santiago Ixcuintla Santiago de Ixcuintla is a municipality and a municipal seat in the western Mexico, Mexican state of Nayarit. The municipal population was 93,981 inhabitants (census of 2020) with the municipal seat having a population of 25,241. The area of the ...
, 3,770 houses were damaged. Agriculture in the affected area was disrupted. Farmers required aid, and many fruit crops were destroyed. Tourism in
Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta ( or simply Vallarta) is a Mexican resort city near the Bahía de Banderas on the Pacific coast of the Mexico, Mexican state of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalajara ...
was disrupted, with much of the damage to hotels. Insurance companies reported that Kenna's total damage was $96 million (2002
USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...
). Kenna killed four people in Mexico and injured over a hundred. The low death toll is likely due to massive evacuations in
San Blas, Nayarit San Blas is both a municipality and municipal seat located on the Pacific coast of Mexico in Nayarit. City San Blas is a port and popular tourist destination, located about north of Puerto Vallarta, and west of the state capital Tepic, and thr ...
, and elsewhere ahead of the hurricane.


Tropical Storm Lowell

A weak
tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
located over the open Pacific Ocean organized into Tropical Depression ''Fifteen-E'' on October 22. It strengthened into a tropical storm the next day. Shortly afterwards,
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
increased. Lowell's convection was disrupted, and its center of circulation became exposed. The cyclone crossed into the
Central Pacific Hurricane Center The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central Pacif ...
's area of responsibility on October 26. The shear relaxed, and the depression restrengthened into a tropical storm. Lowell drifted in slow steering currents until it approached Hurricane Huko. The proximity of Huko caused a gradual weakening in Lowell, and it dissipated on October 31.


Hurricane Huko

In late October, an active
monsoon trough The monsoon trough is a convergence zone between the wind patterns of the southern and northern hemispheres. It is a portion of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in the Western Pacific,Bin WangThe Asian Monsoon.Retrieved 2008-05-03. and is dep ...
persisted south of
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
along 10°N
latitude In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate system, geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at t ...
, developing an area of
convection Convection is single or Multiphase flow, multiphase fluid flow that occurs Spontaneous process, spontaneously through the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoy ...
on October 24. Later that day, the disturbance was classified as Tropical Depression ''Three-C'' about south-southeast of
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
. Initially poorly organized, it moved to the north and steadily intensified, becoming Tropical Storm ''Huko'' early on October 26 while turning northwestward. Late on October 28, Huko reached hurricane strength, but its close proximity to Tropical Storm Lowell and a brief increase in
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
weakened it back to a tropical storm on October 30. Shortly after turning to the west, conditions allowed for Huko to re-attain hurricane strength on October 31 while it was passing around south of
Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll is an Unincorporated territories of the United States, unincorporated territory of the United States, under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force (USAF). The island is closed to public entry, and limited access for mana ...
. On November 2, a
ridge A ridge is a long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep sides. The sides of a ridge slope away from a narrow top, the crest or ridgecrest, wi ...
caused the hurricane to accelerate, and the next day it crossed the
International Date Line The International Date Line (IDL) is the line extending between the South and North Poles that is the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180.0° line of longitude and de ...
into the Western Pacific, becoming a typhoon. While passing near
Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll is an Unincorporated territories of the United States, unincorporated territory of the United States, under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force (USAF). The island is closed to public entry, and limited access for mana ...
, the outer rainbands of the hurricane produced wind gusts up to and locally heavy rainfall. The remnants of Huko later reentered the basin, eventually affecting
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. The system was responsible for heavy rains, causing flooding along a small stream in
Bakersfield Bakersfield is a city in and the county seat of Kern County, California, United States. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, which is located in the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's population as of the ...
. Total damage was approximately $23,000 (2002 USD).


Tropical Depression Sixteen-E

Tropical Depression Sixteen-E formed from a disturbance in the
Intertropical Convergence Zone The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ , or ICZ), known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms because of its monotonous windless weather, is the area where the northeast and the southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the t ...
. Despite being located in a hostile environment, it managed to organize into a tropical depression on November 14. It was briefly forecast to strengthen into a tropical storm. However,
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
prevented that from occurring. Consequently, the depression degenerated into a remnant low on November 16 and dissipated soon after that.


Other systems

An area of convection persisted near a developing circulation about west-southwest of
Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll is an Unincorporated territories of the United States, unincorporated territory of the United States, under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force (USAF). The island is closed to public entry, and limited access for mana ...
on July 18. An
upper-level low A cold-core low, also known as an upper level low or cold-core cyclone, is a cyclone aloft which has an associated cold pool of air residing at high altitude within the Earth's troposphere, without a frontal structure. It is a low pressure syste ...
to the northeast provided outflow, and the
Joint Typhoon Warning Center The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...
issued a
Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Fleet Weather Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone formi ...
early on July 19. Although not classified by the CPHC, the
Japan Meteorological Agency The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA; ''気象庁, Kishō-chō'') is a division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism dedicated to the Scientific, scientific observation and research of natural phenomena. Headquartered ...
(JMA) remarked that a tropical depression had developed by early on July 20, just east of the
International Date Line The International Date Line (IDL) is the line extending between the South and North Poles that is the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180.0° line of longitude and de ...
. Soon after, it crossed into the western Pacific and briefly intensified into Tropical Storm Kalmaegi. Also on October 30, the JMA indicated that Tropical Storm Maysak moved into the basin and became extratropical few hours later.


Storm names

The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Pacific east of 140°W during 2002. This was the same list used for the 1996 season, as no names were retired from it afterwards. For storms that form in the North Pacific between 140°W and the
International Date Line The International Date Line (IDL) is the line extending between the South and North Poles that is the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180.0° line of longitude and de ...
, the names come from a series of four rotating lists. Names are used one after the other without regard to year, and when the bottom of one list is reached, the next named storm receives the name at the top of the next list. Three named storms, listed below, formed within the area in 2002. Also, named storms in the table above that crossed into the area during the season are noted (*).


Retirement

In the spring of 2003, the
World Meteorological Organization The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology an ...
retired the name ''Kenna'' from its rotating eastern Pacific name lists due to the deaths and damages it caused. ''Kenna'' was replaced with ''Karina'' for the 2008 season.


Season effects

This is a table of all of the tropical cyclones that formed in the 2002 Pacific hurricane season. It includes their name, duration (within the basin), peak classification and intensities, areas affected, damage, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 2002 USD.


See also

*
Tropical cyclones in 2002 During 2002, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Throughout the year, a total of 123 tropical cyclones formed, of which 80 tropical cycl ...
*
List of Pacific hurricanes This is a list of notable Pacific hurricanes, subdivided by reason for notability. Notability means that it has met some criterion or achieved some statistic, or is part of a top ten for some superlative. It includes lists and rankings of Pacific ...
*
Pacific hurricane season A Pacific hurricane is a tropical cyclone that develops within the northeastern and central Pacific Ocean to the east of 180°W, north of the equator. For tropical cyclone warning purposes, the northern Pacific is divided into three regions: t ...
*
2002 Atlantic hurricane season The 2002 Atlantic hurricane season was a near-average Atlantic hurricane season. It officially started on June 1, and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally limit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones develop i ...
*
2002 Pacific typhoon season The 2002 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly above average Pacific typhoon season, producing twenty-six named storms, fifteen becoming typhoons, and eight super typhoons. It had an ACE over 400 units, making it one of the most active seasons ...
*
2002 North Indian Ocean cyclone season The 2002 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was a below average season in terms of tropical cyclone formation. The season had no official bounds, but most storms formed in either May or after October. No depressions or storms formed during the mo ...
* South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2001–02, 2002–03 * Australian region cyclone seasons: 2001–02, 2002–03 * South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2001–02, 2002–03


References


External links


National Hurricane Center Website

Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Website

Joint Typhoon Warning Center

CPHC 2002 season archive




{{DEFAULTSORT:2002 Pacific Hurricane Season Pacific hurricane seasons 2002 EPac