Tropical Storm Fabio (1994)
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The 1994 Pacific hurricane season was the final season of the eastern north Pacific's consecutive active hurricane seasons that started in
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
. The season officially started on May 15, 1994, in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1, 1994, in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1994. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. The first
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 ...
formed on June 18, while the last system dissipated on October 26. This season, twenty-two tropical cyclones formed in the north Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, with all but two becoming tropical storms or hurricanes. A total of 10 hurricanes occurred, including five major hurricanes. The above average activity in 1994 was attributed to the formation of the 1994–95
El Niño EL, El or el may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * El, a character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit * Eleven (''Stranger Things'') (El), a fictional character in the TV series ''Stranger Things'' * El, fami ...
. Of note in this season is an unusual spree of very intense storms; the season was the first on record to see three Category 5 hurricanes, later tied in
2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
and
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. Hurricanes Emilia, Gilma,
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
, and Olivia all reached a pressure below 930  millibars.
Hurricane John Hurricane John was a powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that caused deadly flooding and record rainfall across southern Mexico for several days in September 2024. The eleventh named storm, fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane of ...
was the farthest-traveling tropical cyclone on record at . Elsewhere,
Hurricane Rosa The name Rosa has been used for seven tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. * Hurricane Rosa (1978) – threatened Baja California. * Tropical Storm Rosa (1982) – brushed southwestern Mexico. * Hurricane Rosa (1994) – struck Mexic ...
caused four casualties in Mexico as the basin's only landfalling tropical storm or hurricane, and later was responsible for flooding in
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
.


Season summary

This season, 22
tropical cyclones 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 ...
formed in the north Pacific Ocean east of the dateline. All but two of them became tropical storms or hurricanes. In the Eastern Pacific region ( 140°W to North America), nineteen tropical depressions formed, of which seventeen became tropical storms, nine further intensifying into hurricanes, and five ultimately reaching major hurricanes of Category 3 intensity 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 ...
. These numbers are slightly above the long-term averages of fifteen tropical storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. 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
area of responsibility Area of responsibility (AOR) is a pre-defined geographic region assigned to Combatant commanders of the Unified Command Plan (UCP), that are used to define an area with specific geographic boundaries where they have the authority to plan and c ...
( 140°W to 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 ...
), three depressions, two tropical storms, and one hurricane formed. Overall, there were eleven tropical cyclones, eight tropical storms, five hurricanes, and three major hurricanes that formed or entered the Central Pacific region. These numbers are well above the long-term average of four tropical cyclones, two hurricanes, one tropical storm, and two depressions. The exceptionally high activity was contributed to by an
El Niño EL, El or el may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * El, a character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit * Eleven (''Stranger Things'') (El), a fictional character in the TV series ''Stranger Things'' * El, fami ...
ongoing at the time. The only named storm to make landfall this year was
Hurricane Rosa The name Rosa has been used for seven tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. * Hurricane Rosa (1978) – threatened Baja California. * Tropical Storm Rosa (1982) – brushed southwestern Mexico. * Hurricane Rosa (1994) – struck Mexic ...
, which killed four people in Western Mexico and forced over 400 to be evacuated. Other notable storms include Hurricane Olivia, a high-end Category 4 system, the three Category 5 hurricanes Emilia, Gilma, and
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
. Both John and Hurricane Li existed in two of the three
basins Basin may refer to: Geography and geology * Depression (geology) ** Back-arc basin, a submarine feature associated with island arcs and subduction zones ** Debris basin, designed to prevent damage from debris flow ** Drainage basin (hydrology), ...
(East, and West) of the Pacific Ocean. This season marked the end of the Northeastern Pacific's most recent active period, which began in
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
, and at the time, included the five most active Pacific hurricane seasons. Beginning in
1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
, multi-decadal factors switched to a phase that suppressed Pacific hurricane activity. After 1994, Pacific hurricane seasons were generally below normal, with the exception of
1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...
, until
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
. The 1994 Pacific hurricane season set several records. First, three hurricanes reached Category 5 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale, setting a record later tied in
2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
, then tied again in
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
. Second, Hurricane John lasted longer and spent more time tropical than any other tropical cyclone on Earth in recorded history. However, the former record was later surpassed by
Cyclone Freddy Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Freddy, also known as Severe Tropical Cyclone Freddy, was an exceptionally long-lived, powerful, and deadly tropical cyclone that traversed the southern Indian Ocean for more than five weeks in February and March 20 ...
in 2023. Third, 11 tropical cyclones entered or formed in the central Pacific, a record shared with the 1992 season until the 2015 season broke the record. Finally, of the four most intense hurricanes recorded in the Central Pacific, three of them occurred this season. The season began with the formation of Tropical Depression One-E on June 18 and ended with the dissipation of Tropical Depression Nona on October 26. No named systems formed in May, three in June, four in July, five in August, six in September, two in October, and none in November. The total length of the season, from the formation of the first depression to the dissipation of the last, was 130 days. Moreover, the total
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) of this season was 185*104 kt2, qualifying this season as above-normal.


Systems


Tropical Storm Aletta

Tropical Depression One-E formed from an area of disturbed weather on June 18. It strengthened to Tropical Storm Aletta the next day. It continued intensifying and reached its peak intensity on June 20. Vertical
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 ...
began to weaken the storm thereafter. The weakening trend continued, weakening Aletta to a depression on June 21. The system dissipated June 23. Aletta's remnant low, however, could be tracked on satellite images for days following the storm. The low finally dissipated north of Hawaii. Aletta never affected land, and no damage or casualties were reported.


Tropical Storm Bud

Tropical Depression Two-E formed on June 27 about south-southwest of the tip of the Baja California Peninsula. The depression headed west-northwest, gradually turned to the northwest, and strengthened into Tropical Storm Bud on June 27. Early the next day, Bud peaked in intensity. Shear caused by a nearby upper-level low slowly weakened Bud. Later on June 28, a second center of circulation developed. The two centers started a
Fujiwhara interaction The Fujiwhara effect, sometimes referred to as the Fujiwara effect, Fujiwara interaction or binary interaction, is a phenomenon that occurs when two nearby cyclonic vortices move around each other and close the distance between the circulations o ...
. The second center then became dominant and the first one vanished. This confused structure is similar to what happened to Tropical Storm Arlene (1993). This confused structure also weakened Bud to a tropical depression on the afternoon of the same day the second center formed. Bud then headed westward over cool waters and dissipated on June 29. Tropical Storm Bud spent its entire life over the open ocean far from land areas. No casualties or damage was reported.


Hurricane Carlotta

The tropical depression that would be Carlotta formed on June 28. It quickly became Tropical Storm Carlotta, and a large
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 visible. Because of this, the NHC upgraded the storm to a hurricane. Carlotta peaked in intensity on July 1, as a hurricane. It gradually weakened as it moved into cooler waters, dissipating on July 5. Carlotta did not threaten land. Carlotta buffeted
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 ...
with sustained winds of on June 30. Other than there, Carlotta caused no damage or deaths.


Tropical Storm Daniel

On July 8, a disturbance located about southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula developed a circulation and became Tropical Depression Four-E.
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 ...
increased, and the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Daniel. Upper-level
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 ...
improved, and Daniel peaked in intensity on July 9. Daniel slowly declined as it continued westward. It entered the central Pacific on July 11.
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 Daniel as it approached the Big Island, and by July 15 had degenerated into an open wave. When Daniel was approaching Hawaii, moderate surf of impacted the south and southeast shores of the Big Island on July 13 and 14. Daniel's remnants also passed about south of
South Point, Hawaii Ka Lae (), also known as South Point, is the southernmost point of the Big Island of Hawaii and of the 50 United States. The Ka Lae area is registered as a National Historic Landmark District under the name South Point Complex. The area is a ...
, on July 15. That day, they caused rainfall on windward slopes of the Big Island locally reaching . No reports of damage or casualties were received.


Hurricane Emilia

On July 16, an
area of low pressure 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 ...
associated with a tropical wave organized into Tropical Depression Five-E. It strengthened into Tropical Storm Emilia later that day. It moved west-northwest and strengthened into a hurricane. It entered the central Pacific on July 17. It continued intensifying, reaching Category 5 intensity on July 19, the first Category 5 Pacific hurricane since Ava. Emilia started weakening quickly on July 21. It weakened to a tropical storm on July 23 and dissipated two days later. Emilia passed south of the Hawaiian Islands, producing swells of in height near the Puna and Ka‘ū coasts. Winds caused minor damage, and rain was moderate. No one was killed.


Tropical Storm Fabio

A tropical depression formed on July 19. Later that day, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Fabio. Fabio headed generally west or northwestward. It entered the central Pacific as a tropical depression, and dissipated on July 24. Fabio's remnants brought locally heavy rainfall to Hawaii, reaching . No one was killed and there was no damage.


Hurricane Gilma

Part of 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 ...
organized into a tropical depression on July 21. It headed westward and out to sea, strengthening into a tropical storm the next day. Gilma rapidly strengthened and became a hurricane exactly one day after it was named. It continued to intensify as it entered the central Pacific. Shortly after entering the central Pacific, Gilma reached Category 5 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale, the second of the season. It then suddenly weakened for unexplained reasons, and weakened into a tropical storm on July 27. It became a depression three days after that and dissipated on July 31. Hurricane Gilma had minor impact on
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 ...
. That atoll received light rain, wind gusts to near
gale force The Beaufort scale ( ) is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort wind force scale. It was devised in 1805 by Francis Beaufort a hydrographer in the Royal Navy. It ...
, and surf. No casualties or damage were reported. Hurricane Gilma was the second most-intense Pacific hurricane at the time. As of 2019, it is tied with Hurricane Walaka as the tenth-most intense. Gilma is also the strongest July storm in the Eastern or Central Pacific.


Hurricane Li

A tropical disturbance southwest of
Cabo San Lucas Cabo San Lucas (, "Luke the Evangelist, Saint Luke Cape (geography), Cape"), also known simply as Cabo, is a Resort town, resort city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the Mexican Political divisions of Mexico, state of Baja ...
organized into Tropical Depression Eight-E on July 31. It headed west-northwest without strengthening much, and crossed into the central Pacific on August 2. Eight-E developed a second center of circulation, which became dominant, and then became bound up 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 ...
. Eight-E then became disorganized, with multiple centers of circulation, and advisories were discontinued on August 5. The depression's remains continued their westward path well south of the
Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...
. The depression regenerated on August 8. It soon strengthened into a tropical storm and was named Li, which is Hawaiian for "
Lee Lee may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lee'' (2007 film), Tamil-language sports action film * ''Lee'' (2017 film), Kannada-language action film * ''Lee'' (2023 film), biographical drama about Lee Miller, American photojournalist * ''L ...
". Li approached the dateline on its generally westward heading. Just before crossing, it intensified into a minimal Category 1 hurricane. It crossed the dateline on August 12 and became a storm in the
1994 Pacific typhoon season The 1994 Pacific typhoon season was the seventh and final consecutive to have above average tropical cyclone activity. It was an extremely active season, becoming the second most active season ever recorded in the basin, only behind 1964. With a ...
. Wind shear from 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 t ...
weakened back into a tropical storm as it crossed the dateline, 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 ...
downgraded Li with its first advisory. Li stayed a tropical storm until August 16, where it weakened into a tropical depression. The system then began recurving, and dissipated on August 18. A weakening Tropical Depression Li caused showers on
Wake Island Wake Island (), also known as Wake Atoll, is a coral atoll in the Micronesia subregion of the Pacific Ocean. The atoll is composed of three islets – Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islands – surrounding a lagoon encircled by a coral reef. The neare ...
. Other than there, Li had no impact on any land, and no casualties or damage were reported. Hurricane Li is one of only eight tropical cyclones to exist on all three North Pacific Ocean
tropical cyclone basins Traditionally, areas of tropical cyclone formation are divided into seven basins. These include the North Atlantic Ocean, the eastern and western parts of the North Pacific Ocean, the Southwest Pacific, the Southwest and Southeast Indian Oceans, ...
.


Tropical Storm Hector

On August 7, a tropical depression 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 ...
a few hundred miles south of Baja California. It became Tropical Storm Hector quickly, and as it paralleled the coast of Mexico, it began to weaken, dissipating on August 10. No damage was reported anywhere. Tropical Storm Hector was forecast to approach the Baja California Peninsula. A
tropical storm watch 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 ...
was issued for part of the peninsula on August 8. It was lifted later the same day. Hector's most significant impact was rain. The tropical storm dumped rain along a discontinuous zone of coastal and inland Mexico. The highest point maxima were at Cerro de Ortega/Ixtlahua and at Caduano/Santiago. No damage or casualties were reported.


Tropical Depression One-C

An area of disturbed weather organized into a tropical depression on August 9 while located southeast of
Hilo, Hawaii Hilo () is the largest settlement in and the county seat of Hawaii County, Hawaiʻi, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi, and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. I ...
. The depression moved westward without organizing, and dissipated on August 14. Moisture from the system produced heavy rainfall over the island 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 ...
, totaling to over . The flooding closed all major roads in
Hilo Hilo () is the largest settlement in and the county seat of Hawaii County, Hawaiʻi, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi, and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. I ...
, and was considered the worst flooding in 40 years. The rainfall destroyed two homes and damaged 214, 14 severely. It also damaged roads and businesses. Damage throughout the island totaled to $5 million (1994 USD; $  USD). Flooding occurred in
Maui Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...
as well, where landslides blocked portions of the Hana Highway. One-C's point maximum of makes it Hawaii's ninth wettest known tropical cyclone.


Hurricane Ileana

A disturbance that was part of 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 ...
developed several centers of circulation. After it organized, it separated from the ITCZ and became Tropical Depression Eleven-E on August 10 while the system was about south-southeast of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. It was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ileana at the second advisory, at the same time as John, the next storm. 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 ...
appeared, and Ileana became a hurricane on August 12. It began weakening almost immediately thereafter, as it passed over cooler waters and encountered increasing wind shear. Ileana was a tropical storm on August 13, and the next day it was a dissipating swirl low-level clouds located about west of
Punta Eugenia Punta Eugenia is a headland in the municipality of Mulegé in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It marks the western tip of the Vizcaíno Peninsula, making it the westernmost point on the mainland of the state. It belongs to the larger a ...
. Although Ileana paralleled the coast of Mexico, watches and warnings were not issued because winds of tropical storm-force were not expected to affect land. No one was killed and there was no damage reported in association with this cyclone.


Hurricane John

Tropical Depression Ten-E formed on August 11 south of Mexico. It headed generally westward, and was upgraded into a tropical storm twelve hours after it formed and was named John. John fluctuated in strength as it headed west, always managing to stay at tropical storm strength. On August 20, steady intensification began, and John was a major hurricane when it entered the central Pacific. It continued westward, reaching Category 5 intensity on August 23. It passed around south of Hawaii, and passed just north of Johnston Atoll on August 26. John stayed at hurricane intensity until it crossed the
dateline A dateline is a brief piece of text included in news articles that describes where and when the story was written or filed, though the date is often omitted. In the case of articles reprinted from wire services, the distributing organization is ...
on August 28, becoming a typhoon of the
1994 Pacific typhoon season The 1994 Pacific typhoon season was the seventh and final consecutive to have above average tropical cyclone activity. It was an extremely active season, becoming the second most active season ever recorded in the basin, only behind 1964. With a ...
. After weakening into a tropical storm, John recurved, looped, and recurved again. It reintensified, and was a hurricane when it recrossed the dateline to reenter the central Pacific. John headed north-northeast until it went extratropical on September 10, thirty one days after it formed. Ahead of the hurricane, the 1100 people at
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 ...
evacuated. On the atoll, John caused $15 million (1994 USD; $  USD) in damage. No deaths were reported. Other than on Johnston, Hurricane John had minor effects in Hawaii. Its remnants also affected Alaska. Hurricane John was the longest lasting, until it was surpassed by
Cyclone Freddy Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Freddy, also known as Severe Tropical Cyclone Freddy, was an exceptionally long-lived, powerful, and deadly tropical cyclone that traversed the southern Indian Ocean for more than five weeks in February and March 20 ...
in 2023 and farthest traveling tropical cyclone on Earth in recorded history. It is also one of six tropical cyclones to exist in all three North Pacific Ocean tropical cyclone basins, and one of the few tropical cyclones to cross the International Dateline more than once.


Hurricane Kristy

On August 28, Tropical Depression Thirteen-E formed about southwest of
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Cabo San Lucas (, "Luke the Evangelist, Saint Luke Cape (geography), Cape"), also known simply as Cabo, is a Resort town, resort city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the Mexican Political divisions of Mexico, state of Baja ...
. It was named Tropical Storm Kristy on August 30. As it crossed into the central Pacific, a banding-type
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 ...
formed and it became a hurricane. Twelve hours later, it reached Category 2 intensity. Kristy weakened steadily from that point due to
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 ...
. It passed about south of Hawaii, and dissipated on September 5. The lowest central pressure of Kristy is unknown. The last estimate was made when Kristy was still a tropical storm. As it approached the Hawaiian Islands, a high surf advisory and a high wind warning were issued for the
Big Island of Hawaii Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * ''Big'', a 2023 Taiwanese children's film starring Van Fan and Chie Tanaka * '' Big!'', a Discover ...
. No damage or deaths were reported in association with this system. Its remnants crossed
180th meridian The 180th meridian or antimeridian is the meridian (geography), meridian 180° both east and west of the prime meridian in a Geographic coordinate system, geographical coordinate system. The longitude at this line can be given as either east ...
very early on September 7 and was absorbed by a tropical depression which became Typhoon Melissa in the Western Pacific basin.


Hurricane Lane

The same tropical wave that spawned Tropical Depression Five in the Atlantic became Tropical Depression Fourteen-E on September 3. It quickly became Tropical Storm Lane. A high pressure ridge centered itself north of Lane, keeping the storm on a westward track. This brought Lane into very favorable conditions, and Lane intensified. When the tropical storm reached hurricane strength, it entered a phase of rapid intensification, reaching winds of about , making it a category four hurricane. The high pressure ridge shifted eastward, and allowed Lane to enter unfavorable conditions. Lane dissipated on September 10.


Tropical Storm Mele

A tropical disturbance became Tropical Depression Two-C on September 6. It reached tropical storm strength the next day, being named Mele. The name Mele means "
song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...
" in the
Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a critically endangered Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family, originating in and native to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the native language of the Hawaiian people. Hawaiian, along with English, is an offi ...
and is also the Hawaiian form of "
Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
". Mele headed west-northwest and weakened back into a tropical depression on September 9. It dissipated later that day without incident.


Tropical Storm Miriam

Miriam formed from a weak disturbance on September 15. It strengthened slightly into Tropical Storm Miriam, and dissipated on September 21, having led an uneventful life without impact. In an interesting occurrence, the low-level remnants of Miriam were still visible for weeks after the storm dissipated near 140°W.


Tropical Storm Norman

A tropical depression formed on September 19, and became Tropical Storm Norman the next day. After tracking northwest, it began to turn north in response to a trough, and convection began to diminish. Norman dissipated on September 22 without having ever affected land.


Hurricane Olivia

Hurricane Olivia ultimately formed from a disturbance that had separated from 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 ...
and become distinct by September 19. The disturbance slowly headed westward and it organized into a tropical depression on September 22 while located about south of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. The depression headed west-northwestwards and strengthened into Tropical Storm Olivia on September 22. It steadily intensified and was a hurricane on September 24. It then rapidly strengthened into a powerful major hurricane. It slowly curled to the northwest as it was observed by NOAA research aircraft. Olivia peaked in intensity on September 25. Meanwhile, a large
cyclone In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an ant ...
off the extreme southern part of California induced a northward path. As Olivia started a small anticyclonic loop,
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 ...
began to weaken the hurricane. When Olivia was finished the loop, it had weakened to a tropical storm. It then headed westward. It weakened into a tropical depression on September 28 and dissipated the next day. No impact was reported. At the time, Olivia was the third-most intense Pacific hurricane on record; it has since dropped to eleventh. The storm also had the lowest
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 a Category 4 Pacific hurricane on record. In
2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
, Hurricane Juliette joined Olivia as the most intense Category 4 hurricane on record. In
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
,
Hurricane Odile Hurricane Odile is tied for the most intense landfalling tropical cyclone in the Baja California Peninsula during the weather satellite, satellite era. Sweeping across the peninsula in September 2014, Odile inflicted widespread damage, par ...
beat both storms when it attained a minimum pressure of 918 mbars. At the time, Olivia was also the most intense September hurricane, but was surpassed by Hurricane Linda in 1997, and is currently the third most intense September hurricane in the Pacific basin.


Tropical Storm Paul

A nearly stationary cluster of thunderstorms and
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 ...
that had been hanging around since September 15 and escaped destruction by Tropical Storm Miriam organized into Tropical Depression Eighteen-E on September 24. It was located between Miriam's remnants and the developing Olivia. It became Tropical Storm Paul on the afternoon of September 25. It peaked in intensity on September 27. Then, upper
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 ...
from the nearby Olivia started shearing the tropical cyclone. Paul had been completely destroyed by September 30. The tropical cyclone never threatened land, and consequently, no damage or deaths were reported.


Hurricane Rosa

An area of disturbed weather organized into a tropical depression at midday on October 8. It had trouble organizing, and advisories were discontinued for a while. The cyclone finally became a tropical storm on October 11 and was named Rosa. It moved glacially, but eventually 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 ...
steered Rosa north and then northeast. Rosa intensified quickly, peaking at Category 2 intensity just before landfall near La Concepción on the morning of October 14. Rosa quickly decayed over the mountains of Mexico, and its cloud shield rapidly accelerated northward through the United States, spreading moisture. On October 12, a
hurricane watch 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 ...
was issued for the coast from
Culiacán Culiacán, officially Culiacán Rosales, is a city in northwestern Mexico, the capital and largest city of both Culiacán Municipality and the state of Sinaloa. The city was founded on 29 September 1531 by the Spanish conquistadors Lázaro de ...
to Manzanillo and the Baja California Peninsula south of latitude 24°N. At the same time, a tropical storm warning was issued from Manzanillo to
Tepic Tepic () is the capital and largest city of the western Mexico, Mexican Political divisions of Mexico, state of Nayarit, as well as the seat of the Tepic Municipality. Located in the central part of the state, it stands at an altitude of above ...
. On October 14, a hurricane warning was issued for the coast between Culiacán and
Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco Cabo Corrientes is a cape on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Jalisco. It marks the southernmost point of the Bahía de Banderas (Bay of Flags), upon which the port and resort city of Puerto Vallarta stands. The municipality in which th ...
, and a tropical storm warning south of Cabo Corrientes to Manzanillo. All watches and warnings were lifted later that day. Four deaths, two in each of
Nayarit Nayarit, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Nayarit, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in Municipalities of Nayarit, 20 municipalit ...
and
Durango Durango, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Durango, is one of the 31 states which make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in the northwest portion of the country. With a population of 1,832,650 ...
, were reported. Four people were missing in
Sinaloa Sinaloa (), officially the (), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities, and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales. It is located in northwest Mexic ...
. All of the deaths were due to
drowning Drowning is a type of Asphyxia, suffocation induced by the submersion of the mouth and nose in a liquid. Submersion injury refers to both drowning and near-miss incidents. Most instances of fatal drowning occur alone or in situations where othe ...
. More than 100,000 people had their homes damaged in Nayarit.
Telephone pole A utility pole, commonly referred to as a transmission pole, telephone pole, telecommunication pole, power pole, hydro pole, telegraph pole, or telegraph post, is a column or post used to support overhead power lines and various other public util ...
s and
power lines Electric power transmission is the bulk movement of electrical energy from a generating site, such as a power plant, to an electrical substation. The interconnected lines that facilitate this movement form a ''transmission network''. This is ...
were downed in Sinaloa. Rain caused
landslide Landslides, also known as landslips, rockslips or rockslides, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, mudflows, shallow or deep-seated slope failures and debris flows. Landslides ...
s and flash-flooding in mountainous areas. In
Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...
, mudslides forced the evacuation of 400 people from two coastal villages. The highest rainfall total in Mexico was at Mesa de Pedro Pablo. The moisture Rosa sent into the United States was a contributing factor in record rains in parts of southeastern Texas from October 15 to 19. Those rains caused flooding that killed 22 people, destroyed over 3000 homes, and caused US$700 million in damage.


Tropical Storm Nona

Tropical Depression Three-C formed on October 21 in the Central Pacific basin. It traveled westward for about 4 days before strengthening to Tropical Storm Nona on October 25. The name "Nona" is Hawaiian for the Latin name spelled the same way. Nona immediately weakened back into a tropical depression. Upper-level westerlies from a nearby
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 ...
destroyed the depression on October 26. No deaths or damage were reported. Nona was a tropical storm for six hours, the minimum possible time.


Other systems

On August 14, an area of convection organized enough to be considered a tropical depression. It was steered by John's circulation, and it was never expected to strengthen much because it was close to cool waters. The cyclone drifted north, then northeast, north again, northwest, and then west. 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 ...
declared the depression dissipated on August 15. The depression had no effects anywhere. According to 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 ...
and
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 ...
, on October 21, a tropical depression formed west 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 ...
, and soon exited CPHC's area of responsibility. the system subsequently became Tropical Storm Yuri.


Storm names

The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Pacific Ocean east of 140°W in 1994. This is the same list used for the 1988 season, except for ''Ileana'', which replaced ''Iva'', and which was used for the first time in 1994. No names were
retired Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload. Many people choose to retire when they are elderly or incapable of doing their j ...
from this list following the season, and it was used again for the 2000 season. For storms that form in the North Pacific from 140°W to the International Date Line, 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 in the central North Pacific in 1994. Named storms in the table above that crossed into the area during the year are noted (*).


Season effects

This is a table of all of the tropical cyclones that formed in the 1994 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 1994 USD.


Notes


See also

*
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 ...
*
1994 Atlantic hurricane season The 1994 Atlantic hurricane season was the final season in the most recent negative Atlantic multidecadal oscillation period ("low-activity era" or "cold phase") of tropical cyclone formation within the basin. The season produced seven named tr ...
*
1994 Pacific typhoon season The 1994 Pacific typhoon season was the seventh and final consecutive to have above average tropical cyclone activity. It was an extremely active season, becoming the second most active season ever recorded in the basin, only behind 1964. With a ...
*
1994 North Indian Ocean cyclone season The 1994 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was a below-average year in which eight tropical cyclones affected seven countries bordering the North Indian Ocean. The India Meteorological Department tracks all tropical cyclones in the basin, north ...
*South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season: 1993–94, 1994–95 *Australian region cyclone season: 1993–94, 1994–95 *South Pacific cyclone season: 1993–94, 1994–95


References


External links


NHC 1994 Pacific hurricane season archive

Central Pacific Hurricane Center archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:1994 Pacific Hurricane Season Pacific hurricane seasons Articles which contain graphical timelines