Timeline of the 1994 Pacific hurricane season

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The 1994 Pacific hurricane season consisted of the events that occurred in the annual cycle of tropical cyclogenesis over the Pacific Ocean north of the Equator and east of the International Date Line. The official bounds of each Pacific hurricane season are dates that conventionally delimit the period each year during which tropical cyclones tend to form in the basin according to the National Hurricane Center, beginning on May 15 in the Eastern Pacific proper (east of 140°W) and on June 1 in the Central Pacific (140°W to the International Date Line), and ending on November 30 in both areas. Activity in the 1994 season was considerably greater than average, particularly in the Central Pacific; tropical cyclones generally formed and intensified farther west than normal due in part to above-average sea surface temperatures over the southeastern portion of the Central Pacific and the prevalence of a large anticyclone near 140°W for much of July and August. El Niño conditions, which tend to cause increased tropical cyclone activity over the Pacific Ocean, were also present. Despite the high activity, the season had an unusually late start; it did not commence until the formation of Tropical Storm Aletta on June 18. The season ended on October 26 with the dissipation of Tropical Storm Nona.

Timeline of the
1994 Pacific hurricane season
A map of the tracks of all the storms of the 1994 Pacific hurricane season.
Season summary map
Season boundaries
First system formedJune 18, 1994
Last system dissipatedOctober 26, 1994
Strongest system
By maximum sustained windsJohn
Maximum winds175 mph (280 km/h)
(1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure929 mbar (hPa; 27.43 inHg)
By central pressureGilma
Maximum winds160 mph (260 km/h)
(1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure920 mbar (hPa; 27.17 inHg)
Longest lasting system
NameJohn
Duration18.75 days
Storm articles
Other years
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996

A total of twenty-two tropical depressions formed, with all but two strengthening into named tropical storms; ten became hurricanes, of which five became major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale). Three hurricanes – Emilia, Gilma, and John – reached Category 5 intensity, the highest rating on the scale. This set a record for most Category 5 hurricanes in one season since records began in 1971, which would later be tied in 2002 and 2018. Hurricane John traversed the Pacific Ocean for 8,190 miles (13,180 km), making it the farthest-traveling tropical cyclone on record worldwide. Lasting for thirty days, John was also the longest-lived tropical cyclone on record globally until Cyclone Freddy, which spent at least thirty-four days as a tropical cyclone in February and March 2023. The storms of the 1994 season collectively generated an Accumulated Cyclone Energy index of 185.2 units, which is the eleventh-highest on record for a Pacific hurricane season as of March 2024.

Only one tropical cyclone, Hurricane Rosa in October, caused fatalities or made landfall during the 1994 season. It struck the Mexican state of Sinaloa at Category 2 strength, killing five people in the country. Proceeding rapidly northeastward across Mexico and into the United States after landfall, the storm and its remnants caused disastrous flooding in southeastern Texas that claimed more than twenty lives and wrought at least $700 million (1994 USD) in damage. Earlier in the season, Tropical Depression One-C and Hurricane John caused minor impacts in the Central Pacific. Heavy rainfall from One-C generated substantial flooding on the Big Island of Hawaii, resulting in damages estimated at up to $5 million (1994 USD). After weakening greatly from its peak intensity, John passed about 15 mi (25 km) to the north of Johnston Atoll as a strong Category 1 hurricane; high winds caused $15 million (1994 USD) in damage.

Four time zones are utilized in the Eastern Pacific basin. They are, from east to west: Central east of 106°W; Mountain from 106°W to 114.9°W; Pacific from 115°W to 139.9°W; and Hawaii−Aleutian from 140°W to the International Date Line. For convenience, each event is listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) first, using the 24-hour clock (where 00:00 = midnight UTC), with the respective local time included in parentheses. Figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest five units (knots, miles, or kilometers) and averaged over one minute, following National Hurricane Center practice. Direct wind observations are rounded to the nearest whole number. Atmospheric pressures are listed to the nearest millibar and nearest hundredth of an inch of mercury. This timeline documents the formation of tropical cyclones as well as the strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It also includes information that was not released while the storm was active, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center is included.

Timeline of events

Hurricane Rosa (1994)Hurricane John (1994)Hurricane Gilma (1994)Hurricane Emilia (1994)Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

May

May 15

  • The 1994 Eastern Pacific hurricane season officially begins.
  • No tropical cyclones formed in May.

June

June 1

  • The 1994 Central Pacific hurricane season officially begins.

June 18

 
Storm path of Tropical Storm Aletta

June 19

June 20

June 21

June 23

June 27

 
Satellite image of Bud shortly after being upgraded to a tropical storm and receiving a name late on June 27

June 28

June 29

June 30

 
Satellite image of Carlotta late on June 30, while the system was near its peak intensity

July

July 1

July 2

July 4

July 5

July 8

 
Satellite image of Daniel late on July 10, while the system was near its peak intensity

July 9

July 11

July 14

July 16

 
Storm path of Hurricane Emilia

July 17

July 18

July 19

 
The eye of Emilia as seen from satellite on July 19, with mesovortices visible

July 20

July 21

July 22

July 23

 
Storm path of Tropical Storm Fabio

July 24

July 25

 
Satellite image of Gilma late on July 24, while the system was at its peak intensity

July 26

July 27

July 30

July 31

August

August 2

 
Storm path of Hurricane Li, including the time it spent west of the International Date Line from August 12 to August 18

August 3

August 7

August 8

 
Satellite image of Hector late on August 8, just after the system's peak intensity

August 9

August 10

August 11

 
Storm path of Tropical Depression One-C

August 12

 
Satellite image Ileana late on August 12, while the system was at its peak intensity

August 13

August 14

August 15

 
Storm path of Tropical Depression Twelve-E

August 20

August 21

August 22

August 23

 
Satellite image of John early on August 23, while the system was near its peak intensity south of Hawaii

August 24

August 25

August 26

August 27

August 28

August 30

 
Satellite image of Kristy late on August 31, while the system was near its peak intensity

August 31

September

September 1

September 2

September 3

September 4

 
Satellite image of Lane late on September 6, while the system was near its peak intensity

September 5

September 6

September 7

 
Satellite image of Two-C late on September 6, shortly the system became a tropical storm and received the name Mele

September 8

September 9

September 10

 
Storm path of Hurricane John, including the time it spent west of the International Date Line from August 28 to September 8

September 15

September 17

September 18

 
Storm path of Tropical Storm Miriam

September 19

September 20

September 21

 
Storm path of Tropical Storm Norman

September 22

September 24

September 25

 
Satellite image of Olivia on September 25, while the system was near its peak intensity

September 26

September 27

September 28

 
Satellite image of Paul late on September 26, just before the system reached its peak intensity

September 29

September 30

October

October 8

October 11

October 12

 
Satellite image of Rosa on October 13, while the strengthening system was approaching the Mexican coast

October 13

October 14

October 15

October 21

 
Satellite image of Three-C, which would later become a tropical storm and receive the name Nona, on October 22

October 25

October 26

November

  • No tropical cyclones were active in November.

November 30

  • The 1994 Pacific hurricane season officially ends.

Notes

See also

References

External links