| 2016 Pacific hurricane season | |
|---|---|
 Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | January 7, 2016 |
| Last system dissipated | November 26, 2016[a] |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Seymour |
| • Maximum winds | 150 mph (240 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 940 mbar (hPa; 27.76 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total depressions | 23 |
| Total storms | 22 |
| Hurricanes | 13 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 6 |
| Total fatalities | 18 total |
| Total damage | $95.8 million (2016 USD) |
| Related articles | |
The 2016 Pacific hurricane season was tied as the fifth-most active Pacific hurricane season on record, alongside the 2014 season. Throughout the course of the year, a total of 22 named storms, 13 hurricanes and six major hurricanes were observed within the basin. Although the season was very active, it was considerably less active than the previous season, with large gaps of inactivity at the beginning and towards the end of the season. It officially started on May 15 in the Eastern Pacific (north of the Equator and east 140°W), and on June 1 in the Central Pacific (from 140°W to the International Date Line); they both ended on November 30.[1] These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in these regions of the Pacific Ocean. However, tropical development is possible at any time of the year, as demonstrated by the formation of Hurricane Pali on January 7, the earliest Central Pacific tropical cyclone on record.[2] After Pali, however, no tropical cyclones developed in either region until a short-lived depression on June 6. Also, there were no additional named storms until July 2, when Tropical Storm Agatha formed, becoming the latest first-named Eastern Pacific tropical storm since Tropical Storm Ava in 1969.[3]
Hurricane Darby brushed the Hawaiian islands as a tropical storm causing only minor damage; while hurricanes Lester and Madeline also threatened to make landfall in Hawaii but weakened significantly before approaching the islands. Tropical Storm Javier and Hurricane Newton both made landfall in Mexico, with the latter being responsible for at least nine fatalities as it came ashore near Baja California Sur. Hurricane Ulika was a rare and erratic storm which zig-zagged across 140°W a total of three times. Hurricane Seymour became the strongest storm of the season, forming in late October. Finally, in late November, Hurricane Otto from the Atlantic made an unusual crossing over Central America, emerging into the East Pacific as a moderate tropical storm but dissipated shortly after. Damage across the basin reached $95 million (2016 USD), while 11 people were killed by Celia and Newton overall.
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- ^ Dorst Neal. When is hurricane season? (Report). Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. Archived from the original on 6 December 2010. Retrieved November 25, 2010.
- ^ "Hurricane Pali Recap, Earliest Central Pacific Hurricane on Record". The Weather Company. June 14, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Beven, Jack (July 2, 2016). "Tropical Storm Agatha Discussion Number 3". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved June 22, 2023.