| 2006 Pacific hurricane season | |
|---|---|
 Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | May 27, 2006 |
| Last system dissipated | November 20, 2006 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Ioke (Most intense hurricane in the Central Pacific) |
| • Maximum winds | 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 915 mbar (hPa; 27.02 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total depressions | 25 official, 1 unofficial |
| Total storms | 19 official, 1 unofficial |
| Hurricanes | 11 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 6 |
| Total fatalities | 14 total |
| Total damage | $355.1 million (2006 USD) |
| Related articles | |
The 2006 Pacific hurricane season was the first above-average season since 1997 which produced twenty-five tropical cyclones, with nineteen named storms, though most were rather weak and short-lived. There were eleven hurricanes, of which six became major hurricanes. Following the inactivity of the previous seasons, forecasters predicted that season would be only slightly above active. It was also the first time since 2003 in which one cyclone of at least tropical storm intensity made landfall. The season officially began on May 15 in the East Pacific Ocean, and on June 1 in the Central Pacific; they ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Pacific basin. However, the formation of tropical cyclones is possible at any time of the year.
Seasonal activity began on May 27, when Tropical Storm Aletta formed off the southwest coast of Mexico. No storms formed in June, though the season became active in July when five named storms developed, including Hurricane Daniel which was the second strongest storm of the season, as well as Tropical Storm Emilia. During August, Hurricanes Ioke and John formed, as well as four other storms. The strongest storm of the season was Hurricane Ioke, which reached Category 5 status on the Saffir–Simpson scale in the central Pacific Ocean; Ioke passed near Johnston Atoll and later Wake Island, where it caused heavy damage but no deaths. The deadliest storm of the season was Hurricane John, which killed six people after striking the Baja California Peninsula, and the costliest storm was Hurricane Lane, which caused $203 million in damage in southwestern Mexico (2006 USD, $307 million 2024 USD). Damage across the basin reached $355.1 million (2006 USD), while 14 people were killed by the various storms.