Timeline of the 1994 Pacific hurricane season

Timeline of the 1994 Pacific hurricane season
Season summary map
Season boundaries
First system formed	June 18, 1994
Last system dissipated	October 26, 1994
Strongest system
By maximum sustained winds	John
Maximum winds	175 mph (280 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure	929 mbar (hPa; 27.43 inHg)
By central pressure	Gilma
Maximum winds	160 mph (260 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure	920 mbar (hPa; 27.17 inHg)
Longest lasting system
Name	John
Duration	18.75[nb 1] days
Storm articles Hurricane Emilia (1994) Hurricane Gilma (1994) Hurricane John (1994) Hurricane Rosa (1994)
Other years 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996

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.^[2] 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.^[3] El Niño conditions, which tend to cause increased tropical cyclone activity over the Pacific Ocean, were also present.^[4] Despite the high activity, the season had an unusually late start;^[5] 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.

A total of 22 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).^[3][6] 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.^[7] Hurricane John traversed the Pacific Ocean for 8,190 miles (13,180 km), making it the farthest-traveling tropical cyclone on record worldwide.^[8][9] Lasting for 30 days,^{[nb 2]} John was also the longest-lived tropical cyclone on record globally until Cyclone Freddy, which spent at least 34 days as a tropical cyclone in February and March 2023.^[11][12][13] 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.^{[nb 3][15]}

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.^[3] 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 20 lives and wrought at least $700 million (1994 USD) in damage.^[16] 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).^[6] 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.^[6]

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),^[17] 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.

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