| Timeline of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Season summary map | |||||
| Season boundaries | |||||
| First system formed | May 10, 2018 | ||||
| Last system dissipated | November 5, 2018 | ||||
| Strongest system | |||||
| Name | Walaka | ||||
| Maximum winds | 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-minute sustained) | ||||
| Lowest pressure | 921 mbar (hPa; 27.2 inHg) | ||||
| Longest lasting system | |||||
| Name | Sergio | ||||
| Duration | 13.50 days | ||||
| |||||
The 2018 Pacific hurricane season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific—east of 140°W—and began on June 1 in the central Pacific—the region between the International Date Line and 140°W, and ended on November 30. These dates typically cover the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the eastern Pacific basin.[1] The season began with the formation of Tropical Depression One-E, which developed on May 10, and ended with the dissipation of the season's final storm, Tropical Storm Xavier, which dissipated as a tropical cyclone on November 5.
The 2018 hurricane season was exceptionally active and featured the highest Accumulated Cyclone Energy since reliable records began in 1971.[2] Throughout the season, 26 tropical depressions developed, 23 of which became tropical storms. A total of 13 tropical storms reached hurricane strength, and 10 hurricanes achieved major hurricane intensity.[3][nb 1] The basin saw above-average activity across all regions from the International Date Line to the west coast of Mexico and Central America. Activity peaked from early August to early October, with several long-lived and powerful hurricanes developing in that time period. Several storms severely affected land, such as Hurricane Lane in Hawaii and Hurricane Willa in Mexico. In contrast to the similarly active 2015 Pacific hurricane season, 2018 was not significantly influenced by the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. Instead, low pressures and increased sea surface temperatures associated with the Pacific Meridional Mode supported the development of these intense and long-lived storms.[2]
Four time zones are utilized in the basin: Central for storms east of 106°W, Mountain between 114.9°W and 106°W, Pacific between 140°W and 115°W,[4] and Hawaii–Aleutian for storms between the International Date Line and 140°W.[5] However, for convenience, all information is listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) first with the respective local time included in parentheses. This timeline includes information that was not released while the storm was active, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center is included. This timeline documents the formation of tropical cyclones as well as the strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season.
- ^ a b "G: Tropical Cyclone Climatology". Hurricane Research Division: Frequently Asked Questions. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. June 2, 2011. G1) When is hurricane season ?. Archived from the original on July 1, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
- ^ a b Wood, Kimberly; Klotzbach, Philip; Collins, Jennifer; Schreck, Carl (August 2019). "The Record-Setting 2018 Eastern North Pacific Hurricane Season". Geophysical Research Letters. 46 (16): 10, 072–10, 081. Bibcode:2019GeoRL..4610072W. doi:10.1029/2019GL083657. S2CID 202192441. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ National Hurricane Center; Hurricane Research Division; Central Pacific Hurricane Center (April 26, 2024). "The Northeast and North Central Pacific hurricane database 1949–2023". United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service. Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. A guide on how to read the database is available here.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Berg, Robbie (May 28, 2015). Tropical Depression One-E Discussion Number 1 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on May 29, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
- ^ Jelsema, Jon (August 6, 2018). Hurricane Hector Discussion Number 24 (Report). Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
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