The
1993 Pacific hurricane season was an event in the annual formation of
tropical cyclones over the
Pacific Ocean north of the
Equator and east of the
International Date Line. The season officially began on May 15 in the Eastern Pacific proper (east of 140°W) and June 1 in the Central Pacific (140°W to the International Date Line), and ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delineate the period each year during which tropical cyclones tend to form in the
basin according to the
National Hurricane Center.[1] A total of eighteen
tropical depressions formed; fifteen of these developed into
namedtropical storms, of which eleven became
hurricanes and nine became major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher on the
Saffir–Simpson scale).[2] The number of tropical storms was near the long-term average; the number of hurricanes was slightly above average, and the number of major hurricanes was more than double the average of four.[1][3] As with many active Pacific hurricane seasons,
El Niño conditions greatly influenced this season's high activity levels.[4] Several long-lived and powerful hurricanes contributed to an overall
Accumulated Cyclone Energy value of 201.8 units, the eighth-highest on record for a Pacific hurricane season as of February 2024.[nb 1][6] The first system, Hurricane Adrian, developed on June 11; the final system, Tropical Depression Seventeen-E, dissipated on October 14.
The most impactful storm of the season was
Hurricane Calvin, which made landfall near
Manzanillo in the Mexican state of
Colima as a Category 2 hurricane; it killed more than 30 people,[nb 2] mainly due to significant flooding, and damages amounted to $32 million (1993
USD).[10] Two months later,
Hurricane Lidia came ashore at a similar intensity farther to the northwest along the coast of
Sinaloa, where it caused considerable damage and multiple fatalities.[nb 3][3] In conjunction with a
cold front, Lidia's remnants generated severe weather in
Texas, including a
tornado that caused $8 million (1993 USD) in damage.[12] Earlier in the season, Tropical Storm Beatriz killed 6 people in Mexico when it struck the southern portion of the country,[3] while Tropical Depression Three-E produced heavy rainfall that amounted to nearly a
foot (12 in; 30.48 cm) in
Acapulco despite remaining offshore.[13]Hurricane Hilary made three landfalls in Mexico – twice on the
Baja California peninsula as a tropical storm, and then on the Mexican mainland as a tropical depression – but caused no loss of life and little damage.[14] Hurricanes Dora, Eugene, and
Fernanda produced minor impacts in
Hawaii; Eugene made landfall on the
Big Island as a tropical depression, while Fernanda prompted the issuance of a
hurricane warning, though this was discontinued when the storm turned away.[15]
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),[16] 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 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
May
May 15
The 1993 Eastern Pacific hurricane season officially begins.[1]
No tropical cyclones formed in May.
June
June 1
The 1993 Central Pacific hurricane season officially begins.[1]
13:00 UTC (7:00 a.m. MDT) at 24°48′N112°18′W / 24.8°N 112.3°W / 24.8; -112.3 (Hilary makes its first landfall.) – Tropical Storm Hilary makes its first landfall on the west coast of the Baja California peninsula about 130 mi (215 km) west-northwest of La Paz with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 993 mbar (29.32 inHg), re-emerging over the Pacific Ocean shortly thereafter.[34][38]
The 1993 Pacific hurricane season officially ends.[1]
Notes
^Broadly speaking, Accumulated Cyclone Energy is the square of a tropical cyclone's wind intensity in knots at 6-hour intervals, multiplied by the length of time it existed.[5]
^Sources conflict on the exact number of deaths from Calvin. While the National Hurricane Center stated in their Preliminary Report for Calvin that 34 fatalities had occurred,[7] articles from Gulf News and the Los Angeles Times have given a death toll of 37.[8][9]
^Sources conflict on the exact number of deaths from Lidia. A September 1993 article by the Oxnard Press-Courier stated that Lidia had killed 7 people,[11] while the National Hurricane Center's report on the season gave a death toll of 2.[3]
^The National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center disagree on when Eugene entered the Central Pacific basin. In their overall report on the tropical cyclones which entered their
area of responsibility (AOR) in 1993, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center states that Eugene did so at 18:00 UTC on July 22;[15] at this time, the National Hurricane Center lists Eugene's longitude as 139.8°W, just east of the Central Pacific basin limits.[28] As both agencies agree that Eugene was in the Central Pacific basin at 00:00 UTC on July 23, and because the National Hurricane Center's Preliminary Report on Eugene contains the storm's full track, the National Hurricane Center is given precedence.
^The National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center disagree on when Fernanda entered the Central Pacific basin. In their overall report on the tropical cyclones which entered their AOR in 1993, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center states that Fernanda did so at 06:00 UTC on August 14;[15] at this time, the National Hurricane Center lists Fernanda's longitude as 139.6°W, just east of the Central Pacific basin limits.[30] As both agencies agree that Fernanda was in the Central Pacific basin at 12:00 UTC on August 14, and because the National Hurricane Center's Preliminary Report on Fernanda contains the storm's full track, the National Hurricane Center is given precedence.
The
1993 Pacific hurricane season was an event in the annual formation of
tropical cyclones over the
Pacific Ocean north of the
Equator and east of the
International Date Line. The season officially began on May 15 in the Eastern Pacific proper (east of 140°W) and June 1 in the Central Pacific (140°W to the International Date Line), and ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delineate the period each year during which tropical cyclones tend to form in the
basin according to the
National Hurricane Center.[1] A total of eighteen
tropical depressions formed; fifteen of these developed into
namedtropical storms, of which eleven became
hurricanes and nine became major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher on the
Saffir–Simpson scale).[2] The number of tropical storms was near the long-term average; the number of hurricanes was slightly above average, and the number of major hurricanes was more than double the average of four.[1][3] As with many active Pacific hurricane seasons,
El Niño conditions greatly influenced this season's high activity levels.[4] Several long-lived and powerful hurricanes contributed to an overall
Accumulated Cyclone Energy value of 201.8 units, the eighth-highest on record for a Pacific hurricane season as of February 2024.[nb 1][6] The first system, Hurricane Adrian, developed on June 11; the final system, Tropical Depression Seventeen-E, dissipated on October 14.
The most impactful storm of the season was
Hurricane Calvin, which made landfall near
Manzanillo in the Mexican state of
Colima as a Category 2 hurricane; it killed more than 30 people,[nb 2] mainly due to significant flooding, and damages amounted to $32 million (1993
USD).[10] Two months later,
Hurricane Lidia came ashore at a similar intensity farther to the northwest along the coast of
Sinaloa, where it caused considerable damage and multiple fatalities.[nb 3][3] In conjunction with a
cold front, Lidia's remnants generated severe weather in
Texas, including a
tornado that caused $8 million (1993 USD) in damage.[12] Earlier in the season, Tropical Storm Beatriz killed 6 people in Mexico when it struck the southern portion of the country,[3] while Tropical Depression Three-E produced heavy rainfall that amounted to nearly a
foot (12 in; 30.48 cm) in
Acapulco despite remaining offshore.[13]Hurricane Hilary made three landfalls in Mexico – twice on the
Baja California peninsula as a tropical storm, and then on the Mexican mainland as a tropical depression – but caused no loss of life and little damage.[14] Hurricanes Dora, Eugene, and
Fernanda produced minor impacts in
Hawaii; Eugene made landfall on the
Big Island as a tropical depression, while Fernanda prompted the issuance of a
hurricane warning, though this was discontinued when the storm turned away.[15]
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),[16] 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 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
May
May 15
The 1993 Eastern Pacific hurricane season officially begins.[1]
No tropical cyclones formed in May.
June
June 1
The 1993 Central Pacific hurricane season officially begins.[1]
13:00 UTC (7:00 a.m. MDT) at 24°48′N112°18′W / 24.8°N 112.3°W / 24.8; -112.3 (Hilary makes its first landfall.) – Tropical Storm Hilary makes its first landfall on the west coast of the Baja California peninsula about 130 mi (215 km) west-northwest of La Paz with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 993 mbar (29.32 inHg), re-emerging over the Pacific Ocean shortly thereafter.[34][38]
The 1993 Pacific hurricane season officially ends.[1]
Notes
^Broadly speaking, Accumulated Cyclone Energy is the square of a tropical cyclone's wind intensity in knots at 6-hour intervals, multiplied by the length of time it existed.[5]
^Sources conflict on the exact number of deaths from Calvin. While the National Hurricane Center stated in their Preliminary Report for Calvin that 34 fatalities had occurred,[7] articles from Gulf News and the Los Angeles Times have given a death toll of 37.[8][9]
^Sources conflict on the exact number of deaths from Lidia. A September 1993 article by the Oxnard Press-Courier stated that Lidia had killed 7 people,[11] while the National Hurricane Center's report on the season gave a death toll of 2.[3]
^The National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center disagree on when Eugene entered the Central Pacific basin. In their overall report on the tropical cyclones which entered their
area of responsibility (AOR) in 1993, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center states that Eugene did so at 18:00 UTC on July 22;[15] at this time, the National Hurricane Center lists Eugene's longitude as 139.8°W, just east of the Central Pacific basin limits.[28] As both agencies agree that Eugene was in the Central Pacific basin at 00:00 UTC on July 23, and because the National Hurricane Center's Preliminary Report on Eugene contains the storm's full track, the National Hurricane Center is given precedence.
^The National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center disagree on when Fernanda entered the Central Pacific basin. In their overall report on the tropical cyclones which entered their AOR in 1993, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center states that Fernanda did so at 06:00 UTC on August 14;[15] at this time, the National Hurricane Center lists Fernanda's longitude as 139.6°W, just east of the Central Pacific basin limits.[30] As both agencies agree that Fernanda was in the Central Pacific basin at 12:00 UTC on August 14, and because the National Hurricane Center's Preliminary Report on Fernanda contains the storm's full track, the National Hurricane Center is given precedence.