The 1997 Pacific hurricane season was the most active season since the 1994 season, producing 24 tropical depressions, 19 of which became tropical storms or hurricanes. The season officially started on May 15, 1997, in the Eastern Pacific—designated as the area east of 140°W—and on June 1, 1997, in the Central Pacific, which is between the International Date Line and 140°W. The season officially ended in both basins on November 30, 1997. These dates typically limit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the eastern Pacific basin. This timeline documents all the storm formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, as well as dissipation. The timeline also includes information which was not operationally released, meaning that information from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as information on a storm that was not operationally warned on, has been included.
The first storm formed on June 1 and the final storm crossed into the western Pacific on December 6, thus ending the season. There were 24 cyclones in both the eastern and central Pacific, including 5 unnamed tropical depressions. Of these, 19 were in the east Pacific; 8 peaked at tropical storm intensity, while 10 reached hurricane status. Seven of these reached Category 3 intensity or higher on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, including central Pacific cyclones Super Typhoons Oliwa and Paka, which became typhoons after crossing into the Western Pacific.
Activity in the Central Pacific was above average; two tropical storms formed in addition to several tropical depressions. Some of the storms entered the region from the east. The 1997 season was the fourth-most active in the Central Pacific since satellite observations began. Nine tropical cyclones entered or formed in the region during that period.[1]
Timeline of events
May
May 15
The 1997 Eastern Pacific hurricane season officially begins.[2]
June
The track of Tropical Storm Andres
June 1
The 1997 Central Pacific hurricane season officially begins.[2]
18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at 14°24′N117°12′W / 14.4°N 117.2°W / 14.4; -117.2 (Tropical Depression Three-E forms.) – Tropical Depression Three-E forms over the central portion of the Eastern Pacific basin. It simultaneously reaches its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1006 mbar (29.71 inHg).[5]
06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, June 25) at 18°12′N111°06′W / 18.2°N 111.1°W / 18.2; -111.1 (Carlos reaches its peak intensity.) – Tropical Storm Carlos reaches its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 996 mbar (29.41 inHg), about 335 mi (535 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.[6]
00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT, June 27) at 19°30′N118°00′W / 19.5°N 118.0°W / 19.5; -118.0 (Carlos dissipates.) – Tropical Depression Carlos is last noted as a tropical cyclone about 570 mi (915 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula; it dissipates within the next six hours.[6]
06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, July 8) at 17°30′N127°30′W / 17.5°N 127.5°W / 17.5; -127.5 (Dolores reaches its peak intensity.) – Hurricane Dolores reaches its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 975 mbar (28.79 inHg), about 1,195 mi (1,925 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.[8]
18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at 15°30′N124°30′W / 15.5°N 124.5°W / 15.5; -124.5 (Enrique reaches Category 3 strength and its peak intensity.) – Hurricane Enrique strengthens to Category 3 intensity about 1,075 mi (1,730 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, making it the first major hurricane of the season. It simultaneously reaches its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 960 mbar (28.35 inHg).[9]
00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT, August 4) at 14°18′N118°00′W / 14.3°N 118.0°W / 14.3; -118.0 (Guillermo reaches its peak intensity.) – Hurricane Guillermo reaches its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 919 mbar (27.14 inHg), about 795 mi (1,280 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.[13]
0000 UTC – Tropical Depression Two-C strengthens into Tropical Storm Oliwa—the Hawaiian name for Oliver.[17]
1800 UTC – Tropical Depression Thirteen-E forms 325 miles (600 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula.[18]
Image of Tropical Storm Kevin at peak strength
September 4
0000 UTC – Tropical Storm Oliwa moves past 180°W into the West Pacific and the last advisory is issued by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.[17]
0600 UTC – Tropical Depression Thirteen-E strengthens into Tropical Storm Kevin.[18]
September 6
0600 UTC – Tropical Storm Kevin weakens into a tropical depression.[18]
September 7
0600 UTC – Tropical Depression Kevin dissipates.[18]
September 9
1200 UTC – Tropical Depression Fourteen-E forms 400 miles (740 km) south of Manzanillo, Mexico.[19]
September 10
0000 UTC – Tropical Depression Fourteen-E strengthens into Tropical Storm Linda.[19]
Hurricane Linda at record breaking intensity
September 11
0000 UTC – Tropical Storm Linda strengthens into the fifth hurricane of the season.[19]
1200 UTC – Hurricane Linda strengthens into the fourth major hurricane of the season, skipping Category 2 hurricane status.[19]
1800 UTC – Hurricane Linda strengthens into a Category 4 hurricane.[19]
September 12
0000 UTC – Hurricane Linda strengthens into the second, and final Category 5 hurricane of the season.[19]
0600 UTC – Hurricane Linda's pressure drops to 902 mbar (hPa) or 26.64 in and 185 mph (300 km/h) making it the strongest storm in the Northeast Pacific Ocean on record.[19]
1800 UTC – Tropical Depression Fifteen-E forms 1300 miles (2400 km) east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands.[20]
September 13
1800 UTC – Hurricane Linda weakens into a Category 4 hurricane.[19]
Track of Tropical Storm Marty
September 14
0000 UTC – Tropical Depression Fifteen-E strengthens into Tropical Storm Marty.[20]
0600 UTC – Hurricane Linda weakens into a Category 3 hurricane.[19]
1200 UTC – Hurricane Linda weakens into a Category 2 hurricane.[19]
1800 UTC – Hurricane Linda weakens into a Category 1 hurricane.[19]
September 15
1200 UTC – Hurricane Linda weakens into a tropical storm.[19]
1200 UTC – Tropical Storm Marty weakens into a tropical depression.[20]
September 16
0600 UTC – Tropical Depression Sixteen-E forms.[21]
1800 UTC – Tropical Depression Sixteen-E strengthens into Tropical Storm Nora.[21]
1800 UTC – Tropical Depression Marty dissipates.[20]
September 17
0600 UTC – Tropical Storm Linda weakens into a tropical depression.[19]
September 18
0000 UTC – Tropical Depression Linda dissipates.[19]
1200 UTC – Tropical Storm Nora strengthens into the seventh hurricane of the season.[21]
1800 UTC – Hurricane Nora strengthens into a Category 2 hurricane.[21]
Hurricane Nora just after peak intensity
September 19
1200 UTC – Hurricane Nora weakens into a Category 1 hurricane.[21]
September 21
0600 UTC – Hurricane Nora re-strengthens into a Category 2 hurricane.[21]
1200 UTC – Hurricane Nora rapidly strengthens into a Category 4 hurricane and the sixth major hurricane of the season.[21]
1800 UTC – Hurricane Nora weakens into a Category 3 hurricane.[21]
September 23
0000 UTC – Hurricane Nora weakens into a Category 2 hurricane.[21]
1200 UTC – Hurricane Nora weakens into a Category 1 hurricane.[21]
1200 UTC – Hurricane Rick weakens into a tropical storm.[26]
1800 UTC – Tropical Storm Rick weakens into a tropical depression.[26]
November 11
0000 UTC – Tropical Depression Rick dissipates.[26]
November 30
The 1997 central and eastern Pacific hurricane seasons officially end.[2]
December
Track map of Typhoon Paka
December 2
1200 UTC – Tropical Depression Five-C forms out of season near the Line Islands.[27]
1800 UTC – Tropical Depression Five-C strengthens into Tropical Storm Paka.[27]
December 7
0000 UTC – Tropical Storm Paka crosses the International Date Line into the Western Pacific and the final advisory is issued, therefore ending the 1997 Pacific hurricane season.[27]
^The last storm, Paka, did not dissipate on December 6. It crossed into the Western Pacific, and because it was the final storm of the season, the crossover date is listed on here as the dissipation date.
^While the Northeast and North Central Pacific hurricane database (HURDAT) lists a formation time of 12:00 UTC on July 26 for Tropical Depression One-C, the CPHC stated in their seasonal summary that the system did not develop until 12 hours later.[11]
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