Timeline of the 2020 Pacific hurricane season

Timeline of the
2020 Pacific hurricane season
A map of all tropical cyclones during the 2020 Pacific hurricane season
Season summary map
Season boundaries
First system formedApril 25, 2020
Last system dissipatedNovember 19, 2020
Strongest system
NameMarie
Maximum winds140 mph (220 km/h)
(1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure945 mbar (hPa; 27.91 inHg)
Longest lasting system
NameDouglas
Duration8 days
Storm articles
Other years
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

The 2020 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 according to the National Hurricane Center.[nb 1][1] However, tropical cyclones sometimes form outside the bounds of an official season, as was evidenced by the formation of Tropical Depression One-E on April 25. The season effectively ended with the dissipation of its final storm, Tropical Storm Polo, on November 19.

The formation of One-E on April 25 marked the earliest start to a Pacific hurricane season on record. However, seasonal activity as a whole was generally below average. The season featured 16 named storms, in line with the 1981–2010 long-term average of 15. It featured just four hurricanes, or half the average. Three of those hurricanes intensified into major hurricanes,[nb 2] which compares to the average of four. A few storms produced substantial impact to land in 2020. In May, Tropical Storm Amanda caused widespread damage and killed numerous people in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.[3] In August, the remnants of Tropical Storm Fausto sparked devastating wildfires across Northern California,[4] while Genevieve produced hurricane-force winds and caused additional fatalities in the Baja California peninsula.[5] Lesser but still deadly effects were produced there by Tropical Storm Hernan as well.[6] A month prior, Hurricane Douglas passed very close to Oahu, though it caused only minor impact.[7]

This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It includes information that was not released throughout the season, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not initially warned upon, has been included.

By convention, meteorologists use one time zone when issuing forecasts and making observations: Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), and also use the 24-hour clock (where 00:00 = midnight UTC).[8] Tropical cyclone advisories in the Eastern North Pacific basin use both UTC and the nautical time zone where the center of the tropical cyclone is currently located. Time zones utilized (east to west) are: Central, Mountain, Pacific and Hawaii. In this timeline, all information is listed by UTC first, with the respective regional time zone included in parentheses. Additionally, figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest 5 units (knots, miles, or kilometers), 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.

Timeline

Tropical Storm Hernan (2020)Hurricane Genevieve (2020)Hurricane Douglas (2020)Tropical Storm Amanda–CristobalSaffir–Simpson scale

April

A track map of Tropical Depression One-E
Track path of Tropical Depression One-E

April 25

April 26

May

Satellite image of Tropical Storm Amanda after landfall
Amanda shortly after landfall

May 15

  • The 2022 Pacific hurricane season officially begins in the East Pacific.[1]

May 30

May 31

June

A track map of Tropical Storm Boris
Track path of Tropical Storm Boris

June 1

  • The season in the Central Pacific officially begins.[1]

June 24

June 25

June 26

A track map of Tropical Depression Four-E
Track path of Tropical Depression Four-E

June 28

June 29

June 30

July

A satellite image of Tropical Storm Cristina at peak intensity
Tropical Storm Cristina at peak intensity

July 6

July 7

July 10

July 12

A track map of Tropical Depression Six-E
Track path of Tropical Depression Six-E

July 13

July 14

  • 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) – Tropical Depression Six-E dissipates about 610 mi (980 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.[13]
A track map of the unnamed tropical storm
Track path of the unnamed tropical storm

July 20

July 22

July 23

A satellite image of Hurricane Douglas at peak intensity
Hurricane Douglas near peak intensity

July 24

July 25

July 26

July 28

July 29

August

August 8

A satellite image of Hurricane Elida near peak intensity
Hurricane Elida near peak intensity

August 9

August 10

A track map of Tropical Depression Ten-E
Track path of Tropical Depression Ten-E

August 11

August 12

August 13

A track map of Tropical Storm Fausto
Track path of Tropical Storm Fausto

August 16

A satellite image of Hurricane Genevieve at Category 3 intensity
Hurricane Genevieve at Category 3 intensity

August 17

August 18

August 19

August 20

August 21

A track map of Tropical Storm Hernan
Track path of Tropical Storm Hernan

August 26

August 27

A satellite image of tropical storms Hernan, Iselle, and Hurricane Laura
Tropical storms Hernan and Iselle alongside the Atlantic's Hurricane Laura

August 28

August 30

September

A combined track map of Hurricane Nana in the Atlantic and Tropical Storm Julio in the East Pacific
The combined tracks of the Atlantic's Hurricane Nana and the East Pacific's Tropical Storm Julio

September 5

September 6

September 7

September 12

A satellite image of Tropical Storm Karina on September 14
Tropical Storm Karina on September 14

September 13

September 15

September 16

September 20

September 21

A satellite image of Tropical Storm Lowell on September 22
Tropical Storm Lowell on September 22

September 23

September 25

September 29

October

October 1

A satellite image of Hurricane Marie as a Category 4 hurricane on October 2
Marie as a Category 4 hurricane on October 2

October 2

October 3

October 4

October 5

A track map of Tropical Storm Norbert
Track path of Tropical Storm Norbert

October 6

October 8

October 10

October 13

October 14

A satellite image of Tropical Storm Odalys on November 4
Tropical Storm Odalys on November 4

October 15

November

November 3

November 5

November 17

A track map of Tropical Storm Polo
Track path of Tropical Storm Polo

November 18

November 19

November 30

  • The 2020 Pacific hurricane season ends in the East Pacific and Central Pacific basins.[1]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The tropical cyclone designation is a universal term referring to organized collections of thunderstorms located near a well-defined area of low pressure. Tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes are all classifications of a tropical cyclone based on their maximum sustained winds within the National Hurricane Center's jurisdiction.[1]
  2. ^ Hurricanes reaching Category 3 (111 mph (179 km/h)) and higher on the 5-level Saffir–Simpson scale are considered major hurricanes.[2]
  3. ^ According to the National Hurricane Center's protocol, a tropical cyclone that degenerates into a remnant low in one basin and regenerates in another is given a different name. Since Amanda, a Pacific tropical storm, degenerated over Central America, the regenerated Atlantic tropical cyclone was given the next name on the Atlantic list, Cristobal.[3]
  4. ^ In a post-season review of Tropical Depression Seven-E, the National Hurricane Center determined that the depression briefly reached tropical storm intensity. Since the depression was not considered a tropical storm while it was initially active, it was not named.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Tropical Cyclone Climatology". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  2. ^ "Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Robbie Berg (September 10, 2020). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Amanda (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  4. ^ "Moisture from Tropical Storm Fausto fuels NorCal thunderstorms". Los Angeles Times. August 16, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Richard Pasch; David Roberts (April 13, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Genevieve (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e John Beven II (March 17, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Hernan (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  7. ^ Ron Brackett (July 27, 2020). "Hurricane Douglas Blows by Hawaii, Leaving Little Damage Behind". Atlanta, Georgia: The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  8. ^ "Understanding the Date/Time Stamps". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  9. ^ a b John Cangialosi (June 30, 2020). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Depression One-E (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d Eric Blake; Derek Wroe (January 13, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Boris (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Richard Pasch (March 15, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Depression Four-E (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d John Beven II; Christopher Landsea (November 13, 2020). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Cristina (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Stacy Stewart (December 20, 2020). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Depression Six-E (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  14. ^ a b c Daniel Brown (December 8, 2020). Tropical Cyclone Report: Unnamed Tropical Storm (Formerly Tropical Depression Seven-E) (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Andy Latto; Jeff Powell (May 25, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Douglas (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g John Cangialosi (October 24, 2020). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Elida (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Brad Reinhart (January 4, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Depression Ten-E (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d Eric Blake (February 10, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Fausto (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  19. ^ a b c d e Stacy Stewart (February 1, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Iselle (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  20. ^ a b c d Daniel Brown (January 20, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Julio (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  21. ^ a b c d Andy Latto (January 29, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Karina (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  22. ^ a b c d John Cangialosi (December 2, 2020). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Lowell (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Philippe Papin (February 18, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Marie (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h Eric Blake (March 15, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Norbert (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  25. ^ a b c Richard Pasch (April 13, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Odalys (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  26. ^ a b c d e John Beven II (March 17, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Polo (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved January 21, 2022.