The 2017 Pacific hurricane season was significantly less active than the previous three
Pacific hurricane
A Pacific hurricane is a mature tropical cyclone that develops within the northeastern and central Pacific Ocean to the east of 180°W, north of the equator. For tropical cyclone warning purposes, the northern Pacific is divided into three regio ...
seasons, featuring eighteen named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. Despite the considerable amount of activity, most of the storms were weak and short-lived. The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
, and on June 1 in the central Pacific; they both ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the respective regions. However, the formation of tropical cyclones is possible at any time of the year, as illustrated in 2017 by the formation of the season's first
named storm
Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The names are intended to reduce confusion in the ...
, Tropical Storm Adrian, on May 9. At the time, this was the earliest formation of a tropical storm on record in the eastern Pacific. The season saw near-average activity in terms of
accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) is a metric used by various agencies to express the energy released by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. It is calculating by summing the square of a tropical cyclone's maximum sustained winds, measured ever ...
(ACE), in stark contrast to the extremely active seasons in
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
,
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, and
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
; and for the first time since
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, no tropical cyclones formed in the Central Pacific basin. However, for the third year in a row, the season featured above-average activity in July, with the ACE value being the fifth highest for the month. Damage across the basin reached $375.28 million (2017
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
), while 45 people were killed by the various storms.
Prior to the start of this season, the
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 3 ...
(NHC) changed its policy to permit issuance of advisories on disturbances that were not yet tropical cyclones but had a high chance to become one, and were expected to bring tropical storm or hurricane conditions to landmasses within 48 hours. As a result of this change,
watches and warnings could be issued by local authorities. Such systems would be termed as "
Potential Tropical Cyclones". The first system to receive this designation was Potential Tropical Cyclone Fourteen-E, which developed into
Tropical Storm Lidia south-southeast of the
Baja California Peninsula on August 30.
__TOC__
Seasonal forecasts
Forecasts include weekly and monthly changes in important factors that help determine the number of tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes within a particular year. According to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
(NOAA), the average hurricane season in the
Eastern and Central Pacific between 1981 and 2010 contained approximately 15 tropical storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes. The
NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
generally classifies a season as above average, average, or below average based on the cumulative ACE index, but occasionally the number of tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes within a hurricane season is also considered.
On May 25, 2017, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
released its annual forecast, predicting an 80% chance of a near- to above-average season in both the Eastern and Central Pacific basins, with a total of 14–20 named storms, 6–11 hurricanes, and 3–7 major hurricanes.
During May 28, the
Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) issued its first forecast for the season, predicting a total of 16 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 6 major hurricanes to develop.
Seasonal summary
![Greg, Hilary and Irwin 2017-07-24 2212Z](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Greg%2C_Hilary_and_Irwin_2017-07-24_2212Z.jpg)
The
accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) is a metric used by various agencies to express the energy released by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. It is calculating by summing the square of a tropical cyclone's maximum sustained winds, measured ever ...
(ACE) for the 2017 Pacific hurricane season as calculated by Colorado State University using data from the National Hurricane Center was 100.7 units.
Although hurricane season in the eastern Pacific does not officially begin until May 15, and on June 1 in the central Pacific,
activity began several days prior with the formation of a tropical depression on May 9. This was the earliest formation of a tropical cyclone on record,
a record that stood until broken by
Tropical Depression One-E in 2020. When it intensified into Tropical Storm Adrian a few hours later, the system became the earliest named storm on record in the basin, a record that stood until broken by
Tropical Storm Andres in 2021.
Near normal activity occurred in June, with Tropical Storm Calvin formed on June 11, and Hurricane Dora on June 25. For the third year in a row, July featured above average activity, with the fifth highest ACE value for that month on record.
Systems
Tropical Storm Adrian
On May 5, the
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 3 ...
(NHC) indicated that an
area of low pressure
In meteorology, a low-pressure area, low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclement weather (such as cloudy, windy, with possible ...
was forecast to form south of Mexico over subsequent days, with the possibility of tropical cyclone development thereafter. A broad
cyclonic circulation began to develop as expected late on May 7, gradually organizing into the season's first tropical depression by 21:00 UTC on May 9, while located about south-southeast of
Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz is a major seaport on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is the state's third-largest city and is the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name.
It is part of the Tehuantepec District in the west of the I ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Adrian six hours later.
Initially, forecasts expected the small storm to intensify into a powerful hurricane. Shortly after reaching peak intensity early on May 10, an unexpected increase in mid-level
wind shear
Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizontal ...
caused Adrian to quickly weaken and degenerate to a remnant low by 00:00 UTC on May 11.
Adrian's remnant low persisted for another day, before dissipating on May 12.
Tropical Storm Beatriz
A tropical wave emerged off the western coast of Africa on May 18 and entered the East Pacific about a week later, where steady organization led to the formation of a tropical depression around 12:00 UTC on May 31. Embedded within southwesterly flow around a large upper-level trough across northern Mexico, the depression moved steadily northeast in a favorable environment, and it intensified into Tropical Storm Beatriz by 06:00 UTC on June 1. After attaining peak winds of , the system made
landfall
Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
around 00:00 UTC on June 2 about 25 miles (40 km) west of
Puerto Ángel
Puerto Ángel (English: "Angel Port").Is a small coastal town in the Mexican state of Oaxaca located in the municipality of San Pedro Pochutla. It, along with San Agustinillo and Playa Zipolite are known as the "Riviera Oaxaqueña". It is located ...
before the mountainous terrain of Mexico quickly made Beatriz dissipate inland twelve hours later.
In the state of
Oaxaca
Oaxaca ( , also , , from nci, Huāxyacac ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca), is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of Mexico. It is ...
, flights out of
Bahías de Huatulco International Airport
Bahías de Huatulco International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional de Bahías de Huatulco) is an international airport located at Huatulco, in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The airport handles national and international air traffic for the ...
were cancelled and schools were closed until June 3. Dozens of roads were impassable due to mudslides and flooding; numerous locales received over 4 in (102 mm) of rain, with rainfall at a maximum of 19.07 in (484.4 mm) in
Huatulco
Huatulco (; ''wah-TOOL-coh''), formally Bahías de Huatulco, centered on the town of La Crucecita, is a tourist development in Mexico. It is located on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca. Huatulco's tourism industry is centered on its nine ...
.
Numerous
landslides
Landslides, also known as landslips, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep-seated slope failures, mudflows, and debris flows. Landslides occur in a variety of environments, ...
caused significant disruption across the state; the storm blocked large areas of
Federal Highway 200 in Oaxaca. A landslide in
San Marcial Ozolotepec
San Marcial Ozolotepec is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 53.58 km².
It is part of the Miahuatlán District
Miahuatlán District is located in the south of the Sierra Sur Region of t ...
killed two girls and buried several houses, while another in
San Carlos Yautepec
San Carlos Yautepec is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico.
It is part of the Yautepec District in the east of the Sierra Sur Region.
The name "Yautepec" means "hill of black corn". Geography
The municipality covers an area ...
killed a woman. As of June 4, a total of six people have been killed—five in Oaxaca and two in
Tehuantepec
Tehuantepec (, in full, Santo Domingo Tehuantepec) is a city and municipality in the southeast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is part of the Tehuantepec District in the west of the Istmo Region. The area was important in pre Hispanic period ...
. Damage in Oaxaca reached
MXN$3.2 billion (US$172 million).
Tropical Storm Calvin
In the second week of June, the NHC forecast the development of a broad area of low pressure a few hundred miles south of Mexico over the next several days. This prediction came to fruition on June 9, and the fledgling disturbance steadily organized into a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC on June 11 while located about south-southeast of
Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz is a major seaport on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is the state's third-largest city and is the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name.
It is part of the Tehuantepec District in the west of the I ...
.
It was slow to organize initially due to moderate easterly wind shear as it drifted northwestwards; by 18:00 UTC on June 12, however, the tropical depression intensified into Tropical Storm Calvin.
Intensifying slightly to reach winds of ,
Calvin made
landfall
Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
halfway between Salina Cruz and Puerto Ángel, near Paja Blanca, around 00:00 UTC on June 13. Just 12 hours later, Calvin dissipated into a remnant low.
The remnants of the storm caused heavy rainfall and some flooding in the area, however no fatalities were reported.
Less than two weeks after Tropical Storm Beatriz, Calvin affected similar areas of Mexico and inflicted additional damage which resulted in at least 70 million pesos (US$3.88 million) in Oaxaca.
Hurricane Dora
A large gyre developed over Central America around June 15. A trough detached from the gyre and drifted across just south of the
Gulf of Tehuantepec
Gulf of Tehuantepec () is a large body of water on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, southeastern Mexico, at . Many (but not all) Pacific hurricanes form in or near this body of water. A strong, gale-force wind called the Tehuan ...
between June 21 and June 23. By June 23, a tropical wave associated with the remnants of
Tropical Storm Bret The name Bret has been used for seven tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean.
* Tropical Storm Bret (1981), made landfall in southern Maryland, no real damage
* Tropical Storm Bret (1987), short-lived storm, remained in the eastern Atlantic Ocean
* ...
in the Atlantic began merging with the trough. A surface low formed early on the next day, followed by the development of a tropical depression at 18:00 UTC. Initially located about south-southeast of Acapulco, the depression moved west-northwestward due to a mid-tropospheric ridge, which stretched from northern Mexico westward into nearby Pacific waters. At 06:00 UTC on June 25, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Dora. Thereafter, favorable conditions including low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures allowed Dora to undergo rapid intensification, becoming a hurricane at 06:00 UTC on June 26 and a Category 2 hurricane about six hours later.
With impressive
outflow
Outflow may refer to:
*Capital outflow, the capital leaving a particular economy
*Bipolar outflow, in astronomy, two continuous flows of gas from the poles of a star
*Outflow (hydrology), the discharge of a lake or other reservoir system
* Outflow ...
and an
eye
Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and conv ...
apparent on satellite imagery, the storm peaked with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of by 18:00 UTC June 26. Dora remained a Category 2 hurricane for about 12 more hours before beginning to rapidly weaken over cooler sea surface temperatures and in an environment of drier air, falling to Category 1 intensity at 06:00 UTC on June 27 and deteriorating to a tropical storm around 18:00 UTC. The storm later degenerated into a remnant low near
Socorro Island
Socorro Island ( es, Isla Socorro) is a small volcanic island in the Revillagigedo Islands, a Mexican possession lying off the country's western coast. The size is 16.5 by 11.5 km (10.25 by 7.15 miles), with an area of . It is the largest ...
early on June 28, after all of the storm's convection had been diminished. The remnant low moved slowly over the eastern Pacific before dissipating early on July 1.
The outer bands of Dora brought heavy rains to
Guerrero
Guerrero is one of the 32 states that comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo and its largest city is Acapulcocopied from article, GuerreroAs of 2020, Guerrero the pop ...
, resulting in flash floods that inundated 20 homes. Overall damage was minor, however.
Hurricane Eugene
Hurricane Eugene developed from a disturbance located 765 mi (1,230 km) south of the southern tip of the
Baja California Peninsula on July 7. On the following day, Eugene underwent a period of
rapid intensification
In meteorology, rapid intensification is a situation where a tropical cyclone intensifies dramatically in a short period of time. The United States National Hurricane Center defines rapid intensification as an increase in the maximum sustained w ...
; in an 18-hour period starting at 21:00 UTC on July 8, Eugene intensified from a tropical storm with winds to a Category 3 hurricane with winds, making it the first major hurricane of the season. However, by 12 hours later, the entrainment of dry air caused Eugene to weaken to a Category 2 hurricane, and due to traveling over cooler waters, Eugene weakened to a tropical storm on the following day. As the coverage of deep convection steadily dwindled, Eugene fell to tropical depression intensity around 15:00 UTC on July 12, and degenerated to a remnant low six hours later.
Dangerous
rip current
A rip current, often simply called a rip (or misleadingly a ''rip tide''), is a specific kind of water current that can occur near beaches with breaking waves. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water which moves directly away ...
s combined with swells of across southern California resulted in hundreds of rescues. On July 10 alone, lifeguards in
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, maki ...
made 200 rescues while 600 were made in
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
; lifeguards also responded to 700 medical emergencies.
Hurricane Fernanda
Late on July 10, the NHC began monitoring a broad area of low pressure several hundred miles southwest of
Manzanillo. Contrary to predictions of gradual development, the disturbance rapidly organized into a tropical depression by 03:00 UTC on July 12, and further strengthened to become Tropical Storm Fernanda around 15:00 UTC that day. The nascent cyclone initially battled moderate northeasterly wind shear, with its low-level circulation displaced to the northeastern edge of the deep convection. This period of unfavorable upper-level winds was brief, and soon afterwards Fernanda commenced a period of
rapid intensification
In meteorology, rapid intensification is a situation where a tropical cyclone intensifies dramatically in a short period of time. The United States National Hurricane Center defines rapid intensification as an increase in the maximum sustained w ...
, intensifying into a hurricane at 21:00 UTC on July 13. A well-defined eye formed within a growing
central dense overcast
The central dense overcast, or CDO, of a tropical cyclone or strong subtropical cyclone is the large central area of thunderstorms surrounding its circulation center, caused by the formation of its eyewall. It can be round, angular, oval, or irr ...
, and Fernanda further intensified into a major hurricane early on July 14. Only six hours later, the system was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane. At 10.9°N, Fernanda became the second strongest hurricane to occur at such a low latitude in the Eastern Pacific, only behind
Hurricane Olaf (2015).
With expansive upper-level outflow and spiral bands, a distinct eye, and a symmetric central dense overcast, Fernanda attained peak winds of around 03:00 UTC on July 15. A series of microwave passes around that time began to indicate the formation of a secondary eyewall that halted the cyclone's development as it tracked west-northwest to northwest. The eyewall replacement cycle concluded early on July 16, allowing Fernanda to remain a powerful hurricane amid favorable environmental conditions. By late on July 18, however, cooler ocean temperatures and a more stable environment prompted the storm's weakening trend. Fernanda fell below hurricane intensity shortly before entering the Central Pacific as it succumbed to stronger southwesterly wind shear, becoming a tropical depression at 03:00 UTC on July 21, and after failing to produce sustained deep convection, degenerated to a remnant low about 500 miles (805 km) east of
Hilo, Hawaii
Hilo () is a census-designated place (CDP) and the largest settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaii. The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. It is the fourth-largest settlement i ...
, by 21:00 UTC on July 22.
Tropical Depression Eight-E
A low-pressure trough began producing disorganized convection over the waters of the Pacific Ocean, well to the south of
Baja California Peninsula, on July 14. Despite only marginally conducive environmental conditions, the disturbance began to show signs of organization two days later, and it attained tropical depression status by 06:00 UTC on July 17. Strong west-northwesterly
wind shear
Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizontal ...
confined the storm's intermittent bursts of convection well to the southwest of its low-level circulation, and the depression consequently failed to produce winds above . The system's center later degenerated into a low-pressure trough within the
Intertropical Convergence Zone
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ ), known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms because of its monotonous windless weather, is the area where the northeast and the southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the thermal e ...
, prompting the NHC to discontinue advisories at 21:00 UTC on July 20.
Tropical Storm Greg
On July 12, the NHC forecast the formation of a broad area of low pressure south of Mexico over subsequent days. The disturbance formed two days later and slowly organized into a tropical depression by 15:00 UTC on July 17. The tropical cyclone battled strong west-northwesterly wind shear after formation, intensifying into Tropical Storm Greg by 09:00 UTC on July 18, as deep convection burst near the center. However, the storm remained in a steady state for several days thereafter, despite continued predictions of intensification. Ultimately, given global models' poor handling of the environment, NHC lowered their intensity forecast for Greg. The cyclone continued west for the remainder of its life and maintained a similar convective structure, with intermittent bursts of deep convection near the center. Approaching the Central Pacific, Greg's low-level circulation became increasingly difficult to locate as it moved into a cooler, drier environment intertwined by increasing southerly wind shear, and the system weakened to a tropical depression around 21:00 UTC on July 25. It degenerated to a remnant low 24 hours later.
Hurricane Hilary
Part of an exceptionally active July, the NHC began highlighting the far eastern reaches of the Pacific basin on July 19 for tropical development in later days.
A large area of disturbed weather progressed westward across
Costa Rica
Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
later that day, steadily organizing into a tropical depression by 15:00 UTC on July 21. The cyclone failed to organize immediately after formation, and its low-level center migrated to the southern extent of associated convection. By 03:00 UTC on July 23, though, better defined banding features and a more organized convective structure led the NHC to designate the system as Tropical Storm Hilary. Over the coming hours, the cyclone's convective structure evolved into a small central dense overcast while hints of an eye became apparent; in accordance with satellite estimates, Hilary was upgraded to a hurricane at 09:00 UTC on July 24. A moist environment and warm ocean waters propelled Hilary to its peak as a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 24 hours later, at which time its core was most symmetric. After maintaining its intensity, the hurricane began to weaken late on July 26 as northerly wind shear increased. It fell back to tropical storm intensity around 03:00 UTC on July 27, and ultimately degenerated to a remnant low four days later.
Hurricane Irwin
On July 16, the NHC highlighted the expected formation of an area of low pressure south of Mexico later that week. A tropical wave began producing disorganized cloudiness three days later,
and the broad system slowly organized into a tropical depression by 15:00 UTC on July 22. Its structure changed little after formation, impacted by strong wind shear; despite this, satellite wind data indicated the cyclone intensified into Tropical Storm Irwin by 09:00 UTC on July 23. Over the next 24 hours, deep convection began to wrap around the center and a mid-level eye formed as environmental conditions improved; by 09:00 UTC on July 25, Irwin intensified into a hurricane. Although coolest cloudtops were located in the western semicircle of the system, a well-defined eye and convection in the eyewall propelled Irwin to its peak with winds of late on July 25. Almost immediately, outflow from nearby Hurricane Hilary increased wind shear over the system and caused it to begin weakening; Irwin rapidly fell to tropical storm strength around 15:00 UTC on July 26. Contrary to projections of continued weakening, however, the storm's cloud pattern maintained or even improved over subsequent days as it passed over marginal ocean temperatures. Finally, after losing its deep convection and being reduced to a swirl of low-level clouds, Irwin was declared a remnant low around 21:00 UTC on August 1.
Tropical Depression Eleven-E
On July 28, the NHC noted the possibility of an area of low pressure well south of Mexico developing over subsequent days. An area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave materialized three days later, but little change occurred thereafter. Early on August 3, a surface circulation formed in association with concentrating convection, and this process led to the formation of a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC the next day.
The newly formed cyclone did not intensify after designation, and its low- and mid-level circulations separated by over on August 5 due strong easterly wind shear. Falling short of the tropical storm criteria, the short-lived depression was declared a remnant low at 18:00 UTC that day.
The lingering vortex slowed its northwestward motion and executed a counter-clockwise loop, before dissipating completely 205 miles (335 km) southwest of the Baja California Peninsula on August 8.
Tropical Storm Jova
The NHC began monitoring a strong tropical wave over the eastern Caribbean on August 3. The feature pushed westward, developing into
Hurricane Franklin before making landfall on the
Yucatán
Yucatán (, also , , ; yua, Yúukatan ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán,; yua, link=no, Xóot' Noj Lu'umil Yúukatan. is one of the 31 states which comprise the political divisions of Mexico, federal entities of Mexico. I ...
, and attaining its peak as a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall near
Vega de Alatorre, Veracruz on August 10. Although its low-level circulation dissipated, the NHC in days prior noted the potential for Franklin's mid-level remnants to reform in the East Pacific. The remnants of Franklin induced a surface low off the coast of southwestern Mexico on August 11, and steady organization led to the formation of Tropical Storm Jova by 03:00 UTC the next day. On a westward course, Jova was plagued by strong wind shear from an area of high pressure over northwestern Mexico, with a very disorganized appearance on satellite. After lacking sufficient organization to be declared a tropical cyclone, the storm was declared a remnant low around 03:00 UTC on August 14.
Hurricane Kenneth
On August 12, the NHC noted the potential for an area of low pressure to form well south of
Baja California Peninsula during the following days. A large area of disturbed weather developed two days later as predicted; however, organization was slow to occur, and a tropical depression only formed four days later, around 15:00 UTC on August 18. The newly formed cyclone embarked on a west to west-northwest course, intensifying into Tropical Storm Kenneth early on August 19 and further into a hurricane by 15:00 UTC on August 20. Despite forecasts of only slight additional intensification, Kenneth rapidly intensified, with the
eye feature warming dramatically and the surrounding cloud tops cooling. The cyclone attained
major hurricane
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
strength around 03:00 UTC on August 21, and six hours later reached its peak as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of . Progressively cooler
sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature (SST), or ocean surface temperature, is the ocean temperature close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air mass ...
s and increasing
wind shear
Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizontal ...
caused Kenneth to steadily weaken following the intensification trend, with its inner core eroding and low-level circulation becoming displaced. By 21:00 UTC on August 22, the storm weakened below hurricane strength. On the following day, at 21:00 UTC, Kenneth was declared to be post-tropical. The remnant low meandered due to weak steering currents, before finally dissipating on August 27.
Tropical Storm Lidia
A vigorous tropical wave emerged off the western coast of Africa on August 16; it crossed Central America into the East Pacific on August 25. Part of a large cyclonic gyre, the disturbance failed to organize for several days—despite already producing tropical storm-force winds—amid high wind shear from
Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey was a devastating Category 4 hurricane that made landfall on Texas and Louisiana in August 2017, causing catastrophic flooding and more than 100 deaths. It is tied with 2005's Hurricane Katrina as the costliest t ...
in the Gulf of Mexico. After Harvey weakened, however, an increase in the system's organization led to the formation of Tropical Storm Lidia around 18:00 UTC on August 30. Flow between a subtropical high and upper-level trough directed Lidia on a north-northwest track, and the cyclone strengthened to a peak of later on August 31. Lidia passed very close to Cabo San Lucas early the next morning, and interaction with the high terrain of Baja California Sur caused the storm to weaken slightly; it made its first landfall near Punta Marquez with winds of around 12:00 UTC, and its second landfall near Punta Abreojos early on September 2 with winds of . Lidia continued to weaken as it moved northwest, degenerating to a remnant low around 06:00 UTC on September 3 and dissipating twelve hours later.
Hurricane Otis
On September 8, Atlantic
Hurricane Katia
The name Katia has been used for four tropical cyclones worldwide.
In the Atlantic Ocean:
The name replaced '' Katrina'' after that name was retired in 2006.
* Hurricane Katia (2011) – powerful Category 4 hurricane that affected Europe as a po ...
made landfall in Mexico, dissipating on September 9. However, its mid-level circulation survived, and eventually spawned an area of low pressure off the coast of Mexico. On September 11, the system organized into Tropical Depression Fifteen-E. It strengthened into a tropical storm at 00:00 UTC on September 13 and reached its initial peak intensity of 40 mph with its pressure falling to 1003 mb. However, the upgrade was not made operationally and the system weakened back to a tropical depression 12 hours later without being named. During the next several days the depression slowly drifted westward and struggled to intensify as it was situated within a dry environment. Some models even predicted the depression would dissipate without ever reaching tropical storm strength again. However, by 15:00 UTC on September 16, the system unexpectedly started to organize with a small area of deep convection developing near its low-level center, which allowed it to finally restrengthen into a tropical storm later that day, at which time it was given the name Otis. Only marginal strengthening was forecast, but Otis unexpectedly rapidly intensified into a Category 2 hurricane by 15:00 UTC on September 17, despite low ocean temperatures, dry air, and increased wind shear. Otis continued to intensify into a Category 3 major hurricane by 03:00 UTC on September 18, developing a well-defined eye with a diameter of . Then by 21:00 UTC on the same day, Otis had rapidly degenerated back into a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of . Twelve hours after developing a well-defined eye, Otis started weakening at a remarkable rate, losing most of its deep convection due to low ocean surface temperatures, until it weakened into a remnant low on September 19.
Hurricane Max
On September 9, the NHC mentioned the possibility for an area of low pressure to form south of Mexico over later days. A trough of low pressure materialized the next day, steadily organizing into a tropical depression near the southwestern coast of Mexico around 15:00 UTC on September 13. Despite forecasts of little or no intensification, the newly formed cyclone intensified into Tropical Storm Max six hours later. Quick intensification ensued as the storm improved in structure and developed a well-defined eye, prompting the NHC to upgrade Max to a hurricane around 12:00 UTC on September 14. Max attained peak winds of , while making landfall on the coastline of Guerrero. The mountainous terrain of inland Mexico severely disrupted Max's circulation, causing it to degenerate into a remnant low by 09:00 UTC on September 15, dissipating over Mexico later that day.
In preparation for Max, about 788 people evacuated to temporary shelters.
Throughout Guerrero, over 1,500 homes were inundated by floodwaters or damaged by strong winds that ripped off roofs. Over 100 trees were downed, mudslides and sinkholes closed several roads (including
Mexican Federal Highway 200
Federal Highway 200 (''Carretera Federal 200''), also known as Carretera Pacífico, is a Federal Highway of Mexico. The Carretera Pacífico is the main leg of the Pacific Coastal Highway within Mexico and travels along the Pacific Coast from Mexi ...
), and telephone service was cut. At the height of the storm, 126,503
Comisión Federal de Electricidad
The Comisión Federal de Electricidad ( en, Federal Electricity Commission) is the state-owned electric utility of Mexico, widely known as CFE. It is the country's dominant electric company, and the country's second most powerful state-owned comp ...
customers lost electricity. A bridge between
Cruz Grande
Cruz Grande is a city and seat of the municipality of Florencio Villarreal, in the state of Guerrero, south-western Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North A ...
and
Copala was severely damaged, and access to
Juchitán de Zaragoza
Juchitán de Zaragoza (; Spanish name; Isthmus Zapotec: ''Xabizende'' ) is an indigenous town in the southeast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is part of the Juchitán District in the west of the Istmo de Tehuantepec region. With a 2005 census ...
was severed due to a flooded highway. One of 17 rapidly-rising rivers swept away a residence and two neighbors who attempted to rescue the homeowner; one of the neighbors died, constituting one of two deaths attributed to the storm. At least 3,000 residents across five municipalities in Guerrero were stranded.
Waves of 10–16 ft (3–5 m) battered the coastline, where six ships were sunk. Damage from the hurricane was estimated to be around US$13 million.
Hurricane Norma
On September 10, the NHC started to monitor an area of low pressure — associated with the tropical wave that spawned
Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread destruction across its path in September 2017. Irma was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands on record, followed by Maria two ...
in the Atlantic basin — well south of
Manzanillo, Mexico
Manzanillo () is a city and seat of Manzanillo Municipality, in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port, responsible for handling Pacific cargo for the Mexico City area. It is the large ...
.
The disturbance gradually organized during the following days and by 09:00 UTC on September 14 the system was noted to develop a well-defined center and spiral banding. This led to the formation of Tropical Storm Norma, operationally skipping tropical depression status. In post-season analysis, it was determined that Norma had formed as a tropical depression three hours earlier, and that it did not strengthen into a tropical storm until 12:00 UTC.
The newly formed tropical storm continued to intensify at a steady pace while it moved slowly northward, becoming a
Category 1 hurricane
Category, plural categories, may refer to:
Philosophy and general uses
*Categorization, categories in cognitive science, information science and generally
*Category of being
* ''Categories'' (Aristotle)
*Category (Kant)
*Categories (Peirce)
*C ...
by 00:00 UTC on September 16 and reaching winds of .
At this time warnings were being issued for the southern portions of the
Baja California Peninsula as Norma was forecast to become a significant hurricane and make landfall in the area. However, its broad circulation and the entrainment of dry air quickly became an impediment in doing so. Norma then weakened back to a tropical storm at 12:00 UTC later that day while becoming stationary, though a developing ridge over Mexico began to move the storm slowly towards the north.
Norma maintained its intensity the next day and continued being slowly steered by the ridge towards a northwesterly to west-northwesterly path, all tropical storm warnings were discontinued as Norma started to shift its track more to the west. The cyclone continued weakening for several days as it slowly drifted to the west, until finally degenerating into a remnant low at 03:00 UTC on September 20.
The remnants of Norma persisted for a little over 2 days before they completely dissipated.
Tropical Storm Pilar
During the week of September 18, the NHC began monitoring a tropical wave, as it spawned a broad area of low pressure located offshore of the southwestern coast of Mexico. The disturbance lacked any significant organization until September 23 at around 21:00 UTC when the system was noted to developed surface winds of over becoming Tropical Depression Eighteen-E. The depression organized into a tropical storm six hours later and was given the name ''Pilar'', the sixteenth named storm of the annual Pacific hurricane season. Thereafter, despite having a disorganized appearance on satellite, Pilar's winds increased in strength, and it reached its peak with sustained winds of . By 09:00 UTC on September 24, Pilar continued to track north along the coast, with warnings being issued for the southwestern coast of Mexico. However, early on September 25, these warnings were discontinued, as Tropical Storm Pilar showed signs of weakening mainly due to land interaction, and was reduced to a tropical depression before ultimately dissipating at around 21:00 UTC later that same day.
Although Pilar did not make landfall as a tropical cyclone, heavy rainfall was reported in
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Puerto Vallarta ( or simply Vallarta) is a Mexican beach resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
Puerto Vallarta is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalaja ...
, to the northeast of
Islas Marías
The Islas Marías ("Mary Islands") are an archipelago of four islands that belong to Mexico. They are located in the Pacific Ocean, some off the coast of the mexican state, state of Nayarit and about southeast of the tip of Baja California. The ...
, and in other areas along the Mexican coastline.
Tropical Storm Ramon
On October 3, the NHC noted a high chance of tropical development for an area of low pressure, to the south of Mexico. The system increased in intensity and became Tropical Storm Ramon later on the same day. Due to wind shear from a large anticyclone to its north, the storm did not intensify much further. Although Ramon was forecast to linger over open waters as it moved westward, this did not occur and the system quickly grew disorganized. Ramon weakened into a tropical depression on October 4, having lasted as a tropical storm only for 18 hours. As it moved westward, Ramon continued to weaken, until it finally degenerated into a trough of low pressure by 00:00 UTC the following day. The National Hurricane Center issued its last advisory on the degenerate system at 09:00 UTC, on October 5. The remnant low dissipated later that day.
Tropical Storm Selma
Late on October 24, the NHC began to monitor the formation of an area of low pressure located south of eastern Central America. The system quickly gained organization as it moved northwestwards, and was declared Tropical Storm Selma at 09:00 UTC on October 27.
This marked only the second time that an Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone became a tropical storm east of 90°W, the other being
Alma of 2008.
With the environment thought to be generally conducive to intensification, Selma was forecast to gain some strength before moving northwards into Central America. However, with wind shear stronger than expected, this did not occur, and Selma never strengthened beyond minimal tropical storm status. Eventually, at 12:00 UTC on October 28, Selma made landfall just southeast of
San Salvador, El Salvador
San Salvador (; ) is the capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its eponymous department. It is the country's political, cultural, educational and financial center. The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, which comprises the capital ...
, becoming the first Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone to make landfall anywhere in
El Salvador
El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south b ...
. Once over land, Selma weakened quickly, and degenerated into a post-tropical cyclone by 21:00 UTC on October 28. Selma's
remnant
Remnant or remnants may refer to:
Religion
* Remnant (Bible), a recurring theme in the Bible
* Remnant (Seventh-day Adventist belief), the remnant theme in the Seventh-day Adventist Church
* ''The Remnant'' (newspaper), a traditional Catholic ne ...
dissipated overland within the next several hours.
Heavy rains produced by Selma and a cold front resulted in flooding that killed seven people in Honduras. Dozens of landslides damaged homes and blocked roadways while 13 rivers topped their banks. Approximately 38,000 people required evacuation and more than 3,000 homes were flooded as 13 rivers topped their banks. Rainfall extended into Nicaragua, causing floods that claimed another 10 lives in areas recovering from
Tropical Storm Nate two weeks prior.
Storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the northeastern Pacific Ocean during 2017. No names were retired, so this list will be used again in the 2023 season. This same list was used in the
2011 season.
For storms that form in the
Central Pacific Hurricane Center
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central Pacifi ...
's area of responsibility, encompassing the area between
140 degrees west and the
International Date Line
The International Date Line (IDL) is an internationally accepted demarcation on the surface of Earth, running between the South and North Poles and serving as the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific O ...
, all names are used in a series of
four rotating lists. The next four names that were slated for use in 2017 are shown below; however, none of them were used.
The usage of the name "Hilary" in July garnered some negative attention relating to former U.S. presidential candidate
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
. People also took to Twitter to poke fun at the name and at Clinton with political jokes.
Season effects
This is a table of all the storms that formed in the 2017 Pacific hurricane season. It includes their duration, names, areas affected, damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a tropical wave, or a low, and all the damage figures are in 2017 USD.
See also
*
Weather of 2017
The following is a list of weather events that occurred in 2017.
Summary by weather type
Winter storms and cold waves
Winter weather in 2017 kicked off with a winter storm from January 4-8. This winter storm causes six fatalities. Around a ...
*
Timeline of the 2017 Pacific hurricane season
*
List of Pacific hurricanes
This is a list of notable Pacific hurricanes, subdivided by reason for notability. Notability means that it has met some criterion or achieved some statistic, or is part of a top ten for some superlative. It includes lists and rankings of Pacific ...
*
Pacific hurricane season
A Pacific hurricane is a mature tropical cyclone that develops within the northeastern and central Pacific Ocean to the east of 180°W, north of the equator. For tropical cyclone warning purposes, the northern Pacific is divided into three regio ...
*
Tropical cyclones in 2017
During 2017, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year, a total of 146 tropical cyclones had formed. 88 tropical cyclones ha ...
*
2017 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was a disastrous, extremely active Atlantic hurricane season and the costliest on record, with a damage total of at least $294.92 billion (USD). The season featured 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 6 major h ...
*
2017 Pacific typhoon season
The 2017 Pacific typhoon season was a below-average season in terms of accumulated cyclone energy and the number of typhoons and super typhoons, and the first since the 1977 season to not produce a Category 5-equivalent typhoon on the Saf ...
*
2017 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
* South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons:
2016–17,
2017–18
* Australian region cyclone seasons:
2016–17,
2017–18
* South Pacific cyclone seasons:
2016–17,
2017–18
*
South Atlantic tropical cyclone
South Atlantic tropical cyclones are unusual weather events that occur in the Southern Hemisphere. Strong wind shear, which disrupts the formation of cyclones, as well as a lack of weather disturbances favorable for development in the South Atl ...
Footnotes
References
External links
National Hurricane Center WebsiteNational Hurricane Center's Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather OutlookServicio Meteorológico Nacional WebsiteNHC 2017 Pacific hurricane season archive
{{Tropical cyclone season, 2017
Pacific hurricane seasons
2017 Epac