2020 Pacific hurricane season
The 2020 Pacific hurricane season is an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The season featured the earliest start to the season east of 140°W on record, surpassing Tropical Storm Adrian in 2017. The season officially began on May 15 in the East Pacific Ocean, and on June 1 in the Central Pacific; they will both end on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Pacific basin. However, the formation of tropical cyclones is possible at any time of the year, as shown by the formation of Tropical Depression One-E on April 25. The formation of One-E resulted in the earliest start to a season in the Eastern Pacific since the satellite era began in 1966.
The season's first named storm, Amanda, developed near Central America and struck Guatemala, causing widespread damage in neighboring El Salvador and killing 33 people amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In late July, Hurricane Douglas formed, brushing Hawaii.
Seasonal forecasts
On May 20, 2020, the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional issued its forecast for the season, predicting a total of 15–18 named storms, 8–10 hurricanes, and 4–5 major hurricanes to develop. The next day, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued their outlook, calling for a below-normal to near-normal season with 11–18 named storms, 5–10 hurricanes, 1–5 major hurricanes, and an Accumulated Cyclone Energy index of 60% to 135% of the median. Factors they expected to reduce activity were near- or below-average sea surface temperatures across the eastern Pacific and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation remaining in the neutral phase, with the possibility of a La Niña developing.Seasonal summary
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The Accumulated Cyclone Energy index for the 2020 Pacific hurricane season, as of 15:00 UTC July 29, is 16.4275 units in the Eastern Pacific and 12.6775 units in the Central Pacific. The total ACE in the basin is units. Broadly speaking, ACE is a measure of the power of a tropical or subtropical storm multiplied by the length of time it existed. It is only calculated for full advisories on specific tropical and subtropical systems reaching or exceeding wind speeds of 39 mph.
Although hurricane season in the eastern Pacific does not officially begin until May 15, and on June 1 in the central Pacific, activity this year began several weeks prior with the formation of Tropical Depression One-E on April 25. This marked the earliest formation of a tropical cyclone in the basin, surpassing 2017's Tropical Storm Adrian. Among relatively unfavorable conditions, the depression was short lived, and activity would not resume in the basin until nearly a month later with the formation of Tropical Depression Two-E near the coast of Guatemala on May 30. This would later become Tropical Storm Amanda, the first named storm of the season and one of the worst natural disasters in El Salvador in around two decades. Not for nearly another month after Amanda, Tropical Depression Three-E would briefly become Tropical Storm Boris on June 25 well out to sea before weakening in the Central Pacific basin. A short-lived tropical depression would form near Baja California Sur just 2 days after Boris's dissipation and quickly weaken. Moving into July, Tropical Storm Cristina formed on July 6 and slowly intensified to a peak intensity of 70 mph, barely missing hurricane status. Activity continued as yet another tropical depression, Six-E, formed on July 13 but quickly dissipated among the unfavorable conditions unfolding in the basin. Two more tropical systems formed in mid July, Tropical Depression Seven-E and Tropical Storm Douglas. Seven-E was short lived, lasting for only one day without attaining tropical storm intensity. Douglas strengthened into the first hurricane of the season at 15:00 UTC on July 22, marking the fourth–latest date any season had gone without a hurricane. Douglas would later strengthen into a Category 4 hurricane and brush Hawaii with rain and gusty winds.
Systems
Tropical Depression One-E
On April 23, the National Hurricane Center issued a Special Tropical Weather Outlook for a broad area of low pressure located several hundred miles south of the tip of the Baja California Peninsula for potential development into a tropical cyclone. Subsequently, the trough began to quickly organize with convection appearing to wrap around the elongated center of circulation. The low, supported by excellent outflow on its northern side, developed slowly throughout the day and into April 24 as it broke away from the Intertropical Convergence Zone, therefore the NHC assigned it a high possibility of formation in the next 48 hours on the following day due to these increases in organization. However, by later April 24, shower and thunderstorm activity near the center began to diminish, yet the center became slightly more rounded. On April 25, soon indicated by an ASCAT pass, the low developed a much more well-defined center overnight and new thunderstorms began to fully obscure the circulation. Around this time, the NHC upgraded the system to Tropical Depression One-E around 15:00 UTC on April 25, marking the earliest formation of a tropical cyclone in the basin to the east of the 140°W longitude since reliable records began in 1966, with the storm forming over three weeks early from the official start of the season. The previous record for the earliest forming storm was held by Tropical Storm Adrian of 2017, which formed on May 9.The depression drifted northwestwards after its formation, with much of its convection displaced to the south of the center as a result of increasing dry air surrounding the system. However, a small convective burst allowed the depression to continue retaining its intensity despite dry air beginning to wrap into the circulation. By April 26, dry air, increasing wind shear and cooling sea surface temperatures began to finally overthrow the small cyclone and deep convection near the center quickly began to dissipate leaving an exposed, ill-defined center displaced from what little thunderstorms remained, barely fitting the criteria for a tropical cyclone altogether. The depression was declared to have dissipated and become a poorly defined remnant low by later that same day, due to a struggle to re-develop convection and increasingly stable air surrounding the center. The next day, the remnant low fully dissipated.
Tropical Storm Amanda
On May 24, the NHC first discussed the probability of possible tropical cyclogenesis associated with a broad area of low pressure that was forecast to form off the coast of El Salvador within a crossing tropical wave in the Atlantic Ocean. The tropical wave tracked generally westward across the Caribbean Sea for several days, crossing over Panama, and entered the Eastern Pacific basin on May 26. At this point, the NHC considered the disturbance to have a high chance of formation in several days. Low pressure developed within the disturbance a day later, and a broad cyclonic circulation also began to develop as the wave was being enhanced by a Central American gyre on May 27. Remaining nearly stationary for several days, the disturbance slowly developed as its circulation grew more well defined.By May 30, the system developed central deep convection over a now closed low-level circulation and was considered sufficiently organized enough to be designated as Tropical Depression Two-E later that same day, remaining embedded within the eastern side of a Central American gyre. The depression slowly intensified to a strength of 30 kt in aid of fairly warm sea surface temperatures, and at the time was considered unlikely to intensify further. However, convective organization continued to improve as the system also became much more compact, and satellite estimates allowed the NHC to upgrade the tropical depression to Tropical Storm Amanda at 09:00 UTC on May 31, the first named storm of the season. Only 3 hours after being named, at 12:00 UTC, Amanda made landfall in southeastern Guatemala and began to spread heavy rain inland. Amanda rapidly weakened and dissipated over the country later that day while its mid-level circulation continued north, eventually regenerating as Tropical Storm Cristobal once it emerged over the Bay of Campeche on June 1.
In El Salvador, torrential rainfall caused significant damage along coastal cities in the country as rivers overflowed and swept away buildings. Amanda killed 14 people in El Salvador, of which at least six died due to flash flooding, and one died from a collapsed home. More than 900 homes were damaged across the country and 1,200 families were evacuated to 51 shelters across La Libertad, San Salvador, Sonsonate, and San Vicente. In the capital, San Salvador, 50 houses were destroyed and 23 vehicles fell into a sinkhole. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele declared a 15-day national state of emergency due to the storm. Movement restrictions in place for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic were temporarily lifted to allow people to purchase medicines, while hardware stores were allowed to open with limited capacity so people could purchase equipment for repairs.
Tropical Storm Boris
On June 20, the NHC began monitoring a small area of thunderstorms associated with a small low pressure area within the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The system gradually organized and intensified over the next few days and a tight circulation began to emerge from the disorganized thunderstorms surrounding the area on June 23. On the next day, the tight circulation became more well-defined and a circular region of thunderstorms began to develop south of the exposed center. Thus, the NHC initiated advisories on the system, designating it Tropical Depression Three-E. The depression gradually tracked west-northwestward for the rest of the day with little change in strength due to an onset of dry air being drawn into the circulation. By the next day, despite hostile conditions, deep convection began to sporadically appear near the center. Although being poorly organized, a pass from ASCAT indicated the storm was producing 35 kt winds, and as a result the depression was upgraded to tropical storm intensity and provided the name Boris at around 21:00 UTC on June 25. Persistent unfavorable conditions continued to slowly degrade the storm's new central convection over time, and Boris weakened back down to a tropical depression at 09:00 UTC on June 26, just 12 hours after becoming a tropical storm. By 21:00 UTC June 26, a degenerating Boris crossed 140°W and entered the Central Pacific basin as a tropical depression. Boris continued to crawl west through an increasingly hostile environment into June 27, and the system was downgraded to a remnant low by early on June 28 and thus the last advisory was issued by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. The remnants of Boris slowly drifted southwest for several days afterwards with occasional bursts of convection occurring near the circulation.Boris was the first June tropical cyclone in the basin since Tropical Storm Barbara in 2001 and only the second ever recorded, dating back to 1966.
Tropical Depression Four-E
On June 20, the NHC first began noting for an area of disturbed weather that was expected to form near the coast of Mexico in the next 5 days. By June 22, the disturbance formed coactively with a tropical wave and was expected to consolidate into a tropical depression by the weekend. However, conditions fell short and the system's thunderstorm activity remained disorganized. The disturbance became more broad and conditions only became marginally conducive for any further development, and it eventually was absorbed by another large area of disturbed weather on June 27. This new tropical disturbance quickly consolidated into a more compact and well defined center of thunderstorms by June 29. As convection persisted, the system met sufficient criteria to be declared Tropical Depression Four-E later on June 30 at 03:00 UTC. Nevertheless, the storm's organization was short-lived as it drifted on top of colder waters and as a result convection began to wane. The depression struggled to re-develop any more central convection and became a remnant low later that same day.Tropical Storm Cristina
On July 2, the National Hurricane Center began monitoring for an area of low pressure that was expected to form several hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec in the following 5 days. Expectations gradually increased for development as conditions became more conducive in the eastern part of the basin, and the low eventually developed on July 5. Thunderstorm activity quickly increased with the low into July 6, and as organization steadily improved the storm became a tropical depression just 6 hours later at 21:00 UTC, the fifth of the season. The tropical depression would then be named Cristina as it intensified into a tropical storm another 6 hours later, while it gained a mid-level eye feature on microwave imagery. Impeding dry air and some wind shear halted intensification throughout the next day, and the storm changed little in strength. Nonetheless, repetitive bursts of convection allowed the system to continue intensifying. Thunderstorm activity continued becoming better-organized and less sporadic near the core of the system, and Cristina reached its peak intensity as a high-end tropical storm by early on July 10. A ragged eye also became visible on imagery later into the day. The National Hurricane Center described it as looking similar to a hurricane, although estimates ranged from 45 to 77 kt for intensity. However, shortly after Cristina began to degenerate as the sea surface temperatures beneath the storm cooled, and its thunderstorm activity quickly decreased. Conditions continued to decline rapidly, and Cristina fully degenerated into a remnant low early on July 13.Tropical Depression Six-E
At 00:00 UTC on July 9, the NHC began monitoring a tropical wave over Central America for potential development into a tropical cyclone. After emerging off the Pacific coast of Honduras, the wave tracked quickly west-northwestward south of Mexico, where upper-level winds were not very conducive for formation. Nevertheless, the wave grew more well-defined and thunderstorms became more concentrated near the closed surface circulation and low-pressure center, leading to its designation as Tropical Depression Six-E at 21:00 UTC on July 13. Initially expected to strengthen to a tropical storm, the convection associated with the system rapidly waned in the following hours, and the system remained weak and fragile as it moved westward. At 21:00 UTC the next day, just 24 hours after formation, the depression degenerated to a remnant low as its surface circulation opened up into a surface trough. The remnants dissipated shortly afterward.Tropical Depression Seven-E
At 12:00 UTC July 15, the NHC began to track a tropical wave moving across the southern portion of the basin. The wave spawned an area of low pressure further west that gradually organized, and after finally developing organized and persistent deep convection, it was deemed sufficiently organized to be designated as Tropical Depression Seven-E at 06:00 UTC on July 20. Forming over a rather hostile environment, a dry environment and cool sea surface temperatures prevented the depression from strengthening. By 09:00 UTC the next day, the system became devoid of all deep convection, and six hours later, Seven-E was downgraded to post-tropical cyclone, due to continued unfavorable conditions.Hurricane Douglas
In mid-July, a poorly defined tropical wave moved into the southwestern portion of the basin within the proximity of the wave that would later become Tropical Depression Seven-E. Located further south and in more favorable conditions than the disturbance to its west, the wave began to steadily organize into July 19. On July 20, imagery revealed the system had quickly developed a well defined center of circulation obscured by persisting thunderstorms, and the NHC began to issue advisories on Tropical Depression Eight-E at 15:00 UTC. Shortly after its formation, a small central dense overcast developed near the center of the system. This resulted in the upgrade of the system to Tropical Storm Douglas at 5:00 UTC on July 21. Amidst favorable conditions, Douglas began to develop a large curved band to the west of its center and began to intensify further into the day. After a brief halt in intensification due to dry air, Douglas strengthened further to a Category 1 hurricane at 09:00 UTC on July 23. This marked the fourth-latest date a hurricane formed in the basin, tying the record of Hurricane Celia in 2004. In an environment with virtually no wind shear and very warm sea surface temperatures, Douglas began to rapidly intensify and became a Category 2 hurricane 12 hours later. Early on July 23 Douglas proceeded to intensify to a high-end Category 3 hurricane, the first major hurricane of the season. By 03:00 UTC on July 24 it had intensified into a Category 4 hurricane with a very well-defined eye. Around the same time, the storm crossed 140°W into the CPHC's area of responsibility. Thus, the NHC issued its last advisory on the system. Later that day, an caused Douglas to weaken to Category 3 intensity. The storm maintained the same intensity for nearly a day as it completed the cycle. Despite redeveloping a well defined circular eye after completing the cycle, the storm continued weakening due to cool seas surface temperatures and at 09:00 UTC, the storm was downgraded below major hurricane status. Douglas continued to weaken as it approached Hawaii; it brushed the Hawaiian Islands on July 26 and 27 as a Category 1 Hurricane. Douglas weakened below hurricane status at 0:00 UTC on July 28, and continued weakening before degenerating into a remnant low by 12:00 UTC on July 29.For several days Hawaiian officials urged resident to prepare for major impacts by Hurricane Douglas. Douglas ultimately remained offshore of the Hawaiian Islands, bringing bands of heavy rain and strong winds on some islands, but causing very little damage.
Storm names
The following names will be used for named storms that form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean during 2020. Retired names, if any, will be announced by the World Meteorological Organization during the joint 42nd and 43rd Sessions of the RA IV Hurricane Committee in the spring of 2021. The names not retired from this list will be used again in the 2026 season. This is the same list used in the 2014 season, with the exception of the name Odalys, which replaced Odile.For storms that form in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility, encompassing the area between 140 degrees west and the International Date Line, all names are used in a series of four rotating lists. The next four names that will be slated for use in 2020 are shown below.