1974 Pacific hurricane season
| 1974 Pacific hurricane season | |
|---|---|
Season summary map
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| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | May 28, 1974 |
| Last system dissipated | October 24, 1974 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Maggie |
| • Maximum winds | 140 mph (220 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 934 mbar (hPa; 27.58 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total depressions | 25 |
| Total storms | 18 |
| Hurricanes | 11 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) |
3 |
| Total fatalities | 18-33 |
| Total damage | Unknown |
| Related articles | |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | May 28 – May 29 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min) 992 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | June 5 – June 8 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min) 992 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | June 7 – June 22 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 125 mph (205 km/h) (1-min) 942 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | June 14 – June 17 |
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| Peak intensity | 80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min) 973 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | June 30 – July 3 |
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| Peak intensity | 40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min) 997 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | July 14 – July 19 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min) 973 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | July 17 – July 21 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 100 mph (155 km/h) (1-min) 982 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | August 10 – August 13 |
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| Peak intensity | 45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min) 990 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | August 20 – August 31 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 115 mph (185 km/h) (1-min) 954 mbar (hPa) |
The 1974 Pacific hurricane season featured one of the most active periods of tropical cyclones on record with five storms existing simultaneously. The season officially started May 15 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeast Pacific Ocean.
With seventeen storms, this season was slightly above average. At eleven, the number of hurricanes was also above average. In the central Pacific, one tropical storm formed. Very unusually, on August 26 there were six systems active: Ione, Olive, Kirsten, Lorraine, Joyce, and Maggie. Olive was a Central Pacific storm and had weakened to a tropical depression by this time. The other five were of at least tropical storm intensity simultaneously and remained so until 06Z Aug 27. Five storms were also active 18Z Aug 23-06Z Aug 24.
The overall activity of the 1974 season was near normal, with 25 tropical cyclones developing. Of these storms, 18 were named, 11 became hurricanes and 3 reached major hurricane status. Although the overall number of storms was normal, an exceptionally active period took place from August 19 through September 1. During this two-week span, six storms developed, five of which were active simultaneously on August 23: Ione, Joyce, Kirsten, Lorraine and Olive. Of the season's 447 bulletins, 139 were issued during this period.
A tropical disturbance formed to the south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec on May 24; sea surface temperatures (SST's) in the area were around 88 °F (31 °C). The disturbance slowly organized over the next 60 hours, as it was detaching from the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). On May 28, Tropical Storm Aletta formed. It recurved to the northeast and made landfall in western Mexico on May 30. Effects were minimal.
Blanca was a short-lived storm, and did not affect land.
Hurricane Connie was the first major hurricane. It took a bizarre, twisting path but never made landfall.
On June 13, a tropical disturbance south of Mexico showed signs of development. The following day, the system rapidly developed into Tropical Storm Dolores. By June 15, an eye-like feature appeared on satellite imagery as Dolores attained hurricane status. With peak winds of 80 mph (130 km/h), the storm made landfall near Acapulco. Once onshore, Dolores rapidly dissipated and was last noted on June 17.
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Wikipedia