The 2014 Pacific hurricane season was one of the busiest and costliest Pacific hurricane seasons since the keeping of reliable records began in 1949. The season officially started on May 15 in the East Pacific Ocean, 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 these regions of the Pacific.
Entering the season, expectations of tropical activity were high, with most weather agencies predicting a near or above average season. The season began with an active start, with three tropical cyclones developing before June 15, including two Category 4 hurricanes, of which one became the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in May in the East Pacific. After a less active period in late June and early July, activity once again picked up in late July. Activity increased in August, which featured four major hurricanes, and persisted throughout September and October. However, activity finally waned by early November. Overall, the 22 tropical storms marked the highest total in 22 years. In addition, a record-tying 16 hurricanes developed. Furthermore, there were total of nine major hurricanes, Category 3 or greater on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, including a then-record-tying eight in Eastern Pacific proper (east of 140°W).
The active season resulted in numerous records and highlights. First, Hurricane Amanda was the strongest May hurricane and earliest Category 4 on record. A month later, Hurricane Cristina became the earliest second major hurricane, although it was surpassed by Hurricane Blanca the following year. In August, Hurricane Iselle became the strongest tropical cyclone on record to strike the Big Island of Hawaii while Hurricane Marie was the first Category 5 hurricane since 2010. The following month, Hurricane Odile became the most destructive tropical cyclone of the season and the most intense and destructive tropical cyclone to make landfall over the Baja California peninsula.
Seasonal forecasts
On March 12, 2014, the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) issued its first outlook for the Pacific hurricane season, expecting a total of fifteen named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. A month later, the agency revised their outlook to fourteen named storms, seven hurricanes, and five major hurricanes, citing the anticipated development of El Niño for above-average activity, compared to the 1949–2013 average of 13.2, On May 22, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) announced its prediction of 14 to 20 named storms, seven to eleven hurricanes, three to six major hurricanes, and an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) within 95–160% of the median. It also called for a 50% chance of an above-normal season, a 40% chance of a near-normal season, and a 10% chance of a below-normal season. Similar to the SMN outlook, the basis for the forecast was the expectation of below average wind shear and above average sea surface temperatures, both factors associated with El Niño conditions. The CPC also noted that the Eastern Pacific was in a lull that first began in 1995; however, they expected that this would be offset by the aforementioned favorable conditions. Within the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)'s jurisdiction, four to seven tropical cyclones were expected to form, slightly above the average of four to five tropical cyclones. On July 31, the SMN released their final forecast, raising the numbers to 17 named storms, 8 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes.
Seasonal summary
The Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index for the 2014 Pacific hurricane season (Eastern Pacific and Central Pacific combined) as calculated by Colorado State University using data from the National Hurricane Center was 202.4 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 miles per hour (63 km/h). The total ACE for the East Pacific was 43% above the 1981–2010 average and ranked as the seventh-highest since 1971.
The season's first named storm, Amanda, developed on May 23, shortly after the official start to the Pacific hurricane season on May 15. On May 24, the system intensified into a hurricane, transcending the climatological average date of June 26 for the first hurricane. The next day, Amanda attained major hurricane status, over a month sooner than the average date of July 19. Owing to Amanda's extreme intensity the ACE value for May was the highest on record in the East Pacific at 18.6 units, eclipsing the previous record of 17.9 units set in 2001. Hurricane Cristina became the second's major hurricane, the system broke the previous record set by Hurricane Darby in 2010 which reached major status on June 25. However, this record was broken by Hurricane Blanca in 2015 which reached major status on June 3. Through June 14, the seasonal ACE reached its highest level since 1971, when reliable records began, for so early in the season. By the end of June, the ACE total remained at 230% of the normal value, before subsiding to near-average levels to end July. By late July, the basin became rejuvenated, with 3 systems forming during the final 10 days of the month. Activity in August ramped up significantly, with four hurricanes developing during the month, two of which became major hurricanes, excluding Iselle and Genevieve, which formed in July, but became a major hurricane during August. By the end of August, ACE values rose to 60% above the 30-year average.
Continued, though less prolific, activity extended through September with four hurricanes developing that month. ACE values remained 45% above-average by the end of the month. Following the rapid intensification of Hurricane Simon to a Category 3 hurricane during the afternoon of October 4, the 2014 season featured the highest number of major hurricanes in the Eastern Pacific basin since the advent of satellite imagery. With eight such storms east of 140°W, the year tied with the record set in the 1992 season. However, this record was surpassed by the 2015 Pacific hurricane season.
Systems
Hurricane Amanda
On May 16, a tropical wave emerged into the Eastern Pacific. Moving westward, the wave changed little in organization until May 19, when a broad surface low formed about 500 mi (805 km) south of Acapulco. The system failed to organize further over the next two days as thunderstorm activity oscillated as it continued to track westward and eventually west-northwestward. By May 22, however, scatterometer data began to indicate that the system was becoming better defined, with deep convection persisting near the center, which was getting better organized. Based on this data, the National Hurricane Center upgraded the disturbance to Tropical Depression One-E at 18:00 UTC that day while located about 550 miles (890 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, although it was not operationally classified until three hours later. The depression gradually organized, with banding features developing near the center, and eventually was upgraded to a tropical storm on May 23, being assigned the name Amanda. Steered by a subtropical ridge over central Mexico, Amanda slowly moved westward against the southern periphery of the ridge. With very warm sea surface temperatures of near 30 °C (86 °F), a moist environment, and light wind shear, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center predicted that Amanda had the potential to rapidly intensify. Indeed, Amanda then began a period of rapid intensification late on May 23, becoming a hurricane by 15:00 UTC on May 24. Banding features and a central dense overcast (CDO) continued to become better organized, and a pinhole eye was seen to develop in microwave imagery. The small eye of the cyclone continued to quickly clear, and Amanda became a major hurricane by 03:00 UTC on May 25, making it the second-earliest such storm within the National Hurricane Center's area of responsibility, only to be surpassed by Hurricane Bud from 2012. The rapid intensification eventually leveled off with Amanda reaching its peak intensity at 12:00 UTC that day as a high-end Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Winds were estimated at 155 mph (250 km/h) and the minimum pressure at 932 mbar (hPa; 27.52 inHg).
Because Amanda had been moving slowly over nearly the same areas as it had before, the hurricane began upwelling waters from below, with sea surface temperatures dropping by 6 °C underneath it. Amanda maintained its peak intensity for 6 hours before it began to steadily weaken due to the upwelled waters. However, a more rapid phase of weakening began due to increasing wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures of less than 24 °C (75 °F). By May 27, Amanda had fallen below major hurricane intensity, and despite slightly redeveloping its CDO, Amanda continued to rapidly weaken due to dry air, degrading to a tropical storm on May 28. The circulation then became elongated, and Amanda later dissipated the next day.
Heavy rains occurred in Guerrero, resulting in flooding. A river near Coyuca de Benítez overflowed its banks. Three trees were brought down and a vehicle in Acapulco was destroyed. Statewide, one person was killed when a tree that had fallen on the road resulted in a fatal car wreck. In Colima, minor landslides occurred, resulting in the closure of Federal Highway 200. Much of Michoacán was battered by large waves and heavy rains, resulting in two casualties. Several roads were destroyed in Zitácuaro. The 2014 15U Baseball World Cup had to be relocated from La Paz, Baja California Sur to Sinaloa due to damage caused by the storm.
Tropical Storm Boris
The formation of Boris is attributed to a low-level trough that entered the East Pacific from the southwestern Caribbean Sea on May 28. A broad area of low pressure developed in association with the trough south of the Mexico–Guatemala border two days later, and the disturbance steadily organized with aid from an eastward-moving convectively-coupled kelvin wave. By 18:00 UTC on June 2, the system acquired enough organization to be deemed a tropical depression. Tracking northward, the depression steadily became better defined as spiral bands developed over the eastern semicircle of the circulation. After intensifying into a tropical storm at 12:00 UTC on June 3 and attaining peak winds of 45 mph (70 km/h) six hours later, increasing land interaction caused Boris to begin weakening. It was downgraded to a tropical storm early on June 4 and subsequently degenerated into a remnant low at 18:00 UTC. The remnant low turned northwestward and dissipated shortly thereafter.
Posing a considerable rainfall and mudslide threat to Guatemala, classes were suspended in nine school districts, impacting 1.25 million pupils. Similarly, some classes were suspended in the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca. In the former, roughly 16,000 people were evacuated out of hazardous areas. Most of the impacts associated with Boris were due to its developing precursor, whose heavy rainfalls caused 20 mudslides, killing five and resulting in extensive property damage. Heavy rainfall in Chiapas caused rivers to overflow their banks, resulting in minor damage. Overall, the effects of Tropical Storm Boris and its precursor killed six people across Central America.
Hurricane Cristina
The complex interaction of a tropical wave, disturbance within the Intertropical Convergence Zone, and convectively-coupled kelvin wave led to the formation of a tropical depression around 12:00 UTC on June 9. Northerly shear limited intensification of the cyclone initially, but it became Tropical Storm Cristina eighteen hours after formation. A relaxation in upper-level winds allowed the system to begin a period of rapid intensification on June 11, and Cristina became both the earliest second hurricane and major hurricane on record at the time before attaining its peak as a Category 4 with winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) around 12:00 UTC on June 12. The combination of an eyewall replacement cycle, cooler waters, and entrainment of dry air caused Cristina to begin weakening shortly after peak; it fell to tropical storm intensity early on June 14 and degenerated to a remnant low by 06:00 UTC the next morning. The low moved erratically within low-level flow and dissipated early on June 19.
Under the anticipation of 12 ft (3.7 m) waves, a "yellow" alert was issued for Colima, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and parts of Jalisco and Michoacán. Along Manzanillo, strong waves resulted in minor flooding that damaged one road.
Tropical Storm Douglas
A tropical wave emerged off the western coast of Africa on June 17, tracking across the Atlantic Ocean with inappreciable organization throughout the following days. The wave crossed Central America on June 25, where deep convective activity increased. On June 28, the disturbance became distinctively better defined with a well-defined center and spiral banding, signifying the formation of a tropical depression by 18:00 UTC while positioned about 345 mi (555 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Steered west-northwest and eventually northwest under the influence of a mid-level ridge, the broad cyclone slowly intensified into a tropical storm by 00:00 UTC on June 30, attaining peak winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) late the next day. Thereafter, a track over cooler waters and into a drier environment caused the system to begin weakening; at 06:00 UTC on July 5, Douglas degenerated into a non-convective remnant low well west of Baja California. The remnant low turned slowly west-northwest prior to dissipating on July 8.