The 1995 Pacific hurricane season had below average activity, the first season to do since 1979, and was the start of a prolonged period of generally below average activity within the Eastern Pacific. The season saw eleven tropical cyclones form, of which ten became named tropical storms. Seven of these storms attained hurricane status, and three of them becoming major hurricanes. There were fewer tropical storms than the average of 16, while the number of hurricanes and major hurricanes were slightly below average. The season officially started on May 15, 1995, in the Eastern Pacific, and on June 1, 1995, in the Central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1995. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
Of the eleven tropical cyclones that formed during the season, four affected land, with the most notable storm of the season being Hurricane Ismael, which killed at least 116 people in Mexico. The strongest hurricane in the season was Hurricane Juliette, which reached peak winds of 150 mph (240 km/h), but did not significantly affect land. Hurricane Adolph was an early-season Category 4 hurricane. Hurricane Henriette brushed the Baja California Peninsula in early September.
Season summary
The seasonal activity during 1995 was below normal, and marked the first of several seasons with lower than normal activity. Four tropical cyclones affected Mexico: first, Hurricane Flossie passed within 75 miles (121 km) of Baja California Peninsula, producing moderate winds and killing seven people. Afterwards, Tropical Storm Gil dropped heavy rainfall in Southern Mexico early in its life, though caused no damage. Hurricane Henriette later made landfall near Cabo San Lucas with winds of 100 mph (160 km/h), resulting in moderate damage but no deaths. Finally, Ismael struck the state of Sinaloa as a minimal hurricane. Offshore, fishermen were caught off guard by the hurricane, causing 57 of them to drown. On land, Ismael destroyed thousands of houses, leaving 30,000 homeless and killing another 59. Both Hurricanes Flossie and Ismael also produced moisture and localized damage in the Southwestern United States.
Activity in the Central Pacific Ocean was below normal, as well. No tropical storms formed in the basin. For the first time in four years, Barbara was the only tropical cyclone to exist within the basin, but it formed in the Eastern Pacific. It entered as a weakening tropical storm, and quickly dissipated, without affecting land. It was the least active in the basin since 1979, when the basin was completely quiet, as no storms entered the basin that year. The accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index for the 1995 Pacific hurricane season in total was 100.2 units.
Systems
Tropical Depression One-E
A westward-moving tropical wave entered the Pacific Ocean in mid-May. Convection within the disturbance became more concentrated and organized on May 19 while the wave was located a short distance south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. The deep convection concentrated around a low-level circulation with expanding outflow, and the system developed into Tropical Depression One-E on May 21, while located about 400 mi (640 km) south of Manzanillo, Mexico. Outflow increased as the storm moved through an area of warm waters and a favorable upper-level environment, and two satellite classifications indicated the system was at tropical storm status around nine hours after forming. Despite the favorable environment and satellite classifications of tropical storm status, the depression failed to organize further. The convection and organization continued to decrease, and on May 23 the depression dissipated.
While it was developing, locally moderate to heavy rainfall fell across southern Mexico along the disturbance's northern periphery, with rainfall totals peaking at 5.18 inches (132 mm) at Vallecitos/Petatlan.
Hurricane Adolph
An area of disturbed weather associated with a tropical wave organized off the southwest coast of Mexico during the middle of June. Banding features developed as a circulation persisted on the northeast side of its deep convection, and the system developed into Tropical Depression Two-E on June 15. Under weak steering currents, the depression moved slowly northward, and with deep convection organizing near its center, the depression intensified to Tropical Storm Adolph on June 16. Located in an area of warm waters, Adolph exhibited a well-defined outflow pattern, and rapidly strengthened to attain hurricane status on June 17 as a banding-type eye developed. Hurricane Adolph turned to the northwest and attained major hurricane status late that same day. The small eye of the hurricane continued to organize, as very deep convection surrounded the eyewall, and Adolph reached its peak intensity of 135 mph (217 km/h) on June 18, making it a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Shortly thereafter, the storm weakened, as the upper-level environment became more hostile, and the system moved over progressively cooler waters. On June 19, Adolph turned to the west, and degenerated back into a tropical storm later that day. On June 20, the storm weakened to a tropical depression, and on June 21, Adolph began to dissipate as its center became devoid of deep convection.
As Adolph moved north towards Mexico while about 290 mi (470 km) off the coast, the Mexican government briefly issued a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch from Punta Tejupan to Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco.
Hurricane Barbara
A few days later, on June 24, another weak tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa. It moved steadily westward through the Atlantic Ocean without any development, and entered the eastern Pacific Ocean on July 5. At this point, convection developed along the wave axis, and the system gradually organized. A circulation developed as it passed through an area of warm waters, and the system developed into Tropical Depression Three-E on July 7, while located about 600 miles (970 km) south of Manzanillo, Colima. Although the outer rainbands warmed slightly in the hours after the formation, the convection near the center deepened further with favorable upper-level outflow, and the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Barbara early on July 8. Barbara steadily intensified, and following the development of a ragged eye that night, Barbara strengthened into a hurricane on July 9, while located about 700 miles (1,100 km) south of the southern tip of Baja California Peninsula.
After moving into an area of light vertical shear and warm water temperatures, Barbara quickly intensified to reach major hurricane status on July 10. The eye continued to become better organized, and Barbara attained winds of 135 mph (217 km/h) later on July 10. After maintaining its intensity for 24 hours, increased wind shear from an upper-tropospheric trough degraded the appearance of the deepest convection, and the eye became obscured from satellite images. After weakening to a 115 mph (185 km/h) hurricane, Barbara maintained its intensity for 30 hours before moving into an area with very warm waters and a favorable upper-level environment. On July 13, the hurricane re-organized, a distinct eye again developed, and Barbara strengthened to reach its peak intensity of 140 mph (230 km/h) later that day. Barbara continued westward under the influence of a subtropical ridge to its north, and began to steadily weaken on July 14 as it moved into an area of cooler water temperatures. The hurricane degraded to a tropical storm on July 16, and a day later it deteriorated to a tropical depression. As a depression with little to no convection near its center, Barbara continued west-northwestward until dissipating on July 18 while located 720 mi (1,160 km) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.
Hurricane Cosme
As Barbara moved away from land, another area of disturbed weather moved off the coast of Central America on July 11. Moving westward, this area slowly organized, and developed a low-level circulation on July 22. The convection developed into curved rainbands, and based on Dvorak classifications of 35 mph (56 km/h), the National Hurricane Center estimated that the system developed into Tropical Depression Four-E on July 17, while located about 400 mi (640 km) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California Peninsula. As the depression was situated in an area with warm waters and moderate upper-level outflow, the system was forecast to slowly intensify to a 50 mph (80 km/h) tropical storm. Initially, the depression followed the forecasts, and it intensified into a tropical storm about 30 hours after developing, receiving the name "Cosme". Cosme was expected to strengthen only slightly due to predicted cooler waters and increased shear.
On July 18, contrary to the predictions, Cosme became much better organized, and well-defined banding features were visible on satellite imagery. The storm continued to steadily intensify, and subsequent to the development of an eye, Cosme strengthened into a hurricane late on July 19, while located 380 miles (610 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California Peninsula. After maintaining hurricane status for 18 hours, Cosme weakened back to a tropical storm on July 20. Cooler water temperatures deteriorated the convection near the center, resulting in Cosme quickly weakening to a tropical depression on July 21. After turning to the west-southwest, Cosme dissipated on July 22. Cosme never affected land, and as a result caused no damage or fatalities. However, the intensity of the storm is still uncertain; late on July 18, a ship 70 mi (110 km) to the east of Cosme reported winds of 17 mph (27 km/h), despite that a normal 50 mph (80 km/h) tropical storm would produce tropical storm force winds for locations within at least 70 mi (110 km) of the center.
Tropical Storm Dalila
A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on July 11. It moved westward and quickly developed two areas of convection along the wave axis. One of the areas nearly developed into a tropical depression after moving northwestward, though it failed to organize further and dissipated. The southern area continued westward and ultimately entered the eastern Pacific Ocean on July 21. Thunderstorms along the wave axis became more concentrated a few hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, and the system developed into Tropical Depression Five-E on July 24 while located 500 mi (800 km) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
Located in an area of weak steering currents and easterly wind shear, the tropical depression drifted to the north-northeast while the convection was displaced up to 70 mi (110 km) west of the circulation. Slightly strengthening occurred, and on July 25 the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Dalila. The storm turned to the northwest, and later to the west-northwest, and remained a minimal tropical storm until July 28 when a decrease in wind shear allowed Dalila to strengthen. A strong anticyclone developed to the north of the system, causing Dalila to accelerate to the northwest. Late on July 28, Dalila reached a peak intensity of 65 mph (105 km/h) at a position 570 mi (920 km) southwest of Cabo San Lucas. Tropical Storm Dalila slowly weakened after moving over progressively cooler water temperatures, and on August 1 it degenerated into a tropical depression. Dalila turned to the southwest after much of the convection waned, and the system dissipated on August 2.
Tropical Storm Erick
On July 17 a tropical wave exited the coast of Africa, and moved westward. An area of convection along the wave organized slightly on July 18, though the next day the convection diminished. After moving through the Windward Islands on July 23, deep convection again increased. The system failed to organize further, though convection continued to develop upon entering the eastern Pacific Ocean on July 27. The cloudiness and thunderstorms became more consolidated off the coast of southern Mexico, and on July 31 Dvorak classifications began on the system. A circulation developed, and the system organized into Tropical Depression Six-E on August 1 while located about 520 mi (840 km) south of the southern tip of Baja California Peninsula.
Initially, the depression was a small system with moderate amounts of easterly wind shear. It organized slowly, and after moving to the southwest for 24 hours it turned to the northwest. Subsequent to an increase in convection over the center, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Erick on August 4. Erick gradually strengthened as it moved to the west-northwest, and reached peak winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) on August 5 while located about 720 miles (1,160 km) southwest of Cabo San Lucas. The mid-level ridge which had been tracking Erick westward weakened, resulting in Erick to turn to the north over cooler waters. It quickly weakened to a tropical depression on August 6, and after turning to an eastward drift Erick dissipated on August 8 while located 700 mi (1,100 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California Peninsula.