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The 1982 Pacific hurricane season was, at the time, the most active Pacific hurricane season on record, with 23 named storms. Of those, 12 became hurricanes, with 5 intensifying into major hurricanes (Category&nbsp;3 or above on the Saffir–Simpson scale). The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific basin and June 1 in the central Pacific basin. The season in both basins ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period during which most tropical cyclones form in these regions of the Pacific Ocean. The first tropical cyclone of the season, Tropical Storm Aletta, formed on May 20, and the final one of the season, Hurricane Iwa, dissipated on November 25. A strengthening El Niño that year fueled the season's above normal activity.

The strongest system of the season was Hurricane Olivia, which reached peak intensity on September 21, with maximum sustained winds of . Its remnants brought heavy rain to a wide swath of the Western United States. Hurricane Paul, the deadliest system, developed as a tropical depression just offshore Central America on September 18, briefly moved inland two days later, then turned, and headed westward out to sea. Paul was responsible for 1,625 fatalities, most of them in El Salvador, and $520 million (1982 USD) in damage. Hurricanes Daniel and Gilma both briefly threatened Hawaii, while Iwa caused heavy damage on Kauai and Niihau.

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Seasonal summary

During the 1982 Pacific hurricane season, a total of 23 named storms formed. Tropical cyclogenesis began in the Eastern Pacific basin (east of 140°W) on May&nbsp;20 with the formation of tropical storm Aletta, and ended on October&nbsp;26 with the dissipation of Tropical Storm Tara. Within the basin, 19 named storms formed, 32% above the 16year (196682) average of 14.4. Of those, 11 reached hurricane strength, 49% above the average of 5.5 during the same period. Six systems crossed into the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility (between 140°W and the International Date Line) in 1982, three times as many as did so in the previous season; Hurricane Daniel was the first to do so, on July&nbsp;16. A thenrecord four named storms formed in the Central Pacific basin in 1982. The first, Tropical Storm Akoni, formed on August&nbsp;30, and the last, season, Hurricane Iwa, dissipated on November&nbsp;25.

A strengthening El Niño in 1982 fueled the season's above normal activity, warming sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Central Pacific nearly above normal. Its effects included the large numbers of central Pacific systems, among them Iwa, the strongest hurricane on record, up to that time to traverse the Hawaiian Islands, and was directly responsible for one fatality there.

Tropical Depression Twenty-One-E

A tropical depression formed well east-southeast of Hawaii late on September 10. Moving over cooler waters soon after formation, the depression dissipated by the next evening near 14°N 134°W. The precipitation from this storm largely contributed to the record monthly precipitation in Salt Lake City, Utah, of 7.04&nbsp;in (179&nbsp;mm). These rains resulted in widespread losses, mainly from agriculture, amounting to $325&nbsp;million (1982 USD). 312 of which occurred in San Salvador, About 25,000–30,000 people were left homeless. Crop damage was worth $250 million.

In Guatemala, widespread catastrophic floods claimed 615 lives and left 668 others missing. More than 10,000 people were left homeless as The 200 communities were isolated from surrounding areas. Overall, economic losses of $100&nbsp;million (1982&nbsp;USD) were reported in the country. In Nicaragua, Paul killed 71 people and caused $356&nbsp;million (1982&nbsp;USD) in economic losses. Throughout southern Mexico, floods from the precursor depression to Paul killed another 225 people. Prior to landfall in the state of Baja California Sur, 50,000 people were evacuated. In northern Mexico, the greatest damage occurred 70&nbsp;miles (110&nbsp;km) south of Los Mochis in the city of Guamuchil; Agricultural damage was severe in the state of Sinaloa, with up to 40 percent of the soybean crop destroyed. In all, the state's corn production was down by 26 percent from the previous year. Total storm damage in Mexico amounted to $4.5&nbsp;billion (1982 MXN; $70 million USD).

Tropical Storm Rosa

A well-organized tropical depression formed in the Gulf of Tehuantepec on September 30. Moving slowly northwest, the system became a tropical storm, reaching maximum sustained winds of 50&nbsp;mph&nbsp;(80&nbsp;km/h) on the afternoon of October 2. The system slowly weakened as it moved northwest, and Rosa brushed the Pacific coast of Mexico as a dissipating depression. Iwa reached peak winds of late on November 23. Accelerating, Iwa passed just north of the island of Kauai on November&nbsp;24. After passing the island group, Iwa rapidly deteriorated; late on November 24, the hurricane degenerated into a tropical storm. On November 25, Iwa became an extratropical cyclone. A total of 5,800&nbsp;people were evacuated in Kauai. The worst of the damage from the hurricane occurred in Poipu and in areas where there was no protective barrier reef offshore. and destroyed most papaya and banyan trees. The hurricane destroyed or damaged 3,890 homes on the island. Rough seas killed a person and left four others injured in Pearl Harbor. In Oahu, damage was heaviest on the southwest side of the island. 418&nbsp;buildings, including 30 businesses, were destroyed on Oahu. with President Ronald Reagan following suit on November 28, declaring Kauai, Niihau, and Oahu as disaster areas. Ten years following the storm, Hurricane Iniki struck the same area.

Storm names

The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Pacific Ocean east of 140°W in 1982. This is the same list used for the 1978 season except for Fabio, which replaced Fico. A storm was named Fabio for the first time in 1982. No names were retired from this list following the season. In 1982, two new sets of male/female names were added to the four existing sets, with the six lists to be used in rotation and re-cycled every six years.

{| style="width:90%;"

|

  • Aletta
  • Bud
  • Carlotta
  • Daniel*
  • Emilia*
  • Fabio
  • Gilma*

|

  • Hector
  • Iva
  • John*
  • Kristy*
  • Lane*
  • Miriam*
  • Norman

|

  • Olivia
  • Paul
  • Rosa
  • Sergio
  • Tara

|}

For storms that form in the North Pacific from 140°W to the International Date Line, names come from a series of four lists. The names, derived from the Hawaiian language, are used one after the other without regard to year, and when the bottom of one list is reached, the next named storm receives the name at the top of the next list. The 1982 season was the first in which the Central Pacific Hurricane Center assigned names under this system. Four named storms, listed below, formed in the central North Pacific in 1982. Named storms in the table above that crossed into the area during the year are noted (*).

Season effects

See also

  • List of Pacific hurricanes
  • Pacific hurricane season
  • 1982 Atlantic hurricane season
  • 1982 Pacific typhoon season
  • 1982 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
  • Australian cyclone seasons: 1981–82, 1982–83
  • South Pacific cyclone seasons: 1981–82, 1982–83
  • South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1981–82, 1982–83
  • Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons: 1981–82, 1982–83

References

  • Eastern North Pacific Tropical Cyclones of 1982
  • Unisys Weather archive for the Eastern Pacific, 1982
  • CPHC Season Summary
  • CLASS polar orbiter satellite archive