1994 Pacific hurricane season

The 1994 Pacific hurricane season was the final season of the eastern north Pacific's consecutive active hurricane seasons that started in 1982. The season officially started on May 15, 1994, in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1, 1994, in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1994. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. The first tropical cyclone formed on June 18, while the last system dissipated on October 26. This season, twenty-two tropical cyclones formed in the north Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, with all but two becoming tropical storms or hurricanes. A total of 10 hurricanes occurred, including five major hurricanes. The above average activity in 1994 was attributed to the formation of the Spring to late Summer–early Fall 1994 El Niño.

Of note in this season is an unusual spree of very intense storms; the season was the first on record to see more than one Category 5 hurricane, as well as the first of three to see three Category 5 hurricanes, a feat later repeated in 2002 and 2018. Hurricanes Emilia, Gilma, John, and Olivia all reached a pressure below 930 millibars. Hurricane John was the farthest-traveling tropical cyclone on record at . Elsewhere, Hurricane Rosa caused four casualties in Mexico as the basin's only landfalling tropical storm or hurricane and was later responsible for flooding in Texas.

Season summary

This season, 22 tropical cyclones formed in the north Pacific Ocean east of the dateline. All but two of them became tropical storms or hurricanes. In the Eastern Pacific region (140°W to North America), nineteen tropical depressions formed, of which seventeen became tropical storms, nine further intensifying into hurricanes, and five ultimately reaching major hurricanes of Category 3 intensity or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale.

In the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility (140°W to the International Date Line), three depressions, two tropical storms, and one hurricane formed. Overall, there were eleven tropical cyclones, eight tropical storms, five hurricanes, and three major hurricanes that formed or entered the Central Pacific region. These numbers are well above the long-term average of four tropical cyclones, two hurricanes, one tropical storm, and two depressions. The exceptionally high activity was contributed to by an El Niño ongoing at the time.

The only named storm to make landfall this year was Hurricane Rosa, and forced over 400 to be evacuated. Other notable storms include Hurricane Olivia, a high-end Category 4 system,

This season marked the end of the Northeastern Pacific's most recent active period, which began in 1982, and at the time, included the five most active Pacific hurricane seasons. After 1994, Pacific hurricane seasons were generally below normal, with the exception of 1997,

The 1994 Pacific hurricane season set several records. First, three hurricanes reached Category 5 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale, However, the former record was later surpassed by Cyclone Freddy in 2023. Third, 11 tropical cyclones entered or formed in the central Pacific, a record shared with the 1992 season until the 2015 season broke the record.

Tropical Storm Bud

Tropical Depression Two-E formed on June 27 about south-southwest of the tip of the Baja California Peninsula. The depression headed west-northwest, gradually turned to the northwest, and strengthened into Tropical Storm Bud on June 27. Early the next day, Bud peaked in intensity. Shear caused by a nearby upper-level low slowly weakened Bud. Later on June 28, a second center of circulation developed. The two centers started a Fujiwhara interaction. The second center then became dominant and the first one vanished. This confused structure is similar to what happened to Tropical Storm Arlene (1993). This confused structure also weakened Bud to a tropical depression on the afternoon of the same day the second center formed. Bud then headed westward over cool waters and dissipated on June 29. Tropical Storm Bud spent its entire life over the open ocean far from land areas.

Hurricane Carlotta

The tropical depression that would be Carlotta formed on June 28, which quickly became a tropical storm. Carlotta buffeted Socorro Island with sustained winds of on June 30. A large eye became visible. Because of this, the NHC upgraded the storm to a hurricane. Carlotta peaked in intensity on July 1, as a hurricane. It gradually weakened as it moved into cooler waters, dissipating on July 5. Carlotta did not threaten land.

Tropical Storm Daniel

On July 8, a disturbance located about southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula developed a circulation and became Tropical Depression Four-E. Convection increased, and the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Daniel. Upper-level outflow improved, and Daniel peaked in intensity on July 9. Daniel slowly declined as it continued westward. It entered the central Pacific on July 11. Wind shear weakened Daniel as it approached the Big Island, and by July 15 had degenerated into an open wave.

When Daniel was approaching Hawaii, moderate surf of impacted the south and southeast shores of the Big Island on July 13 and 14. Daniel's remnants also passed about south of South Point, Hawaii, on July 15. That day, they caused rainfall on windward slopes of the Big Island locally reaching . Emilia steadily intensified into a minimal hurricane by the next morning, as it moved west-northwest.