The 2018 Pacific hurricane season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific—east of 140°W—and began on June 1 in the central Pacific—the region between the International Date Line and 140°W, and ended on November 30. These dates typically cover the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the eastern Pacific basin. The season began with the formation of Tropical Depression One-E, which developed on May 10, and ended with the dissipation of the season's final storm, Tropical Storm Xavier, which dissipated as a tropical cyclone on November 5.
The 2018 hurricane season was exceptionally active and featured the highest Accumulated Cyclone Energy since reliable records began in 1971. Throughout the season, 26 tropical depressions developed, 23 of which became tropical storms. A total of 13 tropical storms reached hurricane strength, and 10 hurricanes achieved major hurricane intensity. The basin saw above-average activity across all regions from the International Date Line to the west coast of Mexico and Central America. Activity peaked from early August to early October, with several long-lived and powerful hurricanes developing in that time period. Several storms severely affected land, such as Hurricane Lane in Hawaii and Hurricane Willa in Mexico. In contrast to the similarly active 2015 Pacific hurricane season, 2018 was not significantly influenced by the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. Instead, low pressures and increased sea surface temperatures associated with the Pacific Meridional Mode supported the development of these intense and long-lived storms.
This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It includes information that was not released throughout the season, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not initially warned upon, has been included.
The time stamp for each event is first stated using Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the 24-hour clock where 00:00 = midnight UTC. The NHC uses both UTC and the time zone where the center of the tropical cyclone is currently located. The time zones utilized (east to west) are: Central, Mountain, Pacific and Hawaii. In this timeline, the respective area time is included in parentheses. Additionally, figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest 5 units (miles, or kilometers), following National Hurricane Center practice. Direct wind observations are rounded to the nearest whole number. Atmospheric pressures are listed to the nearest millibar and nearest hundredth of an inch of mercury. __TOC__
Timeline of events
May
May 10 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Depression One-E forms from an area of low pressure roughly southwest of Cabo San Lázaro, Baja California Sur. At the time, this was the second-earliest formation of a tropical cyclone in the Eastern Pacific proper behind Tropical Storm Adrian a year prior. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Depression One-E reaches its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of , approximately southwest of Cabo San Lázaro, Baja California Sur.
May 11 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Depression One-E degenerates into a remnant low roughly west-southwest of Cabo San Lázaro, Baja California Sur.
May 15 The 2018 Eastern Pacific hurricane season officially begins.
June June 1
The 2018 Central Pacific hurricane season officially begins.
June 6 00:00 UTC (7:00 p.m. CDT, June 5) at – Tropical Depression Two-E develops from an area of low pressure roughly south-southwest of Punta San Telmo, Michoacán. 06:00 UTC (12:00 a.m. MDT) at – Tropical Depression Two-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Aletta roughly south-southwest of Punta San Telmo, Michoacán.
June 7 18:00 UTC (12:00 p.m. MDT) at – Tropical Storm Aletta intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane roughly southwest of Punta Pérula, Jalisco.
June 8 00:00 UTC (6:00 p.m. MDT, June 7) at – Hurricane Aletta intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane roughly southwest of Punta Pérula, Jalisco. 06:00 UTC (12:00 a.m. MDT) at – Hurricane Aletta rapidly intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane about roughly southwest of Punta Pérula, Jalisco. 12:00 UTC (6:00 a.m. MDT) at – Hurricane Aletta quickly strengthens into a Category 4 hurricane roughly southwest of Punta Pérula, Jalisco. Simultaneously, the storm reaches peak intensity with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum pressure of .
June 9 00:00 UTC (6:00 p.m. MDT, June 8) at – Hurricane Aletta degenerates into a Category 3 hurricane roughly south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 12:00 UTC (6:00 a.m. MDT) at – Hurricane Aletta degenerates into a Category 2 hurricane roughly south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 18:00 UTC (12:00 p.m. MDT) at – Hurricane Aletta degenerates into a Category 1 hurricane roughly south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 18:00 UTC (1:00 p.m. CDT) at – Tropical Depression Three-E forms about 330 mi (530 km) south of Acapulco.
June 10 00:00 UTC (6:00 p.m. MDT, June 9) at – Hurricane Aletta degenerates into a tropical storm roughly south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 00:00 UTC (7:00 p.m. CDT, June 9) at – Tropical Depression Three-E strengthens into Tropical Storm Bud about 305 mi (490 km) south of Acapulco. 18:00 UTC (1:00 p.m. CDT) at – Tropical Storm Bud intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about 280 mi (450 km) south of Manzanillo, Colima.
June 11 06:00 UTC (12:00 a.m. MDT) at – Hurricane Bud intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane about 225 miles (360 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Colima. 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Storm Aletta degenerates into a remnant low roughly south-southwest of Cabo San Lázaro, Baja California Sur. 12:00 UTC (6:00 a.m. MDT) at – Hurricane Bud intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane about 280 miles (450 km) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico.
June 12 00:00 UTC (6:00 p.m. MDT, June 11) at – Hurricane Bud intensifies into a Category 4 hurricane while located about 240 miles (390 km) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. Simultaneously, it reaches peak intensity with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 943 mbar (hPa; 27.85 inHg). 12:00 UTC (6:00 a.m. MDT) at – Hurricane Bud weakens into a Category 3 hurricane about 230 miles (365 km) southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico.
June 13 00:00 UTC (6:00 p.m. MDT June 12) at – Hurricane Bud weakens into a Category 1 hurricane about 310 miles (500 km) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. 12:00 UTC (6:00 a.m. MDT) at – Hurricane Bud weakens into a tropical storm about 265 miles (430 km) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
June 14 18:00 UTC (1:00 p.m. CDT) at – Tropical Depression Four-E develops from an area of low pressure about 140 miles (220 km) south of Acapulco, Mexico.
June 15 02:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. MDT, June 14) at – Tropical Storm Bud makes landfall near San José del Cabo, about 15 miles (25 km) east-northeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. 12:00 UTC (6:00 a.m. MDT) at – Tropical Storm Bud weakens into a post-tropical cyclone about 140 miles (220 km) south-southwest of Huatabampito, Mexico. 18:00 UTC (1:00 p.m. CDT) at – Tropical Depression Four-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Carlotta about 80 miles (125 km) south of Acapulco, Mexico.
June 17 00:00 UTC (7:00 p.m. CDT, June 16) at – Tropical Storm Carlotta reaches peak intensity with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 997 mbar (hPa; 29.44 inHg), located around 45 miles (70 km) southeast of Acapulco, Mexico. 18:00 UTC (1:00 p.m. CDT) at – Tropical Storm Carlotta degenerates into a tropical depression about 45 miles (70 km) south of Zihuatanejo, Mexico.
June 19 00:00 UTC (7:00 p.m. CDT, June 18) at – Tropical Depression Carlotta degenerates into a remnant low roughly 85 miles (135 km) west of Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico.
June 24 00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. CDT, June 22) at – Tropical Depression Five-E develops from an area of low pressure about 730 miles (1,175 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Depression Five-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Daniel approximately 635 miles (1,020 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Storm Daniel reaches peak intensity with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mbar (hPa; 29.65 inHg), approximately 585 miles (940 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
June 25 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Storm Daniel degenerates into a tropical depression roughly 565 miles (905 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
June 26 06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, June 25) at – Tropical Depression Daniel degenerates into a remnant low roughly 615 miles (990 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
June 27 18:00 UTC (12:00 p.m. MDT) at – Tropical Depression Six-E forms approximately 505 miles (810 km) southwest of Manzanillo, Colima.
June 28 12:00 UTC (6:00 a.m. MDT) at – Tropical Depression Six-E strengthens into Tropical Storm Emilia approximately 610 miles (985 km) south of the southern tip of Baja California.
June 29 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Storm Emilia attains peak intensity with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 997 mbar (hPa; 29.44 inHg), roughly 610 miles (980 km) from the southern tip of Baja California.
June 30 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Storm Emilia weakens into a tropical depression roughly 685 miles (1,100 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. 18:00 UTC (1:00 p.m. CDT) at – Tropical Depression Seven develops from an area of low pressure approximately 560 miles (900 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Colima.
July July 1 06:00 UTC (12:00 a.m. MDT) at – Tropical Depression Seven intensifies into Tropical Storm Fabio about 525 miles (850 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
July 2 00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT, July 1) at – Tropical Depression Emilia weakens into a remnant low roughly 965 miles (1,555 km) west of the southern tip of Baja California. 12:00 UTC (6:00 a.m. MDT) at – Tropical Storm Fabio intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane roughly 690 miles (1,110 km) south of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula.
July 3 06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, July 2) at – Hurricane Fabio intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane approximately 610 miles (985 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at – Hurricane Fabio attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 964 mbar (hPa; 28.47 inHg) about 640 miles (1,035 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula.
July 4 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at – Hurricane Fabio degenerates into a Category 1 hurricane roughly 810 miles (1,300 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula.
July 5 06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, July 4) at – Hurricane Fabio weakens into a tropical storm approximately 905 miles (1,455 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula.
July 6 06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, July 5) at – Tropical Storm Fabio degenerates into a post-tropical cyclone about 1,190 miles (1,910 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula.
July 26 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at – Tropical Depression Eight-E forms roughly 1,035 miles (1,665 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.