The 1988 Pacific hurricane season was the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation over the Pacific Ocean north of the equator and east of the International Date Line. The season officially began on May 15 in the Eastern Pacific basin proper (east of 140°W) and June 1 in the Central Pacific basin (140°W to the International Date Line), and ended on November 30 in both areas. This is historically the period during which most tropical cyclogenesis occurs in these respective areas. The first system, Tropical Depression , formed on June 15; the final system, Tropical Storm Miriam, dissipated on November 2.
The 1988 season was the first in which the Eastern Pacific proper was within the National Hurricane Center's (NHC) area of responsibility; the region was previously under the purview of the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center, which was assimilated into the NHC following the 1987 season. Activity during the season was generally near average. A total of 15 named tropical storms developed, including two which formed in the Central Pacific basin and one which crossed over from the Atlantic basin while still at tropical storm strength. Seven storms strengthened into hurricanes, three of which became major hurricanes by reaching Category 3 or higher on the five-level Saffir–Simpson scale. Five systems existed in the Central Pacific basin in 1988, including Tropical Storm Gilma, which became the only system to make landfall when it struck Hawaii after weakening into a tropical depression. There were eight tropical depressions which remained below tropical storm strength, including one which crossed over from the Atlantic basin.
This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthenings, weakenings, landfalls, and dissipations during the season. It includes information that was not released during the season, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the NHC and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) 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 was then located. Prior to 2015, two time zones were utilized in the Eastern Pacific basin: Pacific for the Eastern Pacific proper, and Hawaii−Aleutian for the Central Pacific. 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 NHC 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 There were no tropical cyclones in May.
May 15 The 1988 Eastern Pacific hurricane season officially begins.
June June 1 The 1988 Central Pacific hurricane season officially begins.
June 15 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from an area of unsettled weather while located about 695 mi (1,120 km) south of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. It is already at its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and an unknown central pressure.
June 16 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from a tropical wave while located about 200 mi (325 km) south-southwest of Acapulco, Guerrero.
June 17
00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT, June 16) at Tropical Depression strengthens into Tropical Storm Aletta while located about 175 mi (280 km) southwest of Acapulco.
June 18 06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, June 17) at Tropical Storm Aletta attains its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of , while located about 125 mi (205 km) west-southwest of Acapulco. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression is last noted as a tropical cyclone while located about 650 mi (1,045 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, dissipating shortly thereafter.
June 19 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Storm Aletta weakens into a tropical depression while located about 110 mi (175 km) south of Manzanillo, Colima.
June 20 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from an area of unsettled weather while located about 235 mi (380 km) southwest of San Salvador, El Salvador.
June 21 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression Aletta is last noted as a tropical cyclone while located about 280 mi (455 km) west-southwest of Manzanillo, dissipating shortly thereafter. 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression strengthens into Tropical Storm Bud while located about 155 mi (250 km) south-southeast of Salina Cruz, Oaxaca.
June 22
06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, June 21) at Tropical Storm Bud attains its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of , while located about 185 mi (295 km) southeast of Acapulco. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Storm Bud weakens into a tropical depression while located about 60 mi (95 km) south of Acapulco, dissipating shortly thereafter.
July July 2 00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT, July 1) at Tropical Depression develops from an area of unsettled weather while located about 280 mi (455 km) south-southeast of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. It is already at its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (45 km/h) and an unknown central pressure.
July 4 06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, July 3) at Tropical Depression is last noted as a tropical cyclone while located about 90 mi (150 km) southeast of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, dissipating shortly thereafter.
July 8 21:00 UTC (2:00 p.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from a tropical wave while located about 375 mi (600 km) southwest of Acapulco.
July 9 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression strengthens into Tropical Storm Carlotta while located about 395 mi (640 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo.
July 11
12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Storm Carlotta strengthens into a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale while located about 490 mi (790 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Hurricane Carlotta attains its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of , while located about 520 mi (835 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
July 12 06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, July 11) at Hurricane Carlotta weakens into a tropical storm while located about 585 mi (945 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
July 13 06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, July 12) at Tropical Storm Carlotta weakens into a tropical depression while located about 775 mi (1,250 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
July 15 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression Carlotta is last noted as a tropical cyclone while located about 1,175 mi (1,890 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, dissipating shortly thereafter.
July 19 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from a tropical wave while located about 595 mi (955 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
July 20 00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT, July 19) at Tropical Depression strengthens into Tropical Storm Daniel while located about 580 mi (935 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
July 24
00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT, July 23) at Tropical Storm Daniel attains its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of , while located about 1,170 mi (1,880 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
July 25 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Storm Daniel weakens into a tropical depression while located about 1,595 mi (2,565 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
July 26 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression Daniel is last noted as a tropical cyclone while located about 1,645 mi (2,650 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, dissipating shortly thereafter.
July 27 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from a tropical wave while located about 615 mi (990 km) south of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
July 28 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from a tropical wave while located about 1,710 mi (2,750 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from an Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) disturbance while located about 1,040 mi (1,675 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from an area of unsettled weather while located about 1,325 mi (2,130 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. It is already at its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (45 km/h) and an unknown central pressure.
July 29
06:00 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT, July 28) at Tropical Depression strengthens into Tropical Storm Gilma while located about 1,755 mi (2,825 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression strengthens into Tropical Storm Emilia while located about 585 mi (945 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Storm Gilma attains its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of , while located about 1,775 mi (2,855 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression strengthens into Tropical Storm Fabio while located about 1,245 mi (2,000 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression is last noted as a tropical cyclone while located about 1,400 mi (2,250 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, dissipating shortly thereafter.
July 30
12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Storm Emilia attains its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of , while located about 685 mi (1,105 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Storm Gilma weakens into a tropical depression while located about 1,870 mi (3,010 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression develops from an area of unsettled weather while located about 395 mi (640 km) south-southeast of Acapulco.
July 31 06:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. HST, July 30) at Tropical Depression Gilma crosses 140°W into the Central Pacific basin while located about 960 mi (1,545 km) east of Hilo, Hawaii. 12:00 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Storm Fabio strengthens into a Category 1 hurricane while located about 1,590 mi (2,555 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at Tropical Depression strengthens into Tropical Storm Hector while located about 405 mi (650 km) southwest of Acapulco.
August August 1 00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT, July 31) at Tropical Storm Emilia weakens into a tropical depression while located about 900 mi (1,445 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
August 2 00:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT, August 1) at Tropical Storm Hector strengthens into a Category 1 hurricane while located about 570 mi (915 km) south of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.