The 2023 Northeastern Pacific hurricane season set to begin on May 15th.

The region on average has 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes each season. Named systems in the region usually form any time between June 10th and November 5th.

Hurricanes are most likely to occur between June 26th and October 23rd.

Historically, the four major hurricanes that occur in the NE Pacific during hurricane season happen around the dates of July 15th, August 15th, September 13th, and October 22nd.

La Niña / El Niño

Since March, ocean temperatures have rapidly increased in a short period of time, suggesting that the climate pattern known as La Niña – which had dominated for the last 3 years – was on her way out.

Recently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced it was now on the lookout for the opposite climate shift—El Niño. The watch was established because “conditions are favorable for the development of El Nino within the next six months,” the agency wrote. Here’s what that means.

El Niño is when the “ocean temperatures are warmer and precipitation is greater than normal in the area spanning the central to eastern Pacific Ocean,” according to NOAA. The name means “the boy” or “little boy,” and the phenomenon is named after el niño dios, which is what many Latin Americans call baby Jesus. The change in temperature was first noticed in South America around Christmas time, which is why the shift is named after the religious figure.

The warming of the ocean during El Niño years changes some global weather patterns. Tt causes the Pacific jet stream to move south, bringing more rain to the U.S. East Coast and higher temperatures in northern climates. Another sign that El Niño conditions are forming are changes in the wind.

During the recent La Niña years, there was a more active Atlantic hurricane season but during El Niño, the hurricane season shifts away from the Atlantic and increases activity in the eastern Pacific basin; the Atlantic side may see fewer hurricanes while the Gulf Coast and the Pacific will see an uptick in tropical storms.

Preparing for a Hurricane

It’s never too early to start reviewing your Hurricane Prep Checklist if you are in an area prone to tropical storm / hurricane activity.

It is vital for residents to be prepped and ready before the first storm alert is issued including updating your lists for numbers and locations of local, emergency shelters.

Visitors should also be prepared and it’s wise to get Travel Insurance during hurricane season when making travel plans to visit Southern Baja or any other region that could possibly be affected by tropical storms.

We highly recommend our followers use International Health and Travel Insurance, especially when traveling by plane or cruise ship. Arno Chrispeels is a long-time member of our Talk Baja community and a seasoned Baja traveler – he’s ready to assist you and welcomes your call and any questions:

2023 Storm Names for Northeastern Pacific

Hurricane nomenclature is divided by region. Thus, the Northeastern Pacific Ocean will have a different list of potential names than the Central Pacific Ocean and this year the NE Pacific has identified 24 unused names:

Adrian
Beatriz
Calvin
Dora
Eugene
Fernanda
Greg
Hilary
Irwin
Jova
Kenneth
Lidia
Max
Norma
Otis
Pilar
Ramon
Selma
Todd
Veronica
Wiley
Xina
York
Zelda