The 1974 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 1974 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 1974 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1974. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeast Pacific Ocean.
With seventeen storms, this season was slightly above average. At eleven, the number of hurricanes was also above average. However, the number of major hurricanes was below average. In the central Pacific, one tropical storm formed. Very unusually, on August 26 there were five systems active: Ione, Olive, Kirsten, Lorraine, and Maggie.
Storms
Tropical Storm Aletta
On May 28, Tropical Storm Aletta formed. It recurved to the northeast and made landfall in western Mexico on May 30. Effects were minimal.
Tropical Storm Blanca
Blanca was a short-lived storm, and didn't affect land.
Hurricane Connie
Hurricane Connie was the first major hurricane. It took a bizarre, twisting path but never made landfall.
Hurricane Dolores
Hurricane Dolores formed on June 14. It reached Category 1 intensity and made landfall on June 17.
Dolores brought heavy rains to the Acapulco area. These caused mudslides, which washed away nine people with fifteen missing. A further six people were killed when the yacht Peregrine was sunk.
Tropical Storm Eileen
Eileen was a storm that never affected land.
Hurricane Francesca
Francesea was a category 2 hurricane. It neared Baja by the 17th but turned away before striking.
Hurricane Gretchen
Gretchen was a category 2 hurricane that threatened southern Baja, but it turned away without affecting land.
Tropical Depression Eleven
This passed into the CPHC area of responsibility on August 9.
Tropical Storm Helga
Helga was a storm that didn't affect land.
Hurricane Ione
On August 20, a tropical depression formed. It intensified into Tropical Storm Ione later that day. After dropping back down to a depression, it intensified again. It briefly reached Category 3 strength on August 24. Hurricane Ione is notable chiefly for its Fujiwhara interaction with Hurricane Kirsten.
Tropical Storm Olive
Olive was a short-lived storm which didn't affect land.
Hurricane Joyce
Joyce was a weak hurricane that didn't affect land.
Hurricane Kirsten
Hurricane Kirsten took an erratic path. After traveling northwest for a while, it reversed direction and backtracked to almost where it started. It then reversed direction again and underwent a Fujiwhara interaction with Hurricane Ione.
Tropical Storm Lorraine
Tropical Storm Lorraine took an erratic, Z-shaped path during its life. It formed on August 23 and dissipated August 28.
Hurricane Maggie
Hurricane Maggie was the strongest storm of the season. It reached Category 4 but never threatened land.
Hurricane Norma
Hurricane Norma formed on September 9. It reached hurricane strength and made landfall the next day.
Mudslides caused by Norma's rains killed 3 people.
Hurricane Orlene
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In Central America, Hurricane Fifi killed around 8000 people. The storm weakened to a depression and crossed into the east Pacific. The system restrengthened and was renamed Tropical Storm Orlene. Orlene hugged the coast before recurving to the northeast and made landfall shortly after reaching Category 1 intensity.
Hurricane Patricia
Patricia was a storm that didn't affect land.
Tropical Storm Rosalie
Rosalie was a storm that didn't affect land.
1974 storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the eastern Pacific in 1974. It is the same list as the 1970 season, except for Aletta, which replaced Adele. A storm was named Aletta for the first time this year. This is the last time this list was used to name storms, as modern naming began in 1978.
Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.
- Aletta
- Blanca
- Connie
- Dolores
- Eileen
- Francesca
- Gretchen
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- Helga
- Ione
- Joyce
- Kirsten
- Lorraine
- Maggie
- Norma
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- Orlene
- Patricia
- Rosalie
- Selma (unused)
- Toni (unused)
- Viviam (unused)
- Winona (unused)
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In this season, the Central Pacific named storms from the western Pacific’s typhoon list. One name, Olive, was used.
This is the second time that the name "Kirsten" was used. In 1970, it was spelled "Kristen" but was changed back to "Kirsten" for this season.
See also
External links
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Tropical cyclones of the 1974 Pacific hurricane season
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* Central Pacific system |
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