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Subject: E15) What tropical storms and hurricanes have moved from the Atlantic to the Northeast Pacific or vice versa?

Contributed by Stephen Caparotta, D. Walston, Steven Young, Gary Padgett and Sandy Delgado

Here is a list of tropical cyclones that have crossed from the Atlantic basin to the Northeast Pacific and vice versa. To be considered the same tropical cyclone an identifiable center of circulation must be tracked continuously and the cyclone must have been of at least tropical storm strength in both basins (i.e. sustained winds of at least 34 kt, or 18 m/s). This record only goes back to 1923. Before the advent of geostationary satellite pictures in the mid-1960s, the number of Northeast Pacific tropical cyclones was undercounted by a factor of 2 or 3. Thus the lack of many of these events during the 1960s and earlier is mainly due to simply missing the Northeast Pacific TCs.

There has not been a recorded case where the same tropical cyclone crossed from the Atlantic into the Northeast Pacific then crossed back into the Atlantic, but Hattie/Simone/Inga in 1961 came close. There is no evidence that a single center of circulation persisted through several crossings of land, but the envelope of moisture and instability from one system helped spawn the next.

Northeast Pacific Tropical Storm Alma (May 2008) became a remnent low in the Atlantic where it merged with another tropical wave which generated Atlantic Tropical Storm Arthur.

Atlantic Hurricane Iris (October 2001) become a remnant low over Central America and regenerated in the Northeast Pacific as Tropical Storm Manuel.

Atlantic Hurricane Cesar (July 1996) became Northeast Pacific Hurricane Douglas.

Atlantic Tropical Storm Bret (August 1993) became Hurricane Greg in the Northeast Pacific.

Northeast Pacific Hurricane Cosme became Atlantic Tropical Storm Allison (June 1989).

Atlantic Hurricane Joan (October 1988) became Northeast Pacific Hurricane Miriam.

Atlantic Hurricane Greta (September 1978) became Northeast Pacific Hurricane Olivia.

Atlantic Hurricane Fifi (September 1974) became Northeast Pacific Tropical Storm Orlene.

Atlantic Hurricane Irene (September 1971) became Northeast Pacific Tropical Storm Olivia.

Atlantic Hurricane Hattie (October-November 1961) after dissipating over Guatemala contributed to the formation of Northeast Pacific Tropical Storm Simone which crossed the isthmus of Teuhantepec and merged with other disturbed weather which later formed Atlantic Tropical Storm Inga.

A Northeast Pacific Tropical Storm (September-October 1949) became an Atlantic Hurricane (Storm #10) and made landfall in TX.

A Northeast Pacific Tropical Storm (October 1923) became an Atlantic Hurricane (Storm #6) and made landfall in LA.

Last Revised May 31, 2011

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