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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.


Tracks of storms that transitioned from one ocean basin to another.
(Courtesy of Ethan Gibney)

  • Atlantic Hurricane Otto (November 2016) made landfall in southern Nicaragua and emerged into the Northeast Pacific as a tropical storm, dissipating a few days later.
  • Atlantic Hurricane Earl (August 2016) made landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula and dissipated a few days later over central Mexico. The remnants continued into the Northeast Pacific developing into Tropical Storm Javier, which made landfall in Baja California.
  • Northeast Pacific Tropical Storm Trudy (October 2014) made landfall on southern Mexico on October 18th and the circulation dissipated over the rugged terrain of Mexico. The moisture associated with the remnants moved into the southern Gulf of Mexico where a new circulation developed and intensified into a tropical depression on the 22nd. The depression weakened into a low pressure and crossed the Yucatan peninsula reaching the Caribbean Sea where it intensified into Tropical Storm Hanna on the 27th before making landfall near the Nicaraguan/Honduran border.
  • Northeast Pacific Hurricane Barbara (May 2013) made landfall on the Tehuantepec peninsula on May 29th and its center of circulation dissipated before it reached the Gulf of Mexico. However, its envelope of moisture continued northward and from this Atlantic Tropical Storm Andrea formed on June 5th in the northeast Gulf.
  • Atlantic Hurricane Ernesto (August 2012) made landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula and dissipated a few days later over central Mexico. The remnants continued into the Northeast Pacific developing into Tropical Storm Hector.
  • Northeast Pacific Tropical Storm Alma (May 2008) became a remnant low in the Atlantic where it merged with another tropical wave which generated Atlantic Tropical Storm Arthur.
  • Atlantic Tropical Storm Earl (August 2004) dissipated over the eastern Caribbean Sea. Its remnants continued westward and in the Northeast Pacific became Hurricane Frank.
  • Atlantic Hurricane Iris (October 2001) become a remnant low over Central America and regenerated in the Northeast Pacific as Tropical Storm Manuel.
  • Atlantic Tropical Depression Nine (September 2001) made landfall in Central America and promptly dissipated. Its remnants continued into the Northeast Pacific becoming Hurricane Juliette.
  • 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 (June 1989) became Atlantic Tropical Storm Allison .
  • 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 Hurricane Orlene.
  • Atlantic Tropical Storm Chloe (August 1971) became Northeast Pacific Hurricane Lily, which made landfall in southwest Mexico.
  • Atlantic Hurricane Irene (September 1971) became Northeast Pacific Hurricane Olivia.
  • Atlantic Tropical Storm Laura (November 1971) became Northeast Pacific Tropical Storm Sharon.
  • Atlantic Hurricane Francelia (September 1969) made landfall in Belize, dissipating over Guatemala and eastern Mexico. The remnants redeveloped into Tropical Storm Glenda over the Northest Pacific on September 8th, moving parallel to the Mexican coast until dissipating on the 12th.
  • 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 Tehuantepec and merged with other disturbed weather which later formed Atlantic Tropical Storm Inga.
  • Atlantic Hurricane Janet (September 1955) made landfall in Mexico between Vera Cruz and Tampico, dissipating soon after. The remnants continued into the Northeast Pacific developing into an unnamed tropical storm.
  • 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 February 10, 2017

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