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The 1970 Pacific hurricane season began on May 15, 1970 in the east Pacific, and on June 1, 1970 in the central Pacific. It ended on November 30, 1970. These dates conventionally delimit the period of time when tropical cyclones form in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Activity
This season had an above average number of storms. There were twenty-one tropical cyclones, of which eighteen reached tropical storm strength. Four storms became hurricanes, of which none reached major hurricane strength. In the central Pacific, one hurricane and one tropical deprssion formed. One of the depressions crossed the dateline to become a typhoon.
Hurricane Adele
The first storm and hurricane of the season developed on May 30 southwest of Mexico. Adele tracked westward, becoming a hurricane on June 1. It slowly died down, and dissipated on June 7. Despite that it remained away from any land masses, Adele was retired after this season for unknown reasons.
Tropical Storm Eileen
A tropical depression formed just off the southern coast of Mexico on June 26. It headed northwestward, reaching storm strength on June 28. The next day, Eileen turned to the northeast, reached a peak of 45 mph winds, and hit western Mexico.
Tropical Storm Ione
A tropical depression developed off the southern coast of Mexico on July 22. It tracked westward, reaching tropical storm strength on the two days later before dissipating on July 26. What was unusual about the system was that another tropical storm developed just to its northeast on July 24. That storm, also named Ione, tracked northward, reaching a peak of 60 mph winds before dissipating on July 25.
Hurricane Lorraine
Tropical Storm Lorraine, which formed on August 16 south of Mexico, intensified to a hurricane on the 20th. Two days later over open waters, it reached a peak of 95 mph (153 km/h) winds, but estimates from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center estimated it had winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). Without a chance to strengthen further, Lorraine weakened, finally dissipating on August 27 due to dry air.
Tropical Storm Maggie
A small cloud vortex slowly organized into a tropical depression on August 20 while southeast of Hawaii. It headed west-northwestward, becoming a tropical storm that night and reaching a peak of 60 mph (97 km/h) winds on August 23. A westward turn saved Hawaii from a direct hit, but Maggie still brought strong surf and heavy yet beneficial rain to the island of Hawaii.
Tropical Storm Norma
Norma was an indirect but essential cause of a flood disaster in Arizona that became known as the "Labor Day Storm of 1970". A depression formed August 31 and rapidly intensified into a tropical storm. Moving rapidly, it headed out to sea before slowing down and weakening. Norma's circulation fed humid unstable air into a large extratropical cyclone over Arizona. As Norma dissipated, record rains fell over the state from September 4 to September 6.
The rains were deadly. There were a total of 22 deaths, including 14 from a flash flood on a creek. The damage amounted to over 1 million dollars.
Hurricane Dot
A tropical disturbance, possibly the remnants of Tropical Storm Maggie, became a tropical depression on September 1 to the northwest of Hawaii. It moved to the northwest, coming within miles of the International Date Line and Midway Island but remaining in the Central Pacific. Dot turned to the northeast, reaching tropical storm strength on September 2 and hurricane strength September 3 before being absorbed by a cold core system the next day. When Dot became a hurricane at 35º north, it became the second highest latitude for a storm to reach hurricane strength, only behind Hurricane 12 of the 1975 season.
Tropical Storm Orlene
65 mph Tropical Storm Orlene hit Mexico in the Gulf of Tehuanapec on September 8, having maintained a northeast track for its short lifetime.
Hurricane Patricia
Hurricane Patricia, the strongest storm of the season with winds of 95 knots, remained over the open waters of the Eastern Pacific. It lasted from October 4 to October 11.
Tropical Storm Selma
The final storm of the season, Tropical Storm Selma, developed on November 1 to the southwest of Mexico. It meandered to the north, turning to the northeast and northwest before heading southeastward and dissipating on November 8.
1970 Storm Names
These names were used for storms that formed in the east Pacific Ocean this season. It is the same list used in the 1966 season. Names not retired from this list were used again in the 1974 season. Storms were named Norma, Orlene, Patricia, Rosalie, and Selma for the first time this season. Names not used this year are marked in gray.
One storm, Ione, was treated as one storm operationally but was found to have been two storms in post-analysis. Another storm, Dolores, was found to have been a tropical depression in post-season analysis and shouldn't have been named.
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The central Pacific used names and numbers from the west Pacific's typhoon list. One name— Dot— was required.
The name Adele was retired from this list for no particular reason. It was replaced in the 1974 season with Aletta.
This is the first and only time that the name Kristen was used. In the 1966 season the name Kirsten was used. It was changed to Kristen this year, perhaps due to a clerical error. In the 1974 season, it reverted back to Kirsten.
Administrative Changes
Around this year, the East Pacific Hurricane Center started giving advisories and forecasts for this basin. The exact year is not known. It is also not known what entity was responsible for this basin before the EPHC.
See also
- List of notable tropical cyclones
- 1970 Atlantic hurricane season
- 1970 Pacific typhoon season
- 1969-70 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season
- 1970-71 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season
- Pre-1980 North Indian cyclone seasons
References
- Unisys Storm Tracks accessed November 17, 2005
- CPHC Archive accessed November 17, 2005
- NOAA Monthly Weather Review accessed November 17, 2005
- Arizona's tropical cyclones accessed November 17, 2005