The Active 2017 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season Ends

The 2017 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, which runs from May 15 to November 30, is in the books. The amount of death and destruction was lower than usual, though 2017 had above-average activity: 18 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes. The averages from 1971 – 2009 were 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes. The 2017 numbers fell within the range of the May pre-season prediction by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which called for an 80% chance of 14 - 20 named storms, 6 - 11 hurricanes, and 3 - 7 major hurricanes. The May forecast by Mexico’s Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) called for 16 named storms, 10 hurricanes and 6 major hurricanes.

Five Eastern Pacific named storms made landfall, including one in El Salvador (Tropical Storm Selma), and four in Mexico: Tropical Storm Beatriz, Tropical Storm Calvin, Tropical Storm Lidia, and Category 1 Hurricane Max. Total damages from the landfalling storms were in the millions of dollars, as estimated by insurance broker Aon Benfield. The total death toll was 28. For the first year since 2012, no tropical cyclones threatened Hawaii.