All seasons · Eastern and Central Pacific
1997 Pacific hurricane season
The 1997 Pacific season has 24 storms in the best-track record; 19 reached tropical-storm strength and 11 became hurricanes, 9 of them major. Its accumulated cyclone energy of 276.5 is the fourth-highest of the 77 seasons in the eastern and central Pacific record since 1949. For major hurricanes it is tied for the fourth-busiest season. Linda was the strongest, peaking at 185 mph as a Category 5 hurricane. Landfall records exist for 5 of its storms, in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Colima, El Salvador and Oaxaca. The first record is dated June 1, the last December 22.
Storm by storm
Formation peaked in June, July and September, with 5 storms each. Paka both lasted longest, 23.8 days as a tropical or subtropical system, and contributed the most energy, 25% of the season's ACE. Strongest landfall of each storm: Andres reached El Salvador as a depression on June 7; Nora reached Baja California Sur as a Category 1 hurricane on September 25; Olaf reached Oaxaca as a depression on September 29; Pauline reached Oaxaca as a Category 2 hurricane on October 9; Rick reached Oaxaca as a Category 1 hurricane on November 10.
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Strength | Lowest | Landfalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andres | Jun 1–7 | 50 mph | Tropical storm | 998 mb | El Salvador |
| Blanca | Jun 9–12 | 45 mph | Tropical storm | 1002 mb | – |
| Pacific Storm 3 of 1997 | Jun 21–24 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Carlos | Jun 25–28 | 50 mph | Tropical storm | 996 mb | – |
| Pacific Storm 5 of 1997 | Jun 29 – Jul 4 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Dolores | Jul 5–12 | 90 mph | Category 1 | 975 mb | – |
| Enrique | Jul 12–16 | 115 mph | Category 3 | 960 mb | – |
| Felicia | Jul 14–22 | 130 mph | Category 4 | 948 mb | – |
| Central Pacific Storm 1 of 1997 | Jul 26–27 | 30 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Guillermo | Jul 30 – Aug 15 | 160 mph | Category 5 | 919 mb | – |
| Hilda | Aug 10–15 | 50 mph | Tropical storm | 1000 mb | – |
| Ignacio | Aug 17–19 | 40 mph | Tropical storm | 1005 mb | – |
| Jimena | Aug 25–30 | 140 mph | Category 4 | 942 mb | – |
| Oliwa | Aug 28 – Sep 17 | 160 mph | Category 5 | – | – |
| Kevin | Sep 3–7 | 60 mph | Tropical storm | 994 mb | – |
| Linda | Sep 9–17 | 185 mph | Category 5 | 902 mb | – |
| Marty | Sep 12–16 | 45 mph | Tropical storm | 1002 mb | – |
| Nora | Sep 16–26 | 130 mph | Category 4 | 950 mb | Baja California Sur, Baja California |
| Olaf | Sep 26 – Oct 12 | 70 mph | Tropical storm | 989 mb | Oaxaca, Colima |
| Central Pacific Storm 3 of 1997 | Oct 5–7 | 30 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Pauline | Oct 5–10 | 130 mph | Category 4 | 948 mb | Oaxaca |
| Central Pacific Storm 4 of 1997 | Oct 30 – Nov 1 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Rick | Nov 7–10 | 100 mph | Category 2 | 973 mb | Oaxaca |
| Paka | Nov 28 – Dec 22 | 185 mph | Category 5 | – | – |
Against other Pacific seasons
Accumulated cyclone energy of every season; the red bar is 1997.