2023 Hurricane Season Summary for the Central Pacific Basin

There were four tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center area of responsibility during the 2023 hurricane season, which officially wraps up on Thursday. During an average year, four to five tropical cyclones occur.

Tropical Storm Calvin was the first tropical cyclone of the season in the central Pacific, moving into the basin from the east on July 17. Calvin prompted a Tropical Storm Warning for Hawaiʻi County and passed within 80 miles of South Point, Big Island on July 19.

Hurricane Dora was the first major hurricane in the central Pacific basin since 2020. Dora moved into the basin on Aug. 6 as a category 4 hurricane and maintained its strength as it passed over 500 miles south of the state at its closest point on Aug. 8.

“Damaging winds and dry air across the state on Aug. 7-8 were a result of a strong gradient and sinking air between high pressure to the north and Hurricane Dora far to the south,” according to the National Weather Service.

Winds from this system contributed to devastating, fast-moving fires across Maui County, including the Lahaina fire that claimed at least 100 lives and destroyed more than 2,000 homes and businesses. It was deemed the deadliest wildfire in US history in more than a century.

Dora then passed over 300 miles south of Johnston Island on Aug. 10 and crossed the International Date Line into the western Pacific basin on Aug. 12 as a category 2 hurricane. This makes Dora the second tropical cyclone on record to maintain hurricane strength through the eastern, central, and western Pacific basins, the other being Hurricane John in 1994.

Tropical Storm Greg moved into the basin from the east on Aug. 14 and tracked westward, weakening to a remnant low on Aug. 17 about 500 miles south of the Big Island.

Tropical Depression Twelve-E was declared a remnant low shortly after crossing into the central Pacific basin on Sept. 16. Thunderstorms continued to pulse near the low, prompting CPHC to extend the duration of T. D. Twelve-E through Sept. 18 in the postseason reanalysis.

Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Calvin caused flash flooding that closed several roads across Hawaiʻi County on July 19.

Note: these are preliminary values and the dates provided are Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), which is 10 hours ahead of Hawaiʻi Standard Time.

NOAA’s 2023 central Pacific hurricane season outlook, issued on May 25, 2023, called for four to seven tropical cyclones in the central Pacific basin, with a 50% chance of an above normal season, a 35% chance of a near-normal season, and a 15% chance of a below normal season. The 2023 season started with ENSO-neutral conditions in the equatorial Pacific that were expected to quickly transition to El Niño conditions and continue through the summer.

Hurricane season in Hawaiʻi runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The central Pacific basin extends
from 140°W to the International Date Line.

The following table outlines tropical cyclone names and highest classification, life cycle dates, and maximum sustained wind speeds while in the central Pacific basin. Note: These are preliminary values and may change following the post-season review for the official Tropical Cyclone Reports.

Name Dates (UTC) Max Wind (mph)
Tropical Storm Calvin July 17-19 60
Major Hurricane Dora August 6-12 140
Tropical Storm Greg August 14-17 50
Tropical Depression Twelve-E September 16-18 35

Annual Comparisons (including out of season tropical cyclones):