2016 East Pacific Hurricane Season (CycloneNkechinyer)

The 2016 East Pacific Hurricane Season officially started on May 15, and ended on November 30. The season got of to a fast start, but a fading El Nino eventually replaced by a La Nina made the season close to normal for the East Pacific. The Season started in early June with the Formation of Tropical Storm Agatha and ended in Late November with the dissipation of Hurricane Kay.

The season fell well short of the record breaking 2015 East Pacific hurricane season, with 15 depressions, 13 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes, 9 less major hurricanes then the year before.

There was one record breaking storm in the season however, as July 2016's Hurricane Frank became the first recorded and confirmed landfall of a Pacific hurricane in the United States, and a very unexpected storm, so unexpected, that not even the NHC anticipated it to make landfall in Southern California.

Timeline
Timeline of the 2016 East Pacific Hurricane Season.

Tropical Storm Agatha
On June 7, the NHC began issuing advisories on a Tropical Depression southwest of the Baja California peninsula. One made a turn northeast before turning back northwest away from Baja California Sur. Tropical Depression One became Tropical Storm Agatha shortly after. Agatha strengthened slightly before dissipating a few hundred miles west of Cabo San Lucas. No deaths were a result of Agatha, and Agatha was not retired, but the west coast of the Baja California peninsula did have some minor storm surge.

Tropical Storm Blas
On June 9, a Tropical Depression formed off the coast of Southern Mexico. Tropical Depression Two was originally projected to make landfall before becoming named, however, Two made a unexpected turn west. Two then became Tropical Storm Blas on June 11. Blas made a turn west and then north back towards land. Blas made landfall near Manazillo, Mexico as a medium-end tropical storm. Damage and storm surge from Blas were minor. Blas quickly degenerated into a remnant low and dissipated over Central Mexico. In Total, Blas caused a couple $100,000 (2016 USD) in damages and no deaths were reported.

Hurricane Celia
On June 18, a Tropical Depression formed southwest of the Baja California peninsula. It originally moved northwest, making many think it would be a open sea tropical storm. Instead, right after being named Tropical Storm Celia, it made a turn northeast. This turn entirely shocked Hurricane Models and led Celia on a new projected track that sent it towards landfall in the Baja California peninsula. Celia quickly became a Category 1 hurricane, and then a Category 2 hurricane, right before making landfall near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Celia caused 7 deaths and caused 666 million (2016 USD) in famage. This made Celia known as the only storm to be "Cursed by the Devil". Celia then made a second landfall in Mainland Mexico as a tropical storm and eventually dissipated over Western Texas and Eastern New Mexico. The name "Celia" was later retired and replaced with the name "Cara" for the 2022 East Pacific hurricane season.

Hurricane Darby
On July 13, a Tropical Depression formed well to the southwest of the Baja California peninsula. This area moved West, and Became named Tropical Storm Darby just before crossing 140 Degrees West into the Central Pacific basin. Darby then made a unusual turn Northeast to re-ented the East Pacific basin, but shortly after took a quick turn west back into the Central Pacific Basin. Darby, now moving dead west, becomes a Category 1 Hurricane. After that, Darby began to weaken due to High Wind shear around Hawaii. Darby dissipated while located about 250 Miles Northeast of Hilo, Hawaii. Darby did not cause any damage or deaths.

Tropical Depression Five
On July 16, a Tropical Depression Formed to the West-Southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Tropical Depression Five continued to move Northeast before landfall as a Strong Tropical Depression, causing minimal damage.

Tropical Depression Five then crossed the Baja California peninsula and made a second landfall in Mainland Mexico, and degenerated into a remnant low shortly after. The Remnants of Tropical Depression Five dissipated near Phoenix, Arizona, after bringing small amounts of rainfall to the Southwest US.

Many Thought that TD five might be upgraded to a Tropical Storm in the post-season analysis but this did not happen.

Tropical Storm Estelle
On July 18, a Tropical Depression formed well South of Mexico. This Tropical Depression moved quickly to the west. On July 21, Six became named Tropical Storm Estelle right before Turning Northeast back towards mainland Mexico. Estelle was in a very favorable area for development, and quickly strengthened into a strong Tropical Storm before landfall in a rural area of Mexico. Estelle caused a couple Million USD in damages and 1 death.

Estelle did not find itself retired, and is commonly overshadowed by the record breaking Hurricane Frank of 2015.