The 2012 Pacific hurricane season was an above-average year for tropical cyclogenesis. The hurricane season officially began on May 15 in the east PacificâÂÂdefined as the region east of 140ðWâÂÂand on June 1 in the central PacificâÂÂdefined as the region west of 140ðW to the International Date LineâÂÂand ended on November 30 in both regions. These dates conventionally delimit the period during each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. This year, the first storm of the season, Tropical Storm Aletta, formed on May 14, and the last, Tropical Storm Rosa, dissipated on November 3. Altogether, seventeen named storms formed; ten became hurricanes, and five further intensified into major hurricanes.
This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It includes information that was not released throughout the season, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not initially warned upon, has been included.
The time stamp for each event is first stated using Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the 24-hour clock where 00:00 = midnight UTC. The NHC uses both UTC and the time zone where the center of the tropical cyclone is currently located. Prior to 2015, two time zones were utilized in the Eastern Pacific basin: Pacific east of 140ðW, and HawaiiâÂÂAleutian from 140ðW to the International Date Line. In this timeline, the respective area time is included in parentheses. Additionally, figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest 5 units (miles, or kilometers), following National Hurricane Center practice. Direct wind observations are rounded to the nearest whole number. Atmospheric pressures are listed to the nearest millibar and nearest hundredth of an inch of mercury.
Timeline
May
May 14
May 15
- The 2012 Pacific hurricane season officially begins.
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT May 14) â Tropical Depression One-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Aletta.
May 16
May 17
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT May 16) â Tropical Storm Aletta weakens to a tropical depression roughly southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
May 19
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT May 18) â Tropical Depression Aletta degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure.
May 20
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Two-E develops from an area of low pressure about south of Acapulco, Mexico.
May 22
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT May 21) â Tropical Depression Two-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Bud roughly south-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico.
May 24
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT May 23) â Tropical Storm Bud intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane on the SaffirâÂÂSimpson hurricane wind scale, becoming the first of the 2012 season.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Bud intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane.
May 25
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT May 24) â Hurricane Bud intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane, the first major hurricane of the 2012 season, and simultaneously attains its peak intensity with winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 961 mb (hPa; 28.38 inHg).
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT May 24) â Hurricane Bud weakens to a Category 2 hurricane.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Bud weakens to a Category 1 hurricane about west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
May 26
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT May 25) â Hurricane Bud weakens to a tropical storm.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT May 25) â Tropical Storm Bud degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure near the southwestern coast of Mexico.
June
June 14
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT June 13) â Tropical Depression Three-E develops from an area of low pressure roughly south-southeast of Huatulco, Mexico.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT June 13) â Tropical Depression Three-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Carlotta.
June 15
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Carlotta intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about southeast of Acapulco, Mexico.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Carlotta rapidly intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane.
- 2100 UTC (2:00 p.m. PDT) â Hurricane Carlotta attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 973 mb (hPa; 28.71 inHg).
June 16
- 0100 UTC (6:00 p.m. PDT June 15) â Hurricane Carlotta makes landfall near Puerto Escondido, Mexico, with winds of .
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT June 15) â Hurricane Carlotta weakens to a Category 1 hurricane.
- 0900 UTC (2:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Carlotta weakens to a tropical storm.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Carlotta weakens to a tropical depression roughly north-northeast of Acapulco, Mexico.
June 17
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT June 16) â Tropical Depression Carlotta degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure about northeast of Zihuatanejo, Mexico.
July
July 4
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT July 3) â Tropical Depression Four-E develops from an area of low pressure about south of Manzanillo, Mexico.
July 5
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT July 4) â Tropical Depression Four-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Daniel roughly southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
July 7
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT July 6) Tropical Storm Daniel intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Five-E develops from an area of low pressure roughly south-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico.
July 8
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT July 7) â Hurricane Daniel intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane.
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT July 7) â Tropical Depression Five-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Emilia about south-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT July 7) â Hurricane Daniel intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane and simultaneously attains its peak intensity with winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 961 mb (hPa; 28.38 inHg).
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Daniel weakens to a Category 2 hurricane roughly southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
July 9
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT July 8) â Hurricane Daniel weakens to a Category 1 hurricane.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT July 8) â Tropical Storm Emilia intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about southwest of Acapulco, Mexico.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Emilia rapidly intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane.
July 10
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT July 9) â Hurricane Emilia rapidly intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT July 9) â Hurricane Daniel weakens to a tropical storm about southeast of the Hawaiian Islands.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT July 9) â Hurricane Emilia intensifies into a Category 4 hurricane and simultaneously attains its peak intensity with winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 945 mb (hPa; 27.91 inHg).
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Emilia weakens to a Category 3 hurricane.
July 11
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT July 10) â Hurricane Emilia weakens to a Category 2 hurricane roughly south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Daniel weakens to a tropical depression.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Emilia re-intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane.
July 12
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT July 11) â Tropical Depression Six-E develops from an area of low pressure about south of Mazanillo, Mexico.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT July 11) â Tropical Depression Six-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Fabio.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Daniel degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly southeast of the Hawaiian Islands.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Emilia weakens to a Category 2 hurricane for a second time.
July 13
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT July 12) â Hurricane Emilia weakens to a Category 1 hurricane about southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Emilia weakens to a tropical storm.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Fabio intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane roughly southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
July 14
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Fabio intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane.
July 15
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT July 14) â Hurricane Fabio attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 966 mb (hPa; 28.53 inHg).
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Emilia degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly southeast of the Hawaiian Islands.
July 16
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT July 15) â Hurricane Fabio weakens to a Category 1 hurricane.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Fabio weakens to a tropical storm about southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
July 18
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT July 17) â Tropical Storm Fabio weakens to a tropical depression.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Fabio degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly west-southwest of Punta Eugenia, Mexico.
August
August 7
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT August 6) â Tropical Depression Seven-E develops from an area of low pressure about west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Seven-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Gilma roughly west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
August 8
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Gilma intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane.
August 9
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT August 8) â Hurricane Gilma attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 984 mb (hPa; 29.06 inHg).
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Gilma weakens to a tropical storm about southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
August 11
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Gilma degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Eight-E develops from an area of low pressure about south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Eight-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Hector roughly south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
August 12
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Hector attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 995 mb (hPa; 29.39 inHg).
August 15
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Hector weakens to a tropical depression about southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
August 17
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT August 16) â Tropical Depression Hector degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
August 27
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Nine-E develops from an area of low pressure about south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Nine-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Ileana roughly south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
August 30
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT August 29) â Tropical Storm Ileana intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Ileana attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km) and a minimum barometric pressure of 978 mb (hPa; 28.88 inHg).
August 31
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Ileana weakens to a tropical storm roughly west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
September
September 2
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 1) â Tropical Storm Ileana weakens to a tropical depression about west of the southern tip of Baja California.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Ileana degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm John develops from an area of low pressure about southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
September 3
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT September 2) â Tropical Storm John attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 1000 mb (hPa; 29.53 inHg).
September 4
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT September 3) â Tropical Storm John weakens to a tropical depression.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression John degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly west-northwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
September 12
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 11) â Tropical Depression Eleven-E develops from an area of low pressure about south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Eleven-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Kristy roughly south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
September 14
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 13) â Tropical Storm Kristy attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 998 mb (hPa; 29.47 inHg).
September 15
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Twelve-E develops from an area of low pressure about southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Twelve-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Lane.
September 16
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Kristy weakens to a tropical depression about west-northwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
September 17
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 16) â Tropical Depression Kristy degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly west-northwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 16) â Tropical Storm Lane intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
September 18
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT September 17) â Hurricane Lane attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 985 mb (hPa; 28.29 inHg).
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Lane weakens to a tropical storm.
September 19
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 18) â Tropical Storm Lane degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
September 22
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT September 21) â Tropical Depression Thirteen-E develops from an area of low pressure about south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Thirteen-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Miriam.
September 24
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT September 23) â Tropical Storm Miriam intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane roughly southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 23) â Hurricane Miriam rapidly intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Miriam rapidly intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane and simultaneously attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 959 mb (hPa; 28.32 inHg).
September 25
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 24) â Hurricane Miriam weakens to a Category 2 hurricane.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Miriam weakens to a Category 1 hurricane about west of Manzanillo, Mexico.
September 26
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 25) â Hurricane Miriam weakens to a tropical storm.
September 27
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Miriam degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
September 28
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT September 27) â Tropical Storm Norman develops from an area of low pressure about southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and simultaneously attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 997 mb (hPa; 29.44 inHg).
September 29
- 0500 UTC (10:00 p.m. PDT September 27) â Tropical Storm Norman weakens to a tropical depression and simultaneously makes landfall near Topolobampo, Mexico, with winds of .
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Norman degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure about west-northwest of Los Mochis, Mexico.
October
October 6
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Fifteen-E develops from an area of low pressure roughly southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Fifteen-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Olivia about southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
October 7
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Olivia attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of a minimum barometric pressure of 997 mb (hPa; 29.44 inHg).
October 9
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT October 8) â Tropical Storm Olivia degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly .
October 13
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Sixteen-E develops from an area of low pressure about south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Sixteen-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Paul.
October 15
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT October 14) â Tropical Storm Paul intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane roughly southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Paul rapidly intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane and simultaneously attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 959 mb (hPa; 28.32 inHg).
October 16
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Paul weakens to a Category 2 hurricane.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Hurricane Paul weakens to a Category 1 hurricane about south-southwest of Cabo San Lazaro, Mexico.
October 17
- 0000 UTC (5:00 p.m. PDT October 16) â Hurricane Paul weakens to a tropical storm.
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT October 16) â Tropical Storm Paul degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure roughly northwest of Cabo San Lazaro, Mexico.
October 30
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT October 29) â Tropical Depression Seventeen-E develops from an area of low pressure about south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Seventeen-E intensifies into Tropical Storm Rosa.
October 31
- 0600 UTC (11:00 p.m. PDT October 30) â Tropical Storm Rosa attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of 1001 mb (hPa; 29.56 inHg).
November
November 3
- 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Storm Rosa weakens to a tropical depression roughly southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
- 1800 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) â Tropical Depression Rosa degenerates into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure about southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
November 30
- The 2012 Pacific hurricane season officially ends.
See also
Footnotes
References
External links