1953 Pacific hurricane season | |
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Season summary map
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Seasonal boundaries | |
First system formed | August 25, 1953 |
Last system dissipated | October 8, 1953 |
Strongest storm | |
Name | One |
• Maximum winds | 50 mph (85 km/h) |
• Lowest pressure | 981 mbar (hPa; 28.97 inHg) |
Seasonal statistics | |
Total storms | 4 |
Hurricanes | 2 |
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) |
0 |
Total fatalities | 0 |
Total damage | Unknown |
Related articles | |
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 23 – August 27 |
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Peak intensity | 50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 981 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 9 – September 10 |
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Peak intensity | 50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 1001 mbar (hPa) |
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 13 – September 17 |
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Peak intensity | 85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min) 982 mbar (hPa) |
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | October 1 – October 8 |
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Peak intensity | 85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min) 991 mbar (hPa) |
The 1953 Pacific hurricane season was the least active season on record. The season officially began on May 15 in the northeast Pacific Ocean and on June 1 in the central northern Pacific. They ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the time of year when most tropical cyclones form in northeast Pacific Ocean. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data prior to that time on Pacific hurricanes is extremely unreliable as most east Pacific storms are of no threat to land.
Of the four known tropical systems, two became hurricanes. Although only a tropical storm, the first storm of the season was the deepest, with a pressure of 981 mbar (29.0 inHg). This season is unusual in that no one was killed, no damage was inflicted, and no tropical cyclones made landfall.
Only four known systems were observed during the 1953 season. This was below the average at that time, which was six. Furthermore, the season was well below the 1949-2006 average of 13 named storms and had the fewest number of storms in the hurricane database. Only two tropical cyclones reached hurricane status, compared to the modern-day average of seven. Furthermore, 1953 is also one of the few seasons without a major hurricane. This season was part of a decade-long absence of major hurricanes; from 1950–56, no major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) were reported in the Eastern Pacific basin. However, it is possible that some storms were missed due to the lack of satellite coverage in the region in addition to the lack of Hurricane Hunter data, which did not become available until the following year.
The four known storms developed between the 14° N and the 20° N. All of the storms remained at sea throughout their lifetime; no deaths nor damages were noted during the season, though moisture from two of them reached the Southwestern United States. The season got onto an extremely slow start. The first storm formed in late August. At that time, it was believed that two systems would have long formed by then on average. According to the modern-day National Hurricane Center, 8-10 storms would have by that time on average. Additionally, 1953 had the latest start date of any Pacific hurricane season on record. Additionally, 1953 is the only season in the database to have no storms by August. Throughout the 1953 hurricane season, the Weather Bureau office in Los Angeles (WBOLA) issued 42 advisories during the season, mostly due to the storms' threat to Southern California.