2009 Pacific hurricane season facts for kids
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| First storm started: | June 18, 2009 | ||
| Last storm ended: | October 28, 2009 | ||
| Strongest storm: | Hurricane Rick - 906 mbar, 180 mph winds | ||
| Number of storms: | 20 named storms + 3 depressions | ||
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 5 | ||
| Cost of damage: | $59.8 million (2009 USD) | ||
| People killed: | 9 people | ||
| Nearest seasons: | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 | ||
The 2009 Pacific hurricane season was a time when many tropical storms and hurricanes formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It officially started on May 15, 2009, and ended on November 30, 2009. During this season, there were 12 tropical storms, 3 hurricanes, and 5 very strong hurricanes (called major hurricanes).
One of the most powerful storms was Hurricane Rick. It was the second strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Another important storm was Hurricane Jimena. It caused over $50 million in damage when it hit Baja California.
Contents
What is a Hurricane Season?
A hurricane season is a period each year when most tropical cyclones form. Tropical cyclones are rotating storms that form over warm ocean waters. They are called tropical depressions, tropical storms, or hurricanes, depending on how strong their winds are.
- A tropical depression has winds up to 38 miles per hour (61 km/h).
- A tropical storm has winds from 39 to 73 miles per hour (63 to 118 km/h).
- A hurricane has winds of 74 miles per hour (119 km/h) or more.
- A major hurricane is a very strong hurricane with winds of 111 miles per hour (178 km/h) or more. These are the most dangerous storms.
Storms of 2009
The 2009 Pacific hurricane season had many storms. Here is a list of the tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes that formed:
- Tropical Depression One-E
- Hurricane Andres
- Tropical Storm Blanca
- Hurricane Carlos
- Tropical Storm Dolores
- Tropical Storm Lana
- Tropical Storm Enrique
- Hurricane Felicia
- Tropical Depression Nine-E
- Tropical Storm Maka
- Hurricane Guillermo
- Tropical Storm Hilda
- Tropical Storm Ignacio
- Hurricane Jimena
- Tropical Depression Two-C
- Tropical Storm Kevin
- Hurricane Linda
- Tropical Storm Marty
- Tropical Storm Nora
- Tropical Storm Olaf
- Tropical Storm Patricia
- Hurricane Rick
- Hurricane Neki
How Storms Get Their Names
Tropical storms and hurricanes are given names to make them easier to identify and track. These names are chosen from a list that repeats every six years. If a storm causes a lot of damage, its name might be retired and never used again.
Here are the names that were ready to be used for storms in the Eastern Pacific during the 2009 season. Names that were not used are marked as such:
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There is also a separate list of names for storms that form in the Central Pacific, which is the area closer to Hawaii. Here are the names set aside for that region in 2009:
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Related pages
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Tropical cyclones of the 2009 Pacific hurricane season |
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* Central Pacific system |
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Images for kids
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A series of tropical cyclones on August 12, 2009. From left to right, these are Tropical Depression Maka, the remains of Hurricane Felicia, Tropical Depression Nine-E, and the low pressure area that later became Hurricane Guillermo.
See also
In Spanish: Temporada de huracanes en el Pacífico de 2009 para niños
