2006 Central Pacific hurricane season
Jun 1, 2006 – Nov 30, 2006 · Season ended
The 2006 Central Pacific hurricane season produced 1 named storm, 1 hurricane and 1 major hurricane, against a 1991–2020 average of 1.6, 0.8 and 0.5. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 86, 360% of the average.
2006 season at a glance
- Named storms: 1 (1991–2020 average 1.6).
- Hurricanes (64 kt+): 1 (average 0.8).
- Major, 96 kt+: 1, including 1 at Category 5 strength (average 0.5).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 85.6, 360% of the 24 average.
- Named-storm days: 17.0, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Ioke, August 20.
- First hurricane: Ioke, August 21.
- First major storm: Ioke, August 21.
- Last storm to dissipate: Tropical Depression 4C, October 16.
- All systems tracked: 4, including 3 that stayed below tropical-storm strength.
Counts use 1-minute best-track winds: named storms reached 34 kt (39 mph), the next column 64 kt (74 mph) and major storms 96 kt (111 mph).
Every storm of the 2006 season
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Min pressure | Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ioke | – | C5 | 900 mb | — |
| TD 2C | – | TD | 1007 mb | — |
| TD 3C | – | TD | 1008 mb | — |
| TD 4C | – | TD | 1007 mb | — |
- Ioke: Ioke formed in the Central Pacific in August 2006 and peaked as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 900 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 23 days.
- TD 2C: This system formed in the Central Pacific in September 2006 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1007 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 9 days.
- TD 3C: This system formed in the Central Pacific in September 2006 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1008 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 2 days.
- TD 4C: This system formed in the Central Pacific in October 2006 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1007 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 9 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 2006
Hurricane Ioke was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 160 mph (260 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 900 mb, on August 25. That is Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
2 Central Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 3 matched it. It produced 100% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 2006
No storm in the 2006 Central Pacific hurricane season made landfall, according to the best track.
How 2006 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 21st of 47 Central Pacific seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 15 other seasons), 8th for hurricanes (tied with 18 other seasons) and 3rd for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 7 named storms, in 2015, and the highest ACE is 167, in 1992.
2006 storm names
The 2006 season used 1 name: Ioke.
3 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.
Central Pacific names are used in order across years from four lists, so a season picks up where the last one stopped. See the Central Pacific name lists.
The WMO later retired the name Ioke, so it will not be used again.
2006 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 2006?
The 2006 Central Pacific hurricane season had 1 named storm, 1 hurricane and 1 major hurricane, from 4 systems tracked in all. The 1991–2020 average is 1.6 named storms, 0.8 at 64 kt or more and 0.5 major per season. The first to form was Ioke and the last was Ioke.
What was the strongest storm of 2006?
Hurricane Ioke. It peaked at 160 mph (260 km/h, 140 kt) with a lowest pressure of 900 mb on August 25. That is Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 2 Central Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 100% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 2006 season end?
The official season ended on November 30, 2006, as it does every year in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Central Pacific. The last system, Tropical Depression 4C, dissipated on October 16. Storms that form in December still count toward that year: 2 Central Pacific storms since 1980 reached tropical-storm strength in December.