2013 Central Pacific hurricane season
Jun 1, 2013 – Nov 30, 2013 · Season ended
The 2013 Central Pacific hurricane season produced 2 named storms, 1 hurricane and 0 major hurricanes, against a 1991–2020 average of 1.6, 0.8 and 0.5. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 5, 23% of the average.
2013 season at a glance
- Named storms: 2 (1991–2020 average 1.6).
- Hurricanes (64 kt+): 1 (average 0.8).
- Major, 96 kt+: 0 (average 0.5).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 5.4, 23% of the 24 average.
- Named-storm days: 5.8, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Pewa, August 16.
- First hurricane: Pewa, August 19.
- Last storm to dissipate: Pewa, August 26.
- All systems tracked: 3, including 1 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 2013 season
- TD 3C: This system formed in the Central Pacific in August 2013 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 12 days.
- Unala: Unala formed in the Central Pacific in August 2013 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 7 days.
- Pewa: Pewa formed in the Central Pacific in August 2013 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 987 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 12 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 2013
Hurricane Pewa was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 75 mph (120 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 987 mb, on August 19. That is Category 1 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
36 Central Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 1 matched it. It produced 98% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 2013
No storm in the 2013 Central Pacific hurricane season made landfall, according to the best track.
How 2013 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 8th of 47 Central Pacific seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 12 other seasons), 8th for hurricanes (tied with 18 other seasons) and 25th for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 7 named storms, in 2015, and the highest ACE is 167, in 1992.
2013 storm names
The 2013 season used 2 names: Unala, Pewa.
1 system was tracked without a name and is 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.
2013 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 2013?
The 2013 Central Pacific hurricane season had 2 named storms, 1 hurricane and 0 major hurricanes, from 3 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 Pewa and the last was Unala.
What was the strongest storm of 2013?
Hurricane Pewa. It peaked at 75 mph (120 km/h, 65 kt) with a lowest pressure of 987 mb on August 19. That is Category 1 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 36 Central Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 98% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 2013 season end?
The official season ended on November 30, 2013, as it does every year in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Central Pacific. The last system, Pewa, dissipated on August 26. Storms that form in December still count toward that year: 2 Central Pacific storms since 1980 reached tropical-storm strength in December.