2016 Central Pacific hurricane season
Jun 1, 2016 – Nov 30, 2016 · Season ended
The 2016 Central Pacific hurricane season produced 2 named storms, 2 hurricanes and 1 major hurricane, against a 1991–2020 average of 1.6, 0.8 and 0.5. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 25, 103% of the average.
2016 season at a glance
- Named storms: 2 (1991–2020 average 1.6).
- Hurricanes (64 kt+): 2 (average 0.8).
- Major, 96 kt+: 1 (average 0.5).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 24.5, 103% of the 24 average.
- Named-storm days: 11.5, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Pali, January 7.
- First hurricane: Pali, January 12.
- First major storm: Songda, October 10.
- Last storm to dissipate: Songda, October 13.
- All systems tracked: 2, every one of which reached 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 2016 season
- Pali: Pali formed in the Central Pacific in January 2016 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 978 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 9 days.
- Songda: Songda formed in the Central Pacific in October 2016 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 926 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 10 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 2016
Hurricane Songda was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 150 mph (240 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 926 mb, on October 11. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
6 Central Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 2 matched it. It produced 63% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 2016
No storm in the 2016 Central Pacific hurricane season made landfall, according to the best track.
How 2016 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 8th of 47 Central Pacific seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 12 other seasons), 3rd for hurricanes (tied with 4 other seasons) and 13th for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 7 named storms, in 2015, and the highest ACE is 167, in 1992.
2016 storm names
The 2016 season used 2 names: Pali, Songda.
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.
2016 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 2016?
The 2016 Central Pacific hurricane season had 2 named storms, 2 hurricanes and 1 major hurricane, from 2 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 Pali and the last was Songda.
What was the strongest storm of 2016?
Hurricane Songda. It peaked at 150 mph (240 km/h, 130 kt) with a lowest pressure of 926 mb on October 11. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 6 Central Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 63% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 2016 season end?
The official season ended on November 30, 2016, as it does every year in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Central Pacific. The last system, Songda, dissipated on October 13. Storms that form in December still count toward that year: 2 Central Pacific storms since 1980 reached tropical-storm strength in December.