Central Pacific Hurricane Center - Definition and Overview

On September 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki caused more than USD $3 billion of damage in Hawai'i.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical disturbance and storm warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central North Pacific Basin. The Central North Pacific Basin is the region of the Pacific Ocean that is north of the equator between 140 degrees west longitude and the International Date Line. In this area, the hurricane season lasts from June 1 through November 30.

Hurricane Naming System

Based in Honolulu, Hawai'i on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center uses traditional Hawaiian names for hurricanes that form within its regional sphere of jurisdiction. It has formed four lists of names to choose from. As soon as all the names are exhausted from a single list, it moves on to the second and third then fourth. When a list is exhausted, a new list is adopted to replace it. The following list of Central Pacific Hurricane Center names are for the 2004 season.

Resources

• Central Pacific Hurricane Center (http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/cphc/)