2006 Pacific Hurricane Season - Impact

Impact

During the season, tropical cyclones collectively caused 14 fatalities and $355 million in damage (2006 USD, $409 million 2012 USD).

With its long coastline, the country of Mexico was affected by ten of the cyclones during the season, including four that made landfall. Of the six storms that affected Mexico but did not strike the country, the first was Tropical Storm Aletta, the first storm of the season, which brought light rainfall and caused minor damage. The next tropical depression of the season produced heavy rainfall in the Acapulco area while remaining offshore; mudslides and flooding were reported, and 72 people were forced to leave their homes. In July, Hurricane Carlotta brushed the coastline with light rainfall. When Tropical Storm Emilia passed just off the coast of Baja California, it brought moderate precipitation which caused minor flooding and damage around Cabo San Lucas. Heavy surf from Hurricane Ileana killed a man near Cabo San Lucas. The last storm of the season, Hurricane Sergio, produced light rainfall along the coast while remaining well offshore.

Mexico was struck by four tropical cyclones in 2006, none on the Atlantic coast and all along the Pacific coast. The first was Hurricane John, which made landfall near the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula on September 1. Earlier, it produced flooding and high surf near Acapulco while paralleling the coastline, and later the hurricane damaged or destroyed at least 450 homes in the Baja California peninsula. Hurricane John was the wettest tropical cyclone of the year in Mexico, dropping 17.7 in (449 mm) of rainfall. Five people were killed, and damage in Mexico amounted to $663 million (2006 MXN, $60.8 million 2006 USD). Hurricane Lane moved ashore in the state of Sinaloa as a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which was the strongest landfall during the season. Paralleling the coastline a short distance offshore, the hurricane dropped heavy rainfall, causing flooding and mudslides which resulted in four fatalities. Hurricane Lane affected 4,320 houses, and a total of 19,200 mi (30,000 km) of roads and highways were damaged to some degree. Monetary damage amounted to about $2.2 billion (2006 MXN, $203 million 2006 USD) in damage in the country. In early October, former Tropical Storm Norman passed near or over southwestern Mexico, destroying 20 houses and leaving 20 villages without power. Later, former Hurricane Paul caused four deaths, two of which from rough seas and two from drowning in a flooded river. The storm damaged 5,000 houses, and monetary damage totaled more than $35 million (2006 MXN, $3.2 million 2006 USD).

Three of the cyclones that affected Mexico also impacted the southwestern United States. Moisture from Tropical Storm Emilia produced thunderstorms in Arizona which caused flooding, and in southern California its rainfall assisted firefighters in combating a wildfire. The remnants of Hurricane John produced moisture across much of the southwestern United States, causing mudslides in California, light rainfall in Arizona, flooded waterways in New Mexico, and up to 8 in (200 mm) of rainfall in Texas. In western Texas, the precipitation was beneficial in some areas but damaging in others, causing flooded roads and washouts. The remnants of Hurricane Lane also produced rainfall in Texas.

Four tropical cyclones affected the U.S. state of Hawaii, all of which were the remnants of former tropical cyclones. Moisture from Hurricane Bud produced light rainfall in east-facing slopes of the island chain. Former Hurricane Daniel produced up to 5 in (125 mm) of rainfall in the state, though no significant impact was reported. The remnants of Tropical Storm Fabio contributed to heavy rainfall, peaking at 15.08 in (383 mm) on Mount Waiʻaleʻale on the island of Kauai; the rainfall caused river and roadway flooding, but little damage. Moisture from Tropical Depression Four-C in October contributed to heavy rainfall on the island of Hawaii.

The strongest hurricane of the season was Hurricane Ioke, which reached Category 5 status in the central Pacific Ocean. It first affected the uninhabited Johnston Atoll, although when Ioke struck there was a crew of 12 people taking shelter on the island. Hurricane force winds affected the landmass, powerful enough to knock down trees. In the western Pacific Ocean after being re-classified as a typhoon, Ioke passed near Wake Island, forcing the first full-scale evacuation of the island since a typhoon in 1967. The combination of strong winds and a powerful storm surge damaged 70% of the buildings on the island, many with moderate roof damage. Destruction on the island was estimated at $88 million (2006 USD, $101 million 2012 USD). Later, the storm passed near the Japanese island of Minami Torishima, which was also fully evacuated; facilities on the island were damaged, although it was repaired and fully operational within three weeks after the storm. The remnants of Ioke later brought hurricane force wind gusts to southwestern Alaska.