Hurricane forecasters are monitoring two possible tropical storms in the eastern Pacific basin, the National Hurricane Center said in a June 1 advisory.
The newer system is located well southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula and continues to produce “disorganized showers and thunderstorms,” according to the hurricane center advisory.
Forecasters said environmental conditions appear conducive for further development, with a tropical depression expected to form during the middle part of the week. The hurricane center is giving it a 90% chance of tropical development within the next week as it moves westward or west-northwestward across the western portion of the East Pacific.
Additionally, the hurricane center said an area of low pressure could form off the coast of Central America and southern Mexico late this week and over the weekend. Forecasters said environmental conditions appear favorable for some development of this system, giving it a 30% chance of tropical development within the next week.
The likely Pacific storms are forming against the backdrop of the official opening of the Atlantic hurricane season on Monday, June 1.
Pacific storms seldom hit land
Unlike storms in the Atlantic basin, the vast majority – roughly 85% to 90% – of storms that form in the Pacific don’t ever threaten land and often spin harmlessly out to sea. However, they can occasionally impact Hawaii, the west coast of Mexico or the Southwest U.S. with heavy flooding and rainfall.
Whichever system becomes a tropical storm first, it will get the name Amanda, which is the first name on the Pacific storm list for 2026.
How many storms are forecast in the Pacific hurricane season?
AccuWeather expects 17 to 22 named storms in the Eastern Pacific this season, along with 9 to 13 hurricanes and 4 to 8 major hurricanes. The forecast also calls for 6 to 9 direct impacts to Mexico and Central America — more than double the historical average.
In the Central Pacific, which includes Hawaii, forecasters are calling for 4 to 7 named storms, 2 to 4 hurricanes and 1 to 3 major hurricanes, with 1 to 2 direct impacts possible for the islands.
California and the Southwest faces higher risk of hurricane impacts
While California is not typically in the path of tropical systems, forecasters say the combination of warm ocean waters and a favorable storm track increases the risk that tropical moisture could reach the region. That could drive heavy rainfall and flash flooding in parts of Southern California, especially in late-season setups.
AccuWeather also warns of an elevated flood risk across the broader Southwest U.S., including Arizona and New Mexico, where remnants of Pacific storms can interact with monsoon moisture and produce intense rainfall far inland.
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Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at baddison@gannett.com. Find her on Facebook here.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 2 tropical systems monitored in Pacific. How California fares in 2026
Reporting by Brandi D. Addison and Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
