Eastern Pacific has more hurricanes before July than ever before

A view of Tropical Storm Amanda, first named storm of the 2014 hurricane season, captured by NASA’s Aqua satellite (Credit: NASA)

The eastern Pacific Ocean in 2014 has seen more hurricanes before July than any year prior, according to data from the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Amanda formed in May and Hurricane Cristina formed in June, with experts saying they were too strong, too fast.

Hurricane Amanda reached Category 4 status quickly and was the strongest May hurricane on record for the ocean basin since satellite measurements began. Cristina was the earliest second major hurricane formation in the eastern Pacific since reliable data records dating back to 1971.

The typical date for the basin’s second major hurricane to form is July 14, making Cristina’s arrival a full month early. The eastern Pacific averages four major hurricanes each year, meaning it’s already seen half of the usual number.

Image: A view of Hurricane Amanda, first named storm of the 2014 hurricane season, captured by NASA’s Aqua satellite (Credit: NASA)