# List of Category 3 Pacific hurricanes

Category 3 is the third-highest classification on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, and categorizes tropical cyclones with 1-minute maximum sustained winds between 96 and 112 knots (110 and 129 mph; 178 and 207 km/h; 49 and 58 m/s). Tropical cyclones that attain such winds and move over land while maintaining those winds are capable of causing severe damage to human lives and infrastructure. From 1949 to 2023, a total of 85 recorded Pacific hurricanes have peaked at Category 3 strength within the Northeast Pacific tropical cyclone basin, which is denoted as the part of the Pacific Ocean north of the equator and east of the International Date Line. This does not include storms that also attained Category 4 or 5 status on the scale.
The development of Category 3 hurricanes in the Northeast Pacific basin is influenced by many factors. During the Northern Hemisphere winter and spring months of December to April, sea surface temperatures in the tropics are usually too low to support tropical cyclogenesis. Furthermore, from January to April, the North Pacific High and Aleutian Low induce strong vertical wind shear and unfavorable conditions that serve to prevent the development of hurricanes. These effects are reduced or even disappear during hurricane season from May to November, when sea surface temperatures are also high enough to support tropical cyclogenesis; the bulk of recorded Category 3 hurricanes developed during June to October. Global weather patterns may also influence hurricane development in the Northeast Pacific. El Niño events result in increased numbers of powerful hurricanes through weaker wind shear and higher sea surface temperatures within the basin, while La Niña events reduce the number of such hurricanes through the opposite.

## Background

On the Saffir–Simpson scale, a hurricane reaches Category 3 status when it attains maximum sustained winds of between 96 and 112 knots (110 and 129 mph; 178 and 207 km/h; 49 and 58 m/s). The National Hurricane Center (NHC) takes sustained winds to be the average wind speed measured over the period of one minute at the height of 10 metres (33 ft) above the ground. When a hurricane reaches Category 3 intensity, it is termed a "major hurricane" by the NHC, though this term is also used to describe hurricanes at Category 4 or 5 intensity. Should a Category 3 hurricane make landfall, its strongest winds can cause very severe damage to human infrastructure, with debris carried by the winds capable of bringing injury or death to humans and animals.
The Northeast Pacific tropical cyclone basin is defined as the region of the Pacific Ocean north of the equator and east of the International Date Line. The Northeast Pacific is further divided into two sub-basins, namely the east and central Pacific. The east Pacific runs east of the 140th meridian west, and tropical cyclones occurring there are warned upon by the National Hurricane Center, the current Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) for that area. The central Pacific, running from the 140th meridian west to the International Date Line, currently has the Central Pacific Hurricane Center as its RSMC. Tropical cyclones are generally much rarer in the central Pacific than in the east Pacific, with an average of just four to five storms forming or moving into the central Pacific compared to around 15 for the east Pacific. All tropical cyclones recorded by past and present RSMCs of the Northeast Pacific basin since 1949 are listed in the Northeast and North Central Pacific hurricane database (HURDAT), which is compiled and maintained by the National Hurricane Center.
Before 1970, tropical cyclones within the Northeast Pacific were classified into three categories: tropical depression, tropical storm, and hurricane; these were assigned intensities of 30 mph (45 km/h), 50 mph (85 km/h), and 85 mph (140 km/h) respectively. Exceptions to these rules would be storms that affected humans and as such humans were able to measure or estimate wind speeds or pressure data. Due to this lack of specific intensity records, there has been only one confirmed Category 3 hurricane prior to 1970.

## Climatology

Hurricane season in the Northeast Pacific tropical cyclone basin begins on May 15 in the east Pacific and June 1 in the central Pacific, and ends on November 30. Since 1949, a total of 85 Category 3 hurricanes have developed in the Northeast Pacific basin. Only one has occurred in the off-season: Hurricane Ekeka of 1992, which peaked in February. A total of two have done so in May, 7 in June, 22 in July, 24 in August, 15 in September, and another 15 in October. None have done so in November.
The formation and development of tropical cyclones, termed tropical cyclogenesis, requires high sea surface temperatures of at least 26.5 °C (79.7 °F) and low vertical wind shear. When these conditions are met, a pre-existing tropical disturbance – usually a tropical wave – can develop into a tropical cyclone, provided the disturbance is far enough from the Equator to experience a sufficiently strong Coriolis force which is responsible for the counterclockwise rotation of hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere. During the winter and spring months of December to April, sea surface temperatures in the tropics are usually too low to support development. Also, the presence of a semi-permanent high-pressure area known as the North Pacific High in the eastern Pacific greatly suppresses formation of tropical cyclones in the winter, as the North Pacific High results in vertical wind shear that causes environmental conditions to be unconducive to tropical cyclone formation. Another factor preventing tropical cyclones from forming during the winter is the presence of a semi-permanent low-pressure area called the Aleutian Low between January and April. Its effects in the central Pacific near the 160th meridian west cause tropical waves that form in the area to drift northward into the Gulf of Alaska and dissipate or become extratropical. Its retreat in late-April allows the warmth of the Pacific High to meander in, bringing its powerful clockwise wind circulation with it. The Intertropical Convergence Zone departs southward in mid-May permitting the formation of the earliest tropical waves, coinciding with the start of the eastern Pacific hurricane season on May 15. During summer and autumn, sea surface temperatures rise further to reach near 29 °C (84 °F) in July and August, well above the 26.5 °C (79.7 °F) threshold for tropical cyclogenesis. This allows for hurricanes developing during that time to strengthen significantly.
The El Niño-Southern Oscillation also influences the frequency and intensity of hurricanes in the Northeast Pacific basin. During years with the existence of an El Niño event, sea surface temperatures increase in the Northeast Pacific and average vertical wind shear decreases, resulting in an increase in activity; the opposite happens in the Atlantic basin during El Niño, where increased wind shear creates an unfavorable environment for tropical cyclone formation. Contrary to El Niño, La Niña increases wind shear and decreases sea surface temperatures over the eastern Pacific, while reducing wind shear and increasing sea surface temperatures over the Atlantic.
Within the Northeast Pacific, tropical cyclones generally head west out into the open Pacific Ocean, steered by the westward trade winds. Closer to the end of the season, however, some storms are steered northwards or northeastwards around the subtropical ridge nearer the end of the season, and may bring impacts to the western coasts of Mexico and occasionally even Central America. In the central Pacific basin, the North Pacific High keeps tropical cyclones away from the Hawaiian Islands by forcing them southwards. Combined with cooler waters around the Hawaiian Islands that tend to weaken approaching tropical cyclones, this makes direct impacts on the Hawaiian Islands by tropical cyclones rare.

## Systems
### Key

* † Discontinuous duration (weakened below Category 3 then restrengthened to that classification at least once)
* ‡ Intensified past Category 3 intensity after exiting basin
* # Storm made landfall, see below for further information
* § Pressure listed was not at peak intensity
| Name | Dates as a Category 3 hurricane | Duration (hours) | Sustained wind speeds | Pressure | Areas affected | Deaths | Damage (USD) |
| Olivia | October 14, 1967 | 6 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 939 hPa (27.73 inHg) | Baja California Sur# | 2 | Un­known |
| Francene | July 19–20, 1971 | 24 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 991 hPa (29.26 inHg) § | No land areas | — | — |
| Ilsa | August 3, 1971 | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 978 hPa (28.88 inHg) § | No land areas | — | — |
| Monica | September 1–2, 1971 | 18 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 1,005 hPa (29.68 inHg) § | No land areas | — | — |
| Olivia | September 25–26, 1971† | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 948 hPa (27.99 inHg) | Baja California Peninsula#, Southwestern United States | None | $250,000 |
| Priscilla | October 10–11, 1971 | 24 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 951 hPa (28.08 inHg) | Nayarit# | None | $3.68 million |
| Fernanda | August 24, 1972 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 948 hPa (27.99 inHg) § | No land areas | — | — |
| Gwen | August 27–28, 1972 | 30 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 941 hPa (27.79 inHg) § | No land areas | — | — |
| Hyacinth | August 31 – September 1, 1972 | 30 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 962 hPa (28.41 inHg) § | California | None | None |
| Connie | June 14, 1974 | 6 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 942 hPa (27.82 inHg) § | No land areas | — | — |
| Ione | August 25, 1974 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 954 hPa (28.17 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Carlotta | July 5–6, 1975 | 48 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Olivia | October 25, 1975 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | Sinaloa# (particularly Mazatlán), Nayarit, Durango, Jalisco | 30 | $20 million |
| Hyacinth | August 10–11, 1976 | 30 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Daniel | June 30 – July 1, 1978 | 30 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Gilma | July 16, 1978 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Dolores | July 20–21, 1979† | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Fefa | August 23, 1979 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Agatha | June 12, 1980 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Javier | August 25, 1980 | 18 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Norma | October 10–11, 1981 | 24 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | Un­known | Sinaloa#, Texas, Oklahoma | 6 | $74 million |
| Daniel | July 11–12, 1982 | 24 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | Hawaiian Islands | None | None |
| Gilma | July 29–30, 1982 | 24 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | Un­known | Big Island | None | None |
| John | August 6–8, 1982 | 36 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Sergio | October 17–18, 1982 | 48 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Lorena | September 8, 1983 | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | Guerrero, Colima | 7 | $33,000 |
| Manuel | September 17, 1983 | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | Baja California, Southwestern United States | None | Un­known |
| Priscilla | October 4, 1983 | 18 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | Southwestern United States | None | Un­known |
| Genevieve | July 10–11, 1984 | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | Baja California Peninsula# | None | None |
| Keli | August 20, 1984 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | Johnston Atoll | None | None |
| Polo | October 1–2, 1984 | 24 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | Baja California Peninsula# | None | None |
| Blanca | June 13–14, 1985 | 30 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Dolores | July 1, 1985 | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Sandra | September 8–9, 1985 | 18 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 972 hPa (28.70 inHg) § | No land areas | — | — |
| Terry | September 20–21, 1985† | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Xina | October 29, 1985 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Hilary | August 3–4, 1987 | 24 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Otis | September 22–24, 1987† | 36 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Uleki | August 31 – September 3, 1988 | 72 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | Un­known | Hawaii | 2 | None |
| Ismael | August 19–20, 1989 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 955 hPa (28.20 inHg) | Guerrero, Colima | 3 | None |
| Kiko | August 26–27, 1989 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 955 hPa (28.20 inHg) | Baja California Sur#, Sonora | None | Un­known |
| Iselle | July 24–26, 1990 | 54 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 958 hPa (28.29 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Julio | August 21–22, 1990 | 24 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 960 hPa (28.35 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Carlos | June 23–25, 1991 | 54 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 955 hPa (28.20 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Fefa | August 2, 1991 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 959 hPa (28.32 inHg) | Hawaii | None | Un­known |
| Linda | October 5–6, 1991 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 957 hPa (28.26 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Ekeka | February 2, 1992 | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | Un­known | No land areas | — | — |
| Darby | July 6, 1992 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 968 hPa (28.59 inHg) | Guerrero | 3 | Un­known |
| Winifred | October 9, 1992 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 960 hPa (28.35 inHg) | Colima#, Michoacán, Guerrero | 3 | $5 million |
| Eugene | July 18–20, 1993 | 66 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 948 hPa (27.99 inHg) | Hawaii | 1 | None |
| Hilary | August 21–22, 1993 | 24 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 957 hPa (28.26 inHg) | Baja California Peninsula#, Sonora#, California, Iowa | None | Un­known |
| Fausto | September 12, 1996 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 955 hPa (28.20 inHg) | Baja California Sur#, Sinaloa#, Texas | 1 | $800,000 |
| Enrique | July 14, 1997 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 960 hPa (28.35 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Darby | July 25–28, 1998† | 48 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 958 hPa (28.29 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Georgette | August 14, 1998 | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 960 hPa (28.35 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Lester | October 22, 1998 | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 965 hPa (28.50 inHg) | Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras | 2 | Un­known |
| Beatriz | July 12–14, 1999 | 36 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 955 hPa (28.20 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Daniel | July 25–28, 2000† | 60 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 954 hPa (28.17 inHg) | Hawaii | None | None |
| Alma | May 30, 2002 | 12 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 960 hPa (28.35 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Ele | August 29–30, 2002‡ | 6 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 945 hPa (27.91 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Darby | July 29, 2004 | 12 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 957 hPa (28.26 inHg) | Hawaii | None | Un­known |
| Jova | September 19–21, 2005 | 60 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 951 hPa (28.08 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Bud | July 13, 2006 | 18 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 953 hPa (28.14 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Ileana | August 23–24, 2006 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 955 hPa (28.20 inHg) | Baja California Sur | 1 | Un­known |
| Lane | September 16, 2006 | 18 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 952 hPa (28.11 inHg) | Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco, Sinaloa#, Texas | 4 | $112 million |
| Hernan | August 9–10, 2008 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 956 hPa (28.23 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Guillermo | August 15, 2009 | 18 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 954 hPa (28.17 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Neki | October 21–22, 2009 | 24 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument | None | None |
| Darby | June 25–26, 2010 | 30 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 959 hPa (28.32 inHg) | Chiapas | None | Un­known |
| Jova | October 10–11, 2011 | 30 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 955 hPa (28.20 inHg) | Colima, Jalisco# | 9 | $204 million |
| Bud | May 25, 2012 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 961 hPa (28.38 inHg) | Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco | None | Un­known |
| Daniel | July 8, 2012 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 961 hPa (28.38 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Miriam | September 24–25, 2012 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 959 hPa (28.32 inHg) | Baja California Sur, Texas | None | None |
| Paul | October 15–16, 2012 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 959 hPa (28.32 inHg) | Baja California Peninsula, Sonora, Sinaloa, Revillagigedo Islands | None | $15.5 million |
| Raymond | October 21–22, 2013 | 18 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 951 hPa (28.08 inHg) | Guerrero, Michoacán | None | Un­known |
| Genevieve | August 7, 2014‡ | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 965 hPa (28.50 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Julio | August 8, 2014 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 960 hPa (28.35 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Norbert | September 6, 2014 | 12 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Colima, Jalisco, Sinaloa, Baja California Peninsula, Southwestern United States | 5 | $27.7 million |
| Linda | September 8–9, 2015 | 18 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Sinaloa, Oaxaca, Zacatecas, Revillagigedo Islands, Southwestern United States | 22 | $3.73 million |
| Darby | July 16–17, 2016 | 18 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 958 hPa (28.29 inHg) | Hawaii# | None | Un­known |
| Eugene | July 9, 2017 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 966 hPa (28.53 inHg) | Southern California | None | None |
| Otis | September 18, 2017 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 965 hPa (28.50 inHg) | No land areas | — | — |
| Juliette | September 3–4, 2019 | 24 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 953 hPa (28.14 inHg) | Clarion Island | None | None |
| Bonnie | July 5, 2022 | 6 | 115 mph (185 km/h) | 964 hPa (28.47 inHg) | Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Southern Mexico | 1 | Un­known |
| Calvin | July 14–15, 2023 | 18 | 125 mph (205 km/h) | 953 hPa (28.14 inHg) | Hawaii | None | Un­known |
| John | September 24, 2024 | 3.25 | 120 mph (195 km/h) | 956 hPa (28.23 inHg) | Guerrero#, Oaxaca, Michoacán# | 29 | $2.45 billion |
| Overall reference for name, dates, duration, winds, and pressure: |||||||||

## Landfalls

Of the 85 Category 3 hurricanes in the east and central Pacific, a total of 15 made landfall while still a tropical cyclone, collectively resulting in 20 landfalls. As tropical cyclones approach land, they tend to weaken due to land interaction, cooler waters, shallower waters due to shelving, increased vertical wind shear, or dry air. As such, only five of these 14 hurricanes have made landfall while still at Category 3 intensity: Olivia of 1967, Olivia of 1975, Kiko of 1989, Lane of 2006, and John of 2024. Only four made more than one landfall during their lifespan: Hilary of 1993, which made three landfalls, as well as Olivia of 1967, Fausto of 1996, and John of 2024 which made two landfalls each. Only two years – 1971 and 1984 – saw more than one Category 3 hurricane make landfall, though in neither year any of those Category 3 hurricanes made landfall as hurricanes. In the following table, dates where storms made landfall are listed next to the landfall locations.
| Name | Year | Category 3 | Category 2 | Category 1 | Tropical storm | Tropical depression |
| Olivia | 1967 | Baja California Sur (October 14) | — | — | Baja California Sur (October 13) | — |
| Olivia | 1971 | — | — | — | — | Baja California Sur (September 30) |
| Priscilla | 1971 | — | — | — | Nayarit (October 12) | — |
| Olivia | 1975 | Sinaloa (October 25) | — | — | — | — |
| Norma | 1981 | — | Sinaloa (October 12) | — | — | — |
| Genevieve | 1984 | — | — | — | — | Baja California Sur (July 14) |
| Polo | 1984 | — | — | — | — | Baja California Sur (October 3) |
| Kiko | 1989 | Baja California Sur (August 27) | — | — | — | — |
| Winifred | 1992 | — | Colima (October 9) | — | — | — |
| Hilary | 1993 | — | — | — | Baja California Sur (×2, both on August 25) | Sonora (August 26) |
| Fausto | 1996 | — | — | Baja California Sur (September 13), Sinaloa (September 14) | — | — |
| Lane | 2006 | Sinaloa (September 16) | — | — | — | — |
| Jova | 2011 | — | Jalisco (October 12) | — | — | — |
| Darby | 2016 | — | — | — | Big Island, Hawaii (July 24) | — |
| John | 2024 | Guerrero (September 24) | — | — | Michoacán (September 27) | — |
| Overall reference for landfall intensity: ||||||||