Hurricane Erick formed June 18 in the eastern Pacific Ocean, becoming the fifth named storm of the eastern Pacific season to date – a flurry of activity in sharp contrast with the tepid start to hurricane season in the Atlantic.
By some counts, the Eastern Pacific has been on a historic run, recording five named storms before the third week of June for the first time on record, said WPLG-TV 10 meteorologist Michael Lowry via his email newsletter June 17.
See photo gallery: Photos show impact of Hurricane Erick after landfall along Mexico Pacific coast
The activity was due in part to a large-scale climate pattern known as the Madden-Julian Oscillation, which is an eastward-moving disturbance of clouds, rainfall, winds, and pressure. It traverses the planet in the tropics and returns to its initial starting point in 30 to 60 days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
It, along with other obscure patterns such as Rossby and Kelvin waves, influence weather, including hurricane formation, around the globe.
