Defining the frequency of near-shore tropical cyclone activity in the eastern North Pacific from historical surface observations (1921–2005)

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. L03706 - n/a
• Main Authors: Englehart, Phil J., Lewis, Michael D., Douglas, Arthur V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Geophysical Union 01.02.2008; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Atmospheric Processes; Climate variability; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; eastern North Pacific; Exact sciences and technology; Global Change; historical time series; Regional climate change; tropical cyclone activity; Tropical meteorology; Pacific Ocean; Northeast Pacific; North Pacific; IN, North Pacific; historical time series; eastern North Pacific; tropical cyclone activity; Tropical cyclone; Long term variation; variability; Long term; Cyclogenesis; frequency; quality
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/2007GL032546

Due in part to limited historical observations, the long‐term variability of tropical cyclone (TC) activity in the eastern North Pacific has received little research attention. This paper outlines features of a long‐term (1921–2005) data set of TC frequency defined in a manner consistent with the quality and availability of historical surface observations. Simple analyses of the data set point to nonrandom behavior in the TC series and suggest that long period variability is an important component of TC activity.