The Double Whammy: Cold Water and Shear It is the combination of these two factors—cold sea surface temperatures and high wind shear—that creates an almost insurmountable barrier for hurricane formation off the West Coast. These events are usually the remnants of Pacific hurricanes that have weakened significantly over cooler waters but still retain enough moisture to cause significant weather events.
How Atmospheric Winds Shield the West Coast from Hurricanes
While the Atlantic basin often features areas of warm water with minimal wind shear, perfecting the environment for storm growth, the eastern Pacific presents a hostile landscape for these specific weather phenomena. Exceptions to the Rule While exceedingly rare, the West Coast is not entirely immune to tropical cyclone impacts.
This warm water provides the fuel for the storm through the process of evaporation. Wind Shear and Atmospheric Stability Even if a storm system were to somehow form in the eastern Pacific, it would likely be torn apart by wind shear.
How Atmospheric Winds Shield the West Coast from Hurricanes
Furthermore, "Tropical Storms" can occasionally make landfall in this region, but they are generally much less intense than the major hurricanes that strike the Atlantic seaboard. Looking at the Data A review of historical storm tracks clearly illustrates this climatic divide.
More About Why doesn't the west coast get hurricanes
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