Central Pacific Hurricane Center
Official tropical cyclone warning center for the Central Pacific region.
The United States National Weather Service operates the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC), which tracks and issues all tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central Pacific region. This area stretches from the equator northward, between 140°W and 180°W, and most notably includes Hawai‘i. In its role as the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) for this zone, it is also called RSMC Honolulu. The CPHC shares a location with the National Weather Service’s Honolulu forecast office on the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus. It took over these duties from the Joint Hurricane Warning Center starting with the 1970 season.
- field
- Meteorology
- nationality
- United States
- known_for
- Official tropical cyclone warnings for the Central Pacific region (140°W–180°W)
- headquarters
- Honolulu, Hawaii, co-located with NWS Honolulu forecast office on University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus
- predecessor
- Joint Hurricane Warning Center (replaced starting in the 1970 season)
- season
- June 1 through November 30
Lore & Background
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) was established as the successor to the Joint Hurricane Warning Center, taking over responsibility starting in the 1970 season. It is activated by the Honolulu forecast office when tropical cyclones form in or move into the Central Pacific region. The CPHC's area of responsibility is the Central Pacific (CP) region, an administrative region from the equator northward, 140°W–180°W, which is not a meteorological basin but is often referred to as the Central Pacific basin or Central North Pacific basin.
Reader's Guide
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center serves as the primary authority for tropical cyclone warnings in a sparsely populated but strategically important region, most notably for Hawai‘i. Its significance lies in its role as the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC Honolulu) for the Central Pacific, a region where storms may form in the Eastern Pacific and move west, potentially affecting Hawaii, or in the Western Pacific and move west, affecting Asia. The CPHC's work is critical for protecting life and property in the Central Pacific, especially given the region's isolation and limited population. Its forecasting system, updated since the 1990s with the Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecasting System, represents a key tool in modern tropical cyclone prediction. The center's legacy includes its replacement of the Joint Hurricane Warning Center and its ongoing collaboration with the National Hurricane Center, with which its official website has been merged since 2019.
Did You Know?
- The CPHC is co-located with the National Weather Service's Honolulu forecast office on the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
- The CPHC replaced the Joint Hurricane Warning Center starting in the 1970 season.
- The CPHC's area of responsibility is from the equator northward, 140°W–180°W, which is an administrative region, not a meteorological one.
- Since the 1990s, the CPHC has used the Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecasting System to create forecasts and advisories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Central Pacific Hurricane Center?
The CPHC is a United States National Weather Service facility tasked with monitoring tropical cyclones and issuing all official warnings, watches, advisories, and discussions for the Central Pacific basin. It serves as the designated Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for that zone.
What geographic area does the CPHC cover?
Its jurisdiction extends from the equator northward, bounded by 140°W and 180°W longitude. The region most notably encompasses the Hawaiian Islands.
Where is the CPHC headquartered?
The center shares its location with the NWS Honolulu forecast office on the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus. Both operations run out of the same facility in Honolulu.
What is the CPHC's alternative designation?
Because it acts as the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the Central Pacific, it is also called RSMC Honolulu. This reflects its role within the World Meteorological Organization's framework for tropical cyclone tracking.
When does the CPHC's operating season run?
The official tropical cyclone season spans June 1 through November 30. The center assumed its duties from the Joint Hurricane Warning Center starting with the 1970 season.
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