The eastern North Pacific (ENP) basin boasts a high density of tropical cyclone (TC) formation compared with other ocean basins in which TCs occur. Since ENP TCs can form near or otherwise impact land, they serve as an important yet variable source of summer and fall precipitation in southwestern North America. Higher sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and reduced vertical wind shear associated with El Niño events tend to support increased TC activity, exemplified by the very active 2015 ENP hurricane season.
