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Major Hurricane Dora Track Map & Archive

Dissipated

Local time · Active from 31 Jul 2023 05:00 GMT-7 to 21 Aug 2023 18:00 GMT-12

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Estimated Storm Impact Analysis

Real-time analysis of population and infrastructure exposure within the storm's wind field.

Radius: ~600 km
👥 Estimated Population at Risk
13.84Mpeople
🏥 Hospitals & Medical Centers
252facilities
🏕️ Evacuation Shelters & Centers
769centers
🏫 Schools & Critical Infrastructure
1846buildings
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AI Historical Storm Matches

Compare historical storms by track, pressure changes, and rapid intensification patterns.

AI Trajectory Match
Hilary77% Similarity Score
MAX: 220 m/s
MIN: 940 hPa
⚡ Rapid Intensification Risk:High Risk
View Historical Storm Track↗
Lidia75% Similarity Score
MAX: 220 m/s
MIN: 942 hPa
⚡ Rapid Intensification Risk:High Risk
View Historical Storm Track↗
Kristy71% Similarity Score
MAX: 259 m/s
MIN: 926 hPa
⚡ Rapid Intensification Risk:High Risk
View Historical Storm Track↗

Basic Information

Peak Category

Tropical Depression

Minimum Pressure

939 hPa

Maximum Wind Speed

238 km/h

Region

East Pacific

Key Events

Formation

31 Jul 2023 05:00 GMT-7

14.3°N, 257.4°E

Dissipation

21 Aug 2023 18:00 GMT-12

37.1°N, 181.2°E

Frequently Asked Questions about Dora

No, Dora is no longer active. It dissipated or transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on 2023-08-22T06:00:00.000Z.
Dora formed on 2023-07-31T12:00:00.000Z and dissipated on 2023-08-22T06:00:00.000Z, reaching a peak intensity of tropical_depression.

Storm Timeline

Dora at 37.1°N, 181.2°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Dora at 36.6°N, 180.3°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Dora at 36.2°N, 179.6°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Dora at 35.7°N, 178.9°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Dora at 35.3°N, 178.3°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Dora at 34.8°N, 177.6°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Dora at 34.3°N, 177.0°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Dora at 33.9°N, 176.3°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Dora at 33.6°N, 175.8°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Dora at 33.3°N, 175.3°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 0 km/h

Hurricane Dora’s Rare Three-Basin Trek Fueled Maui Fire Disaster

Hurricane Dora in 2023 was a long-lived tropical cyclone that originated from an African tropical wave and crossed the Caribbean into the eastern Pacific. The storm rapidly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane, peaking with 150 mph (240 km/h) winds and a minimum central pressure of 939 mb on August 6. Dora produced no direct damage reports across Mexico or the U.S. mainland, but its atmospheric influence became linked to the catastrophic Maui wildfires through a complex wind pattern. The cyclone later crossed the International Dateline on August 12, becoming a typhoon before weakening over the western Pacific.

Atlantic Origins to Caribbean Crossing: How a Tropical Wave Became Dora

Hurricane Dora’s development began with a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on July 17–18, 2023. The disturbance traveled westward across the tropical Atlantic and interacted with a low-pressure area embedded within the monsoon trough over the central Atlantic on July 21–22. It then continued toward the Caribbean, crossing the Windward Islands on July 25 while producing a broad area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms.

The tropical wave entered the Caribbean Sea, where it maintained a poorly organized structure before moving toward Central America. Between July 28 and 30, the system crossed Central America and entered the eastern Pacific basin. At that stage, the disturbance still lacked a well-defined circulation, but satellite observations showed persistent convection associated with the wave.

The transition from the Caribbean to the eastern Pacific placed Dora within a common tropical pathway connecting Atlantic disturbances with Pacific cyclone development. While the system did not threaten the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Gulf Coast, or Caribbean islands as a named storm, its early route passed through regions where tropical waves frequently influence seasonal weather patterns.

Dora officially formed at 1800 UTC on July 31, about 250 nautical miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico, when satellite-derived surface wind data indicated the development of a closed circulation. The system was initially classified as a tropical depression and strengthened into a tropical storm 12 hours later on August 1.

After formation, Dora moved westward over the eastern Pacific south of Mexico. The cyclone encountered warm sea-surface temperatures, sufficient atmospheric moisture, and low vertical wind shear, allowing convection to become better organized. These conditions supported rapid intensification as the storm moved away from the Mexican coastline and remained over open water.

For communities along Mexico’s Pacific coast, the lack of landfall was a key factor in limiting direct impacts. Dora’s strongest winds remained offshore, and there were no reports of hurricane-force conditions, storm surge, or widespread coastal damage in Mexico, the Caribbean, or the continental United States.

Rapid Intensification Over Open Ocean: Dora’s Category 4 Peak Strength

Dora became a hurricane at 0000 UTC on August 2 while located approximately 445 nautical miles west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. The storm continued moving westward along the southern side of a deep-layer ridge, keeping its center over the Pacific waters while environmental conditions supported strengthening.

The cyclone underwent a rapid intensification period lasting 48 hours. Dora became a major hurricane at 0000 UTC on August 3 and reached Category 4 intensity six hours later. During this period, its estimated intensity increased by 80 knots, marking one of the fastest strengthening phases of the 2023 eastern Pacific hurricane season.

An eyewall replacement cycle briefly interrupted Dora’s strengthening after it reached Category 4 status. Once that process ended, the compact hurricane regained organization and strengthened again. At 0000 UTC on August 6, Dora reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 130 knots, equivalent to 150 mph (240 km/h), and a minimum central pressure of 939 mb.

The storm’s peak occurred over the eastern Pacific, approximately 1,620 nautical miles west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. Because Dora remained far offshore, its strongest winds did not affect Mexico’s coastal areas or maritime zones near the Americas.

After reaching peak strength, Dora weakened temporarily as it encountered moderate easterly vertical wind shear. The shear later decreased, allowing the hurricane to maintain Category 4 intensity while continuing westward. Dora remained a powerful tropical cyclone as it crossed the eastern and central Pacific basins.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center monitored Dora after the system crossed into the central Pacific basin on August 6. The cyclone continued moving westward under the influence of a building high-pressure system while remaining south of the Hawaiian Islands.

Pacific Passage and Hawaiian Influence: Dora’s Role in Maui’s Wildfire Tragedy

Dora crossed 140°W longitude on August 6, entering the central Pacific basin while still maintaining hurricane strength. The cyclone passed south of Hawaii on August 8, remaining about 500 to 600 nautical miles from the island chain. Although Dora did not make landfall or bring direct hurricane conditions to Hawaii, its circulation became part of the broader atmospheric pattern affecting the islands.

The primary indirect impact associated with Dora was its contribution to the weather conditions surrounding the devastating wildfires on the island of Maui, Hawaii, in August 2023. Dora’s circulation interacted with a strong pressure pattern over the region, contributing to enhanced winds that occurred alongside extremely dry conditions and other fire-weather factors.

The Maui wildfires caused catastrophic destruction, especially in the historic town of Lahaina. Dora itself did not ignite the fires and was not responsible for direct storm damage in Hawaii. Instead, meteorological analyses identified the hurricane’s distant circulation as one factor that influenced regional wind conditions during the wildfire event.

The case demonstrated how a tropical cyclone can affect weather patterns far from its center. A hurricane located hundreds of miles offshore can modify pressure gradients and wind fields when combined with larger atmospheric systems. Dora’s influence on Hawaii came through this interaction rather than through rainfall, storm surge, or direct hurricane-force winds.

The World Meteorological Organization later removed the name Dora from the eastern North Pacific naming list, citing its association with the Maui wildfire disaster. The decision reflected the storm’s indirect meteorological connection to a major disaster rather than direct cyclone impacts.

Cross-Basin Legacy: Dora’s Rare Journey Beyond North America

After passing south of Hawaii, Dora continued westward across the Pacific and maintained tropical cyclone characteristics for several more days. On August 12, the system crossed the International Dateline and entered the western Pacific region, where it was classified as a typhoon before weakening.

Dora was one of the rare tropical cyclones to track across multiple Pacific basins. Its path began with an African tropical wave, crossed the Caribbean and Central America, developed into a major hurricane in the eastern Pacific, moved through the central Pacific, and continued into the western Pacific.

The cyclone gradually weakened after leaving the most favorable tropical environment. By mid-August, increasing environmental challenges reduced its organization, and Dora weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm before becoming a tropical depression.

According to the official best-track record, Dora’s tropical cyclone phase lasted from July 31 to August 17, 2023. The system dissipated on August 22, 2023, after a journey spanning approximately 4,000 miles across the Pacific, with peak winds of 130 kt (150 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 939 mb.