The Longest-Lasting Tropical Cyclone In History



Hurricane John — also known as Typhoon John — formed during the 1994 Pacific hurricane season, which had above average activity due to the El Niño. It peaked as a category 5 hurricane, the highest categorization for hurricanes. Over the course of its existence, John followed a 7,165-mile path from the eastern Pacific over a period of 31 days, making it the longest-lasting and the farthest-traveling tropical cyclone ever observed. Because it existed in both the eastern and western Pacific, John was one of a small number of tropical cyclones to be designated as both a hurricane and a typhoon. Despite lasting for a full month, John barely affected land at all, bringing only minimal effects to the Hawaiian Islands and the U.S. military base on Johnson Atoll. Despite sustained winds of 175 mph, there were no fatalities, though John did cause $15 million in damages.