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Hurricane Linda was a tropical cyclone of the 1997 Pacific hurricane season. It was the strongest hurricane ever observed in the North Eastern Pacific Ocean, with sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), gusts to 220 mph (355 km/h), and a central pressure of 902 mbar. Linda was part of an abnormally active season for both the Eastern and Western Pacific Basins. The powerful system had little impact on the mainland, although it did pass directly over Socorro Island.
A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August 24. It moved across the unfavorable Atlantic Ocean without development. As it crossed Central America convection increased, and a poorly-defined center developed early on September 9. Banding and convection increased, and it became a tropical depression that night, 460 miles (740 km) south of the Mexican port of Manzanillo, Colima. Tropical Depression 14-E continued northwestward, and became a tropical storm on September 10. Linda started to intensify more quickly, becoming a hurricane the next day, 545 miles (880 km) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California. After 30 hours of rapidly intensifying, Linda reached its peak with 185 mph (295 km/h) winds on September 12.
