The 1982 Pacific hurricane season was, at the time, the most active Pacific hurricane season on record, with 23 named storms. Of those, 12 became hurricanes, with 5 intensifying into major hurricanes. The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific basin and June 1 in the central Pacific basin. The season in both basins ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period during which most tropical cyclones form in these regions of the Pacific Ocean. The first tropical cyclone of the season, Tropical Storm Aletta, formed on May 20, and the final one of the season, Hurricane Iwa, dissipated on November 25. A strengthening El Niño that year fueled the season's above normal activity.

Hurricane Iniki was a hurricane that struck the island of Kauaʻi on September 11, 1992. It was the most powerful hurricane to strike Hawaiʻi in recorded history, and the only hurricane to directly affect the state during the 1992 Pacific hurricane season. Forming on September 5, 1992, during the strong 1990–1995 El Niño, Iniki was one of eleven Central Pacific tropical cyclones during that season. It attained tropical storm status on September 8 and intensified into a hurricane the next day. After abruptly turning north, Iniki struck Kauaʻi at peak intensity; it had winds of 145 mph and reached Category 4 status on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale.