A Pacific hurricane is a tropical cyclone that forms in the northeastern part of the Pacific Ocean. For organizational purposes, the Pacific Ocean is divided into three parts: the eastern (North America to 140°W), central (140°W to the International Date Line), and western (west of the Date Line). A Pacific hurricane, then, is a tropical cyclone in the northern Pacific Ocean east of the Date Line. Tropical cyclones that form in the western north Pacific are called typhoons. This separation between the two basins is convenient, however, as tropical cyclones rarely form in the central north Pacific and few ever cross the dateline.