The season officially started on May 15, 2006, in the eastern Pacific, designated as the area east of 140°W, and on June 1, 2006, in the central Pacific, which is between the International Date Line and 140°W, and lasted until November 30, 2006.

These dates typically limit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the eastern Pacific basin.

This timeline documents all the storm formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, as well as dissipation.

September was a relatively inactive month, producing only two storms, of which one was Hurricane Lane.

Three storms developed in October and two formed in November; this marked the first time on record when more than one tropical storm developed in the basin during the month of November.