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Hurricanes do form in the Northeast Pacific basin, but tropical hurricanes almost never hit the West Coast. Scientific American gives two main reasons why. In the Northern Hemisphere, tropical hurricanes almost always travel westwards along the tradewinds. As Slate's Explainer notes, these westerly tradewinds are created by the earth's easterly rotation. The second reason has to do with ocean surface temperature. Hurricanes need warm water to form. Off the East Coast, the Gulf Stream warms waters to temperatures sometimes above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Along the Pacific Coast, the
water is colder -- no higher than the lower 70s, even in summer. This lower water temperature also acts as a retardant to any incoming hurricanes. So, California is protected by its cold water. You'd have to travel to the central Mexican coast to find water warm enough to sustain hurricanes.
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