List of Arizona hurricanes
This article serves as a compilation of noteworthy tropical storms that have impacted the U.S. state of Arizona. Usually, tropical storms that reach Arizona make landfall in the Mexican states of Baja California or Sonora, with the remaining moisture normally causing mild rainfall across the state. However, a few storms have crossed into Arizona while they still had tropical storm strength.
It is extremely difficult for a hurricane to form in Arizona because the normal storms that form in the eastern Pacific Ocean move either parallel or away from the Pacific coast of Northwestern Mexico. As a result, most storms that could affect Arizona, are carried away from the United States, and only 6% of all Pacific hurricanes enter U.S. territory.[1] In average, Arizona experiences the effects of tropical cyclones once every five years.[1] Many, but not all, of these systems also affect California.
Tropical storms are one of Arizona's main sources of rainfall, and they infuse the monsoon with tropical moisture over the southwestern United States.[2] However, all of the storms that have impacted Arizona have formed in the latter parts of the Pacific hurricane season, and no storm has affected the state before August.[1]
| Storm | Peak intensity | Season | Intensity | Date[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed[4] | Unknown | 1921 | Remnant low | August 20, 1921 |
| Unnamed[5] | Unknown | 1921 | Tropical depression | September 30, 1921 |
| Unnamed[3] | Unknown | 1926 | Remnant low | September 20, 1926 |
| Unnamed[3] | Unknown | 1927 | Remnant low | September 7, 1927 |
| Unnamed[6] | Unknown | 1935 | Tropical storm | August 22, 1935 |
| Unnamed[7] | Tropical Storm[8] | 1951 | Tropical storm | August 3, 1951 |
| Unnamed[7] | Category 1[8] | 1958 | Tropical storm | October 6, 1958 |
| Claudia[3] | Tropical Storm | 1962 | Tropical storm | September 25, 1962 |
| Emily[7] | Category 1[8] | 1965 | Remnant low | September 6, 1965 |
| Katrina[3] | Category 1[8] | 1967 | Tropical storm | August 29, 1967 |
| Hyacinth[7] | Tropical Storm[8] | 1968 | Tropical depression | August 20, 1968 |
| Norma[3] | Tropical Storm | 1970 | Remnant low | September 7, 1970 |
| Joanne[3] | Category 2 | 1972 | Tropical storm | October 4, 1972 |
| Kathleen[3] | Category 1 | 1976 | Tropical storm | September 10, 1976 |
| Liza[9] | Category 4 | 1976 | Remnant low | October 2, 1976 |
| Doreen[3] | Category 1 | 1977 | Tropical storm | August 13, 1977 |
| Heather[3] | Category 1 | 1977 | Tropical depression | October 4, 1977 |
| Octave[3] | Tropical Storm | 1983 | Tropical storm | September 28, 1983 |
| Raymond[7] | Category 3[8] | 1989 | Tropical depression | October 5, 1989 |
| Boris[10] | Category 1 | 1990 | Remnant low | June 11, 1990 |
| Lester[7] | Category 1[11] | 1992 | Tropical storm | August 22, 1992 |
| Ismael[7] | Category 1[8] | 1995 | Remnant low | September 15, 1995 |
| Nora[3] | Category 4 | 1997 | Tropical storm | September 25, 1997 |
| Isis[12] | Category 1[8] | 1998 | Remnant low | September 5, 1998 |
| Marty[7] | Category 2[8] | 2003 | Remnant low | September 22, 2003 |
| Javier[13] | Category 4[8] | 2004 | Remnant low | September 20, 2004 |
| John | Category 4 | 2006 | Remnant low | September 5, 2006 |
| Julio | Tropical Storm | 2008 | Tropical storm | August 25, 2008 |
| Jimena | Category 4 | 2009 | Remnant low | September 5, 2009 |
Deadly storms
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In late August of 1935, the remnants of an unnamed tropical storm made landfall on the coast of southern California, causing heavy rains and flooding across Arizona, especially along the Santa Cruz River and Rillito River in southern Arizona. The rainfall produced by the storm holds the record rainfall at the National Weather Service office in Tucson as of 2025.[6]
Between September 5-6 of 1970, the remnants of Tropical Storm Norma flowed into the desert southeast, becoming Arizona's deadliest storm on record. As Norma dissipated, moisture from the cyclone was captured in a large extratropical low. The resulting rainfall in the region caused severe flooding, killing 23 people and causing immense property damage.[3] Two years later, the remnants of Hurricane Joanne caused widespread flooding, killing eight. The estimated damage from Hurricane Joanne in Arizona alone totaled up to over $77 million USD, adjusted for inflation.[2]
On September 11, 1976, Hurricane Kathleen killed a man after a gust of wind blew a palm tree down onto his mobile home. Strong flooding and hail also resulted in widespread property damage.[3]
Monsoon moisture carried by Tropical Storm Octave caused a wave of severe thunderstorms to develop throughout late September and early October of 1983. Fourteen people perished in the resulting storms, with at least 975 injured and roughly 10,000 people displaced by the time the flooding ended. The total damage from the disaster was estimated to be approximately $370 million USD.[3]
List Of Arizona Hurricanes Media
The rainfall produced by Hurricane Heather was concentrated along the United States–Mexico border.
Rainfall due to Tropical Storm Octave throughout its track
Hurricane Javier produced heavy precipitation in Arizona.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Corbosiero, Kristen L. (2003). "The Contribution of Eastern North Pacific Tropical Cyclones to the Warm Season Rainfall Climatology of the Southwestern United States". University of Albany. Archived from the original on 2006-05-05. Retrieved 2006-03-20.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 United States Geological Survey (September 2005). "Hydrologic Conditions in Arizona During 1999 – 2004: A Historical Perspective" (PDF). Retrieved 2006-03-20.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 National Weather Service, Phoenix Regional Office. "Top Arizona Hurricane/Tropical Storm Events". Retrieved 2006-03-19.
- ↑ Williams, Jack (May 17, 2005). "Background: California's tropical storms". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2009-02-26. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- ↑ Hurd, Willis E. (February 1929). "Tropical Cyclones of the Eastern North Pacific Ocean" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review. 57 (2): 78. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1929)57<78:NPO>2.0.CO;2. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "Santa Cruz River, Paseo de las Iglesias (Pima County, Arizona) Final Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement" (PDF). USACE. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-05. Retrieved 2006-03-20.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Coastal Services Center. "Historical Hurricane Tracks". NOAA. Archived from the original on 2006-04-10. Retrieved 2006-03-20.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Research Division (2007). "East Pacific hurricane best track ("HURDAT"), 1949–2007". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 2008-08-22. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ↑ Roth, David (2008). "Tropical Cyclone Rainfall for the West". Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Climatology. Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 2008-10-04. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ↑ Roth, David (2008). "Hurricane Boris - June 7-11, 1990". Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Climatology. Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 2008-06-16. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ↑ National Hurricane Center (1992). "Preliminary Report: Hurricane Lester, 20–24 August 1992". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2006-03-20.
- ↑ Roth, David (2008). "Hurricane Isis - September 1-5, 1998". Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Climatology. Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 2008-04-20. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ↑ Roth, David (2008). "Hurricane Javier - September 18-21, 2004". Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Climatology. Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 2008-06-16. Retrieved 2008-05-15.