National Weather Service Forecast Office Tucson, Arizona

Cyclone: Hurricane Norbert Date it affected AZ: September 25-26, 1984 Affected Arizona as...: Tropical Depression (moved northeast across Pima County, dissipated over Graham County, AZ)

Norbert was an unusual storm. It was the first tropical cyclone recorded in the eastern Pacific to make two complete loops off the Mexican coast, while in the process becoming a Category 4 hurricane. He also was unusually long-lived storm as he maintained hurricane intensity for almost 10 days. Although official hurricane tracking showed that Norbert dissipated over the northern Gulf of California, satellite and surface observations strongly suggested that the cyclone survived as a tropical depression as it moved northeast across Pima County on the morning of September 26th. Sustained winds of 20-30mph were recorded across the Tucson area along with a distinct pressure drop with the depression's passage. Because the storm moved rapidly, the heavy rainfall was limited to a swath from south central into northeast Arizona. Most areas in the path received 1 to 2 inches of rain, although Kitt Peak received 4.15 inches in about 30 hours.