Hurricane Nora (1997)

Basin

Eastern Pacific

Dates

September 16, 1997 to September 26, 1997

Peak strength

Category 4, 115 kt (132 mph)

Lowest pressure

950 mb (28.05 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

23.4

Fastest the center moved

24 kt (28 mph)

Identifier

EP161997

The sources count different things and are not added together.

Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled March 2026.

Deaths

0 (0 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

1

Property damage

$63,000

Crop damage

$205 million

Events recorded

36 in 15 reports from 4 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

11 tropical storm, 9 flood, 6 flash flood, 4 high surf, 4 heavy rain, 2 high wind.

The Weather Prediction Center attributes 781 rain gauge totals over the contiguous United States to this storm. The wettest reached 12.01 inches (305 mm).

WPC’s storm rainfall file, 1900 to 2020, compiled by David Roth.

The strongest winds National Weather Service offices recorded with this storm. An estimated figure is a forecaster’s judgment from the damage, not an instrument reading.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

Periods of rain associated with Tropical Storm Nora caused extensive crop damage in Imperial County. Most places in Imperial Valley received more than an inch of rain, with one rain gage measuring 2.38 inches. Crops across the county suffered damage from carrots to cotton.

W & C Imperial, California · Tropical Storm · Sep 25, 09:00 UTC

A combination of El Nino conditions in the Eastern Pacific, a large northwest swell from a storm in the Gulf of Alaska, Hurricane Nora, and high tides, sent 5 to 8 foot waves past the shore, flooding a 14 block stretch of Seal Beach. Most houses escaped major flooding, as water rose to porches and front doors, but stopped at sandbags placed just inside. Quick response by city crews helped keep damage to a minimum. Minor damage was confined to three homes, and a few garages were flooded.

Orange County Coastal Plain, California · Flood · Sep 25, 12:00 UTC

Widespread heavy rain from Tropical Storm Nora spread across Yavapai County on 25th through the morning of the 26th. Flooding, flash flooding, and urban flooding occurred in and around Bagdad, Prescott, Yarnell, Peeples Valley, north of Wickenburg (Maricopa County), and Aguila. Flooding and rock/mud slides closed several state and county roads, and city streets for several hours both days in and around the cities mentioned. Precipitation amounts in Yavapai County between 1200Z 09/25/97 and 1800Z 09/26/98 included: Bagdad.................... 5.75 in. Prescott (5 S)........... 5.75 in. Crown King............... 4.79 in. Prescott Airport........ 2.37 in.

Yavapai, Arizona · Flash Flood · Sep 25, 13:00 UTC

Heavy rain spread across Coconino County associated with the Tropical Storm Nora. Urban flooding closed city streets for short periods in Flagstaff and Williams. Precipitation amounts between 12:00 MST 09/25/97 to 12:00 MST 09/26/97 included: Williams (5 S).......................... 2.91 in. Flagstaff (2 SW)....................... 2.60 in. Flagstaff Airport........................ 1.70 in. Grand Canyon (N. rim).............. 2.05 in.

Coconino, Arizona · Flood · Sep 25, 19:00 UTC

• Tropical Storm AndresEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm45 kt · 998 mb
• Tropical Storm BlancaEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm40 kt · 1002 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Depression30 kt
• Tropical Storm CarlosEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm45 kt · 996 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Depression30 kt
• Hurricane DoloresEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 180 kt · 975 mb
• Hurricane EnriqueEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 3100 kt · 960 mb
• Hurricane FeliciaEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 4115 kt · 948 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Depression25 kt
• Hurricane GuillermoEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 5140 kt · 919 mb
• Tropical Storm HildaEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm45 kt · 1000 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Depression30 kt
• Tropical Storm IgnacioEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm35 kt · 1005 mb
• Hurricane JimenaEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 4120 kt · 942 mb
• Hurricane OliwaEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 5140 kt · 915 mb
• Tropical Storm KevinEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm50 kt · 994 mb
• Hurricane LindaEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 5160 kt · 902 mb
• Tropical Storm MartyEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm40 kt · 1002 mb
• Tropical Storm EllaEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm40 kt
• Tropical Storm OlafEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm60 kt · 989 mb
• Hurricane PaulineEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 4115 kt · 948 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Depression25 kt
• Unnamed tropical stormEastern Pacific · 1997Tropical Storm35 kt
• Hurricane RickEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 285 kt · 973 mb
• Hurricane PakaEastern Pacific · 1997Cat 5160 kt · 920 mb

A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.

Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Nora