Hurricane Norbert (2014)

Basin

Eastern Pacific

Dates

September 2, 2014 to September 11, 2014

Peak strength

Category 3, 110 kt (127 mph)

Lowest pressure

950 mb (28.05 inHg)

Landfall

No; closest approach 90 km (56 mi)

Accumulated cyclone energy

11.5

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

120 nmi (222 km, 138 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

40 nmi (74 km, 46 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

20 nmi (37 km, 23 mi)

Overall size

175 nmi (324 km, 201 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

130 kt (150 mph)

Fastest the center moved

10 kt (12 mph)

Identifier

EP142014

The sources count different things and are not added together.

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

Deaths

2 (2 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

1

Property damage

$22 million

Crop damage

$1.5 million

Events recorded

188 in 10 reports from 5 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

84 flash flood, 70 heavy rain, 21 flood, 7 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning.

The Weather Prediction Center attributes 2,921 rain gauge totals over the contiguous United States to this storm. The wettest reached 6.25 inches (159 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.

CHP reported the slow lane of Highway 60 at Main Street under at least 2 feet of water with several vehicles stuck in the water. CHP also reported one lane of the northbound University on-ramp to Interstate 215 is flooded. Also, all lanes of northbound Interstate 215 are flooded, except the HOV lane. Spotter 217 reported several locations flooded along Iowa Avenue in Riverside, near UC Riverside. Iowa Avenue at Center Street, Marlborough Street, and several other spots were under a foot or more of water, running up over the gutters and curbs. CHP also reported a woman stuck in her vehicle on the 14th Street on-ramp to eastbound SR 91. Several vehicles were also stuck in approximately 4 feet of water at the railroad crossing on 14th Street. CHP shut down both sides of the road there.

Riverside, California · Flash Flood · Sep 7, 20:30 UTC

Widespread and intense showers and embedded thunderstorms developed across the central portion of the greater Phoenix area during the early morning hours on September 8th, and they affected the community of Ahwatukee. Rainfall rates with the heavier storms exceeded 2 inches per hour at times and led to significant flooding of streams, washes and roads in the area, and the flooding seriously impacted the Mountain Park Community Church located at 24th Street and Pecos Road. A wash that runs behind the church crested during the morning's heavy rainfall and sent water cascading into the church. The water rose above the chairs in the auditorium, actually filling up the entire auditorium. The flooding made for a massive cleanup, and close to 75 volunteers rallied during the afternoon to clean up the mud and debris.

Maricopa, Arizona · Heavy Rain · Sep 8, 10:00 UTC

CHP reported 3 vehicles stuck in water, one of which has water up over the tires. Varner Road and Bob Hope Drive are closed. Two other vehicles stuck in water at Varner Road and Date Palm Drive. CHP reported heavy flooding in the center divide and #1 lane of Interstate 10 westbound. CHP reported 6 vehicles stuck in water on Ramon Road at Chimayo Road, with water covering the tires of at least one of the vehicles. CHP reported a stalled vehicle partially in the roadway and stuck in water on Ramon Road at Thousand Palms Canyon Road. As of 0830 PST, numerous vehicles were getting stuck and blocking Thousand Palms Canyon Road, so the wash was shut down at Frances, just east of Thousand Palms Canyon Road. The ALERT gage at Thousand Palms NE recorded 1.54 inches of rain between 0530-0630 PST.

Riverside, California · Flash Flood · Sep 8, 13:00 UTC

Heavy rainfall from Norbert extended into the early afternoon hours. Several additional swift water rescues occurred. One occurred in the Pima Wash on Rudasill Rd between 1st Avenue and Oracle Road, where a single occupant was successfully rescued after his vehicle was swept off the road by quickly flowing water. Around the same time but further north, a swift water rescue occurred near Hardy Rd and Northern Ave in Oro Valley. Yet another rescue occurred when a 69-year old man and his 76-year old wife got caught in flash flood waters near Highway 79 in Oracle Junction. The couple attempted to drive through flood waters near Suizo Road when their Honda Accord began floating down Cadillac Wash. They both exited the car and the man made it to dry land, but his wife was regrettably swept down the wash and perished as she was unable to swim.

Pinal, Arizona · Flash Flood · Sep 8, 18:45 UTC

Major flash flooding affected the Moapa, Logandale, and Mesquite areas. Several local roads were washed out and some were covered with five feet of silt. At least 20 homes were damaged and many people were evacuated. Parts of the Union Pacific railroad track were washed out. The parking lot of a power generating plant was filled with six feet of flood water. Interstate 15 suffered major damage and was closed for days. Cars floated down the highway, and one person was injured when he jumped in to help the occupants of a minivan which was swept over a 10-15 foot drop. Four earthen dams were breached in the area.

Clark, Nevada · Flash Flood · Sep 8, 20:38 UTC

Several swift water rescues took place near and west of Fort Apache and Russell. At least six inches of water, mud, and rocks flowed over Tropicana and Grand Canyon.

Clark, Nevada · Flash Flood · Sep 8, 20:40 UTC

Flash flooding was widespread across Washington county, including flooding reported in the cities of St. George, Washington, and Ivins. The most common flooding occurred in washes and city streets, with several areas experiencing over a foot of water flowing through the streets. Approximately 15 homes were flooded in the St. George area, and a few homes were damaged in Ivins. Flooding also damaged parts of the Southgate Golf Course in St. George. Many parts of Zion National Park experienced flooding, and the park actually shut down for part of the day when mud, debris, and a large boulder slid onto State Route 9, blocking traffic. The North Fork of the Virgin River rose to 4,790 cfs, the 7th highest recorded flow in the river in the last 100 years.

Washington, Utah · Flash Flood · Sep 9, 12:30 UTC

Significant flash flooding was reported in several drainages across Kane County, including Warm Creek and Wahweap Creek. The Paria River rose to 1,519 cfs at the southern end of the river, with widespread flash flooding around the headwaters of the Paria due to widespread, long-duration rainfall.

Kane, Utah · Flash Flood · Sep 9, 14:40 UTC

Several roads remained washed out and bridges washed out across the county. East Long Creek and Seven Mile Creek remained out of their banks. Residual high water remains on other creeks and streams with standing water in many places. Damage was reported to many road surfaces.

Clarke, Iowa · Flood · Sep 10, 11:02 UTC

A water rescue took place at 1700 Pitzer road in Madison County. Two vehicles hit a water low spot where the road had been flooded by the North River and it inundated both vehicles at separate times. The drivers of each vehicle had to be rescued and with no injuries reported. One driver was rescued out of a tree while the other was rescued from the top of one of the vehicles.

Madison, Iowa · Flood · Sep 10, 11:15 UTC

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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
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Best track as KMZ, National Hurricane Center
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Norbert