Hurricane Dolores (2015)

Basin

Eastern Pacific

Dates

July 11, 2015 to July 22, 2015

Peak strength

Category 4, 115 kt (132 mph)

Lowest pressure

946 mb (27.94 inHg)

Landfall

No; closest approach 233 km (145 mi)

Accumulated cyclone energy

14.6

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

150 nmi (278 km, 173 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

30 nmi (56 km, 35 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

15 nmi (28 km, 17 mi)

Overall size

300 nmi (556 km, 345 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

140 kt (161 mph)

Fastest the center moved

14 kt (16 mph)

Identifier

EP052015

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

1 (1 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

2

Property damage

$51 million

Crop damage

none recorded

Events recorded

96 in 14 reports from 3 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

49 flash flood, 15 thunderstorm wind, 12 lightning, 7 debris flow, 5 hail, 4 heavy rain, 2 funnel cloud, 1 flood, 1 tornado.

1 tornado recorded in the United States, strongest first.

The Weather Prediction Center attributes 1,417 rain gauge totals over the contiguous United States to this storm. The wettest reached 4.14 inches (105 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.

At least six inches of water flowed through the intersection of Casino Drive and Highway 163, and the intersection of Thomas Edison and Bruce Woodbury was closed due to flooding.

Clark, Nevada · Flash Flood · Jul 18, 06:45 UTC

During the late morning hours on August 18th, scattered thunderstorms developed across portions of eastern Riverside county and they affected the area around the community of Desert Center. Due to an infusion of tropical moisture from former hurricane, some of the storms produced torrential rainfall with peak rain rates well in excess of 2 inches per hour. The heavy rain produced flash flooding around Desert Center during the early afternoon hours. According to a trained weather spotter, at 1135PST, water was reported to be flowing down both highway 177 and Kaiser Roads about 5 miles northeast of Desert Center. At least 3 inches of water was flowing down the roads. No accidents or injuries were reported due to the swiftly flowing water.

Riverside, California · Flash Flood · Jul 18, 18:30 UTC

Thunderstorms developed across portions of northwestern La Paz county during the afternoon hours on July 18th, and due to an infusion of tropical moisture from hurricane Dolores, some of the storms produced intense rainfall with peak rain rates above 2 inches per hour. The rain led to some urban and small stream flooding in the area around Parker; at 1600MST local law enforcement estimated that there was 4 inches of water over the road at Riverside Drive and Cienega Springs Road approximately 5 miles northeast of Parker. Some of the water was flowing over the roadway. No flash flooding was observed however a Small Stream Flood Advisory had been issued for the area earlier in the afternoon.

La Paz, Arizona · Heavy Rain · Jul 18, 22:00 UTC

Thunderstorms developed across the northwest portions of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the afternoon hours on July 18th; due to an infusion of tropical moisture from hurricane Dolores the stronger storms produced very intense rainfall with peak rain rates above 2 inches per hour. The heavy rain led to both urban and flash flooding in the area around Circle City. At about 1700MST, the public reported that 3 to 6 inches of rain was flowing over the roads from heavy rain, about 6 miles southwest of Circle City. Cars were unable to pass due to the swiftly flowing water. Initially, at 1701MST, an Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory was issued for the area and this was upgraded to a Flash Flood Warning at 1756MST.

Maricopa, Arizona · Flash Flood · Jul 18, 23:30 UTC

Thunderstorms developed across portions of Joshua Tree National Park during the afternoon hours on July 19th. Due to an infusion of tropical moisture from former hurricane Dolores, the storms generated torrential rainfall with peak rain rates well in excess of 2 inches per hour. The intense rainfall led to flash flooding across the western portion of the park. At about 1500PST, local law enforcement reported flash flooding of Park Boulevard, Route 12, near and just southeast of the western entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. In addition, the flooding washed debris onto portions of Park Boulevard. No injuries were reported due to the flash flooding.

San Bernardino, California · Flash Flood · Jul 19, 22:30 UTC

• Hurricane AndresEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 4125 kt · 937 mb
• Hurricane BlancaEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 4125 kt · 936 mb
• Hurricane CarlosEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 180 kt · 978 mb
• Hurricane HalolaEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 285 kt · 959 mb
• Tropical Storm ElaEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Storm40 kt · 1002 mb
• Tropical Storm IuneEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Storm35 kt · 1004 mb
• Tropical Storm EnriqueEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Storm45 kt · 1000 mb
• Tropical Storm FeliciaEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Storm35 kt · 1004 mb
• Hurricane GuillermoEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 295 kt · 967 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Depression30 kt · 1006 mb
• Hurricane HildaEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 4125 kt · 937 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Depression30 kt · 1003 mb
• Hurricane KiloEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 4120 kt · 940 mb
• Hurricane LokeEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 165 kt · 985 mb
• Hurricane IgnacioEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 4125 kt · 942 mb
• Hurricane JimenaEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 4135 kt · 932 mb
• Tropical Storm KevinEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Storm50 kt · 998 mb
• Hurricane LindaEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 3110 kt · 950 mb
• Tropical Storm MaliaEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Storm45 kt · 992 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Depression30 kt · 1001 mb
• Tropical Storm NialaEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Storm55 kt · 992 mb
• Hurricane MartyEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 170 kt · 987 mb
• Hurricane OhoEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 295 kt · 957 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Depression30 kt · 1001 mb
• Tropical Storm NoraEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Storm60 kt · 993 mb
• Hurricane OlafEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 4130 kt · 938 mb
• Hurricane PatriciaEastern Pacific · 2015 · $460 millionCat 5185 kt · 872 mb
• Tropical Storm RickEastern Pacific · 2015Tropical Storm35 kt · 1002 mb
• Hurricane SandraEastern Pacific · 2015Cat 4130 kt · 934 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
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Best track as KMZ, National Hurricane Center
• Best track as a shapefile, National Hurricane Center
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Dolores