Hurricane Rosa (2018)

Basin

Eastern Pacific

Dates

September 25, 2018 to October 2, 2018

Peak strength

Category 4, 130 kt (150 mph)

Lowest pressure

936 mb (27.64 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

17.0

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

160 nmi (296 km, 184 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

35 nmi (65 km, 40 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

15 nmi (28 km, 17 mi)

Overall size

240 nmi (444 km, 276 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

150 kt (173 mph)

Fastest the center moved

12 kt (14 mph)

Identifier

EP202018

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

2 (2 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

1

Property damage

$4.6 million

Crop damage

none recorded

Events recorded

67 in 15 reports from 3 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

55 flash flood, 5 flood, 4 thunderstorm wind, 1 high surf, 1 hail, 1 heavy rain.

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.

A thunderstorms produced radar estimated 2 to 4 inches of rain in Box Canyon near I-10 within Box Canyon. The runoff destroyed a dike operated by Coachella Valley Water District. The moisture was associated with pre Tropical Cyclone Rosa. The thunderstorm produced prolific lightning in the area. Box Canyon had a flash flood which drains from the little San Bernardino mountains. The water eventually drains into the Salton Sea. A vehicle travelling on Box Canyon road was swept away in the flash flood and the driver drowned (within PHX area of responsibility).

Riverside, California · Flash Flood · Sep 30, 23:00 UTC

Tropical moisture spread north and into Imperial County during the day on September 30; the moisture moved in ahead of Hurricane Rosa and led to the development of isolated thunderstorms. Some of the stronger storms produced gusty and damaging outflow winds in the community of Seeley, to the west of the Imperial Valley. According to a trained weather spotter, at 1613PST outflow winds estimated to be as high as 60 mph damaged a number of trees in Seeley. The winds blew down several branches with diameters of at least 4 inches and some branches landed in the road.

Imperial, California · Thunderstorm Wind · Oct 1, 00:13 UTC

Copious amounts of tropical moisture spread north into the greater Phoenix area during the morning hours on October 2nd; the moisture was associated with former hurricane Rosa and led to the development of widespread moderate to heavy showers. The heavy rains led to episodes of street flooding and flash flooding across central and northern portions of the Phoenix area including the community of Paradise Valley. According to the City of Paradise Valley Emergency Manager, as of 1016MST many streets in Paradise Valley were closed due to flash flooding. Some of the more significant closures were in the area around the intersection of Tatum Boulevard and Lincoln Drive, about 2 miles west of Paradise Valley. No accidents were reported in the area. A Flash Flood Warning was issued earlier in the morning, at 0730MST, and remained in effect at the time of the flash flooding report.

Maricopa, Arizona · Flash Flood · Oct 2, 15:00 UTC

Copious amounts of tropical moisture spread north and into south Phoenix during the morning hours on October 2nd. The moisture was associated with former hurricane Rosa and led widespread moderate to heavy showers; some locations picked up between 2 and 3 inches of rain. According to a trained spotter 3 miles northwest of Guadalupe, 2.6 inches of rain fell during the morning hours. The heavy rain resulted in episodes of flash flooding. At 1015MST, the Phoenix Police Department reported that flash flooding closed Baseline Road at 7th Street. Shortly thereafter, at 1032MST, the City of Phoenix reported that 19th Avenue was closed between Dobbins Road and South Mountain Avenue due to the flash flooding. A Flash Flood Warning was issued for the area at 0730MST and remained in effect through 1030MST. No accidents or injuries were reported due to the flooding or road closures.

Maricopa, Arizona · Flash Flood · Oct 2, 15:00 UTC

• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Depression30 kt · 1007 mb
• Hurricane AlettaEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 4120 kt · 943 mb
• Hurricane BudEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 4120 kt · 943 mb
• Tropical Storm CarlottaEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm55 kt · 997 mb
• Tropical Storm DanielEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm40 kt · 1004 mb
• Tropical Storm EmiliaEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm50 kt · 997 mb
• Hurricane FabioEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 295 kt · 964 mb
• Tropical Storm GilmaEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm40 kt · 1005 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Depression30 kt · 1007 mb
• Hurricane HectorEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 4135 kt · 936 mb
• Tropical Storm IleanaEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm55 kt · 998 mb
• Hurricane JohnEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 295 kt · 964 mb
• Tropical Storm KristyEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm60 kt · 991 mb
• Hurricane LaneEastern Pacific · 2018 · 1 death · $250 millionCat 5140 kt · 926 mb
• Hurricane MiriamEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 285 kt · 974 mb
• Hurricane NormanEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 4130 kt · 937 mb
• Hurricane OliviaEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 4115 kt · 951 mb
• Tropical Storm PaulEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm40 kt · 1002 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Depression30 kt · 1002 mb
• Hurricane WalakaEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 5140 kt · 921 mb
• Hurricane SergioEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 4120 kt · 942 mb
• Tropical Storm TaraEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm55 kt · 995 mb
• Tropical Storm VicenteEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm45 kt · 1002 mb
• Hurricane WillaEastern Pacific · 2018Cat 5140 kt · 925 mb
• Tropical Storm XavierEastern Pacific · 2018Tropical Storm55 kt · 995 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 Rosa