Hurricane Nora (2003)

Hurricane Nora

Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Nora shortly after peak intensity on October 5
Formed	October 1, 2003
Dissipated	October 9, 2003
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 105 mph (165 km/h)
Lowest pressure	969 mbar (hPa); 28.61 inHg
Fatalities	None reported
Damage	Minimal
Areas affected	Mexico, Texas
Part of the 2003 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Nora was the final of five tropical cyclones to make landfall in the 2003 Pacific hurricane season. The fourteenth named storm and fifth hurricane of the season, Nora developed on October 1 from a tropical wave. It slowly intensified as it moved northwestward, intensifying into a hurricane on October 4. That day, Nora rapidly intensified to its peak of 100 mph (160 km/h), but the larger Hurricane Olaf to its east prevented further strengthening. An approaching trough turned the rapidly weakening system to the east toward Mexico. By October 7, it was downgraded to a tropical depression. Although it no longer met the criteria for being a tropical cyclone, the National Hurricane Center continued issuing advisories due to the cyclone's proximity with land. Nora unexpectedly redeveloped an area of thunderstorms and moved ashore near Mazatlán, Sinaloa on October 9 before dissipating. The depression dropped locally heavy rainfall in western Mexico, but there were no reports of damage. Later, the remnants combined with Olaf and an upper-level low to produce flooding and a tornado in central Texas.

The origins of Nora were from a tropical wave that exited the west coast of Africa on September 13. It moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea without developing. The wave axis crossed Central America on September 25, with its convection tracking westward along the southern Mexican coastline. On September 29, the system became better organized when it reached a position about 100 mi (160 km) south of Acapulco. Although upper-level wind shear was only marginally favorable, the National Hurricane Center first noted the potential for tropical cyclogenesis on September 30 over the subsequent few days. This verified on October 1 after the thunderstorms organized enough for the system to be classified as Tropical Depression Fourteen-E. At the time, it was located about 600 mi (975 km) south of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.