How Do Hurricanes Affect Arizona's Weather Patterns?

The weather in Arizona doesn't change much. Until it does. You might be surprised to learn that we get the same weather you find in other parts of the country: hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, they've all been known to occur in our state.

These weather patterns are quite different here, though. While a hurricane off the coast of Florida could be devastating, an "Arizona Hurricane" has quite a different impact.

READ: Is This Climate Pattern Bad News for Arizona's Summer Monsoon?

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Where Do Arizona’s Hurricanes Come From?

Hurricanes in Arizona typically begin as tropical storms that form off the coast of the Baja Peninsula.

They usually start in the Eastern Pacific and cruise up the coast of Mexico. They make their way across Baja California or Sonora, then weaken before crossing into Arizona. By the time they reach Southeastern Arizona, they don't really resemble a hurricane anymore. What's left are the storm's remnants, but don’t let that fool you. These hurricane leftovers can still pack a punch.

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How Are They Different from East Coast Hurricanes?

Here are some key differences between East and West Coast hurricanes, according to the National Weather Service.

East Coast hurricanes hit with full force. They can bring windspeeds over 100 mph, coupled with storm surge and widespread destruction.
Arizona hurricanes are more like soggy ghost hurricanes. By the time they reach us, they’ve lost their wind muscle. They can still carry tons of moisture, and for Arizona, that can mean flash floods, hail, and some pretty impressive wind damage.

READ: El Niño, Climate Change, & Crazy Weather! Is the AZ Monsoon Here?

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What Happens When Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Hit Arizona?

This year, we were hit by an impressive tropical storm that left a wide swath of damage in its wake. In September, for example, a slow-moving tropical system dumped 1–2.5 inches of rain across Phoenix.

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Some places in Arizona got even more. Globe/Miami received 2 to 3 inches of rain in less than an hour, causing devastating flash floods, hail, and, sadly, loss of life when vehicles were trapped by the sudden downpour.

Yes, hurricanes and tropical storms in Arizona hit different, but that doesn't mean they're harmless, and it's always good to be prepared.

LOOK: Biggest tornadoes in Arizona of the past decade

Stacker compiled a list of the biggest tornadoes in Arizona over the past decade using data from NOAA.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

25 costliest hurricanes of all time

Although the full extent of damage caused by Hurricane Ian in the Southwest is still being realized, Ian is already being called one of the costliest storms to ever hit the U.S. Stacker took a look at NOAA data to extrapolate the costliest U.S. hurricanes of all time.