Hurricane Fifi/Orlene - September 17-25, 1974

An easterly wave moved off the African coast on September 8th.  It was a well-developed system as it
moved across the Atlantic and Caribbean sea.  Convection increased in association with the wave while
in the Caribbean and the system had become sufficiently well-organized to be considered a tropical depression
on the 14th.  The depression moved just north of due west, bypassing Jamaica to the south.  Development ensued,
and the system became a tropical storm just south of Jamaica.  Strengthening continued, with Fifi becoming a
hurricane.  Turning south of due west, Fifi strengthened into a category 2 hurricane before interacting with the
north coast of Honduras.  Making landfall in souther Belize, the storm weakened into a tropical depression while
travelling across southern Mexico.  As it emerged into the Pacific ocean, Fifi became a tropical storm once more,
and was renamed with a name from the eastern Pacific naming list, Orlene.  Orlene arced just offshore the
southwest coast of Mexico regaining hurricane strength before making a second landfall in west-central Mexico.
The cyclone moved inland and dissipated while crossing northern Mexico.

Below is a storm total rainfall map for Fifi/Orlene.  Note the maximum which fell along the east side of
the Sierra Madre Oriental in eastern Mexico.

Hurricane Carmen (1974) Rainfall Hurricane Carmen (1974) Rainfall Hurricane Carmen (1974) Rainfall