Heather's remnants later brought heavy rains to southeast Arizona and far northern parts of Sonora from October 6–10, causing severe flooding.

Heather began as a tropical disturbance, roughly 300 miles (480 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, at 18:00 UTC on October 3.

Moving west-northwest at about 14 mph (23 km/h), the disturbance intensified over sea surface temperatures (SSTs) of 84 °F (29 °C), and was upgraded to Tropical Depression Sixteen at 00:00 UTC on October 4.

[1][2] At 12:00 UTC on October 5, Heather reached peak winds of 85 mph (137 km/h), while about 165 mi (265 km) west-northwest of Socorro Island.

[1][2] A NOAA reconnaissance aircraft estimated a sea-level pressure of 978 millibars (28.9 inHg) at 21:00 UTC, the lowest recorded in relation to the storm.

Heather fell to tropical storm status late on October 6, while about 285 mi (460 km) west of Isla Magdalena.

Heather continued to weaken after turning north over waters as cool as 72 °F (22 °C), and satellite imagery showed the storm's upper and lower circulations separating by about 140 mi (230 km).

[11] The warnings were ultimately lifted on October 9 during the evening in eastern Pima, Cochise, and Santa Cruz counties.

[12][15] Reports of 10–14 inches (250–360 mm) of rainfall were recorded in unspecified areas of the mountains near Nogales and across the border in far northern Mexico.

[24] The National Guard debated evacuating residents of Kino Springs, though this turned out to be unnecessary when the storm calmed down.

[26] A flash flood watch was put in place along the coastal areas of San Diego and Riverside counties in California.

[10] Parts of south and southwest Colorado and west and central New Mexico had flash flood watches issued by October 7;[29] later that day, some were upgraded to warnings.

[10] Parts of the mountains of far northern Sonora, Mexico, along with areas just north across the border into Arizona, reportedly received somewhere between 10 and 14 inches (250 and 360 mm) of rain from Heather.

Another 20 families, trapped by the Cibuta River, were rescued by a helicopter sent by Arizona Governor Raúl Héctor Castro.