The tropical wave split on September 26, with the northern portion moving northwestward near the southwestern coast of Mexico. By September 27, the system had organized deep convection and was producing tropical storm force winds, but data from scatterometers indicated that it lacked a closed circulation. Although TWOs issued on September 27 predicted a high probability for development, the chances for tropical cyclogenesis was decreased later that day, due to the system's close proximity to land. On September 28, satellite data and ships' observations indicated a closed circulation. Thus, Tropical Storm Norman developed at 0600 UTC, while located about southeast of Cabo San Lucas. Initially, the storm was expected to intensify slightly before making landfall on September 29 and then dissipate on the following day. However, upon developing into a tropical cyclone at 1200 UTC on September 28, Norman attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). Thereafter, Norman began heading northward between a mid-to upper-level low to its west and a mid-level ridge over the Gulf of Mexico. Later on September 28, the storm entered the Gulf of California and began weakening due to a significant increase in wind shear and interaction with land. Around that time, the cloud pattern became less organized and convection was being displaced from the circulation. Early on September 29, the storm curved northwestward and was downgraded to a tropical depression due to difficulty in locating the center of circulation and significant disorganization. Norman made landfall near Topolobampo with winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) at 0500 UTC on September 29. Shortly thereafter, the storm re-curved west-northwestward and re-emerged into the Gulf of California. Norman degenerated into a remnant low pressure area at 1200 UTC on September 29. The remnant low moved slowly west-southwestward, before dissipating over Baja California Sur near Loreto on September 30. The Government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning along the Pacific coast of Mexico from La Cruz, Sinaloa to Huatabampo at 1500 UTC on September 28. Early on the following day, the tropical storm warning was discontinued. An orange alert" (high risk) was issued for parts of the state of Sinaloa, and a yellow alert was in effect for Baja California Sur, and green alert was declared for southern Sonora. A "blue alert", minimum risk, was issued for north-central Sonora, Durango, Chihuahua and Zacatecas.