Hurricane Fifi originated from a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on September 8.
As the storm entered the Atlantic, satellite imagery showed that the system was already well-developed.
Traveling westward, the wave entered the Caribbean Sea by September 13.
Soon after emerging into the Caribbean, convective activity quickly increased.
The following day, a US Navy reconnaissance aircraft flew into the system and found a developing low-level circulation.
Operationally, the system was not declared a tropical depression by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) until late on September 15; however, in the Atlantic hurricane database, it was determined that it had become a tropical depression during the afternoon of September 14.
The NHC initially forecast the depression to continue its west-northwest track, eventually brushing Cuba, although the storm never took the northerly turn.

The depression continued to organize as it turned westward, and late on September 16 the system intensified into Tropical Storm Fifi while just south of Jamaica.
As it moved due west, the storm intensified, attaining hurricane status roughly 24 hours after being named following the formation of an eyewall feature.
At that time, the storm was asymmetrical, with gale-force winds extending up to 100 mi (155 km) to the north and up to 50 mi (85 km) to the south.
The storm turned slightly southwestward, and by September 18, Fifi reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 971 mbar (hPa; 28.67 inHg).
This made Fifi a high-end Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale, which had been adopted the previous year.
Around this time, the hurricane had nearly doubled in size, with a gale diameter now covering an area 300 mi (485 km) across.

Although earlier in the season Hurricane Carmen had attained Category 4 status in a similar location, Fifi was unable to intensify further due to its proximity to land.
Most of the southern portion of the circulation was inhibited by the mountains of Honduras as it passed within 20 mi (32 km) of the coast.
Fifi maintained its peak intensity for roughly 24 hours until it began to weaken shortly before making landfall near Placencia, Belize with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h).
After moving inland, the hurricane weakened to a tropical storm and further deteriorated into a tropical depression once it moved over southwestern Mexico late on September 20.
Two days later, the former hurricane emerged back over water near Acapulco, Mexico, becoming the third known tropical cyclone to traverse Central America and enter the northeastern Pacific hurricane basin.
When it moved back over open waters, Fifi re-attained tropical storm status; however, it only maintained this intensity for 18 hours before being renamed Orlene.
There is disagreement amongst tropical cyclone forecasting agencies as to the role Fifi played in Orlene's development.

After the formation or merger of the systems, Orlene began to intensify.
During the afternoon of September 23, the storm intensified into a hurricane as it quickly traveled towards the north-northeast.
Shortly before making landfall, a small eye developed within the center of the hurricane, resulting in the NHC upgrading it to a Category 2 storm with maximum winds of 105 mph (165 km/h).
However, the EPHC reported that the storm peaked with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h).
Rapid weakening took place following the storm's landfall, degenerating into a remnant low just six hours after moving inland.
The remnant system persisted for several more hours before dissipating over the mountains of Mexico.
Hurricane Fifi originated from a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on September 8. As the storm entered the Atlantic, satellite imagery showed that the system was already well-developed. Traveling westward, the wave entered the Caribbean Sea by September 13. Soon after emerging into the Caribbean, convective activity quickly increased. The following day, a US Navy reconnaissance aircraft flew into the system and found a developing low-level circulation. Operationally, the system was not declared a tropical depression by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) until late on September 15; however, in the Atlantic hurricane database, it was determined that it had become a tropical depression during the afternoon of September 14. The NHC initially forecast the depression to continue its west-northwest track, eventually brushing Cuba, although the storm never took the northerly turn.
The depression continued to organize as it turned westward, and late on September 16 the system intensified into Tropical Storm Fifi while just south of Jamaica. As it moved due west, the storm intensified, attaining hurricane status roughly 24 hours after being named following the formation of an eyewall feature. At that time, the storm was asymmetrical, with gale-force winds extending up to 100 mi (155 km) to the north and up to 50 mi (85 km) to the south. The storm turned slightly southwestward, and by September 18, Fifi reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 971 mbar (hPa; 28.67 inHg). This made Fifi a high-end Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale, which had been adopted the previous year. Around this time, the hurricane had nearly doubled in size, with a gale diameter now covering an area 300 mi (485 km) across.
Although earlier in the season Hurricane Carmen had attained Category 4 status in a similar location, Fifi was unable to intensify further due to its proximity to land. Most of the southern portion of the circulation was inhibited by the mountains of Honduras as it passed within 20 mi (32 km) of the coast. Fifi maintained its peak intensity for roughly 24 hours until it began to weaken shortly before making landfall near Placencia, Belize with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). After moving inland, the hurricane weakened to a tropical storm and further deteriorated into a tropical depression once it moved over southwestern Mexico late on September 20. Two days later, the former hurricane emerged back over water near Acapulco, Mexico, becoming the third known tropical cyclone to traverse Central America and enter the northeastern Pacific hurricane basin. When it moved back over open waters, Fifi re-attained tropical storm status; however, it only maintained this intensity for 18 hours before being renamed Orlene. There is disagreement amongst tropical cyclone forecasting agencies as to the role Fifi played in Orlene's development.
After the formation or merger of the systems, Orlene began to intensify. During the afternoon of September 23, the storm intensified into a hurricane as it quickly traveled towards the north-northeast. Shortly before making landfall, a small eye developed within the center of the hurricane, resulting in the NHC upgrading it to a Category 2 storm with maximum winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). However, the EPHC reported that the storm peaked with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Rapid weakening took place following the storm's landfall, degenerating into a remnant low just six hours after moving inland. The remnant system persisted for several more hours before dissipating over the mountains of Mexico.
Hurricane Fifi–Orlene