1942 Atlantic hurricane season
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 Season summary map |
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| First storm formed: | Aug. 17, 1942 |
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| Last storm dissipated: | Nov. 11, 1942 |
| Strongest storm: | #2 - 100 knots (115 mph) |
| Total storms: | 10 |
| Major storms (Cat. 3+): | 1 |
| Total damage: | $30.6 million (1942 USD) |
| Total fatalities: | 17 |
| Atlantic hurricane seasons 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944 |
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The 1942 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1942, and lasted until November 30, 1942. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin.
The 1942 season was fairly quiet. A few storms of note were a Category 2 hurricane striking central Texas, a Category 1 storm hitting north Texas and another Category 2 hitting Belize. Most of the rest of the season's storms stayed out to sea. Only 1 major hurricane formed during the season and the only other landfall was a weak tropical storm that struck the Maryland coast.
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[edit] Storms
Only storms that affected land or are notable in some way are mentioned here.
[edit] Hurricane One
A tropical storm was first observed on August 17 near the Yucatán Peninsula. It tracked northwestward, where it slowly intensified to a minimal hurricane. The hurricane made landfall on the eastern Texas coast on the 21st, and dissipated two days later over extreme southern Missouri. The hurricane caused around $600,000 in damage.
[edit] Hurricane Two
The precursor to Hurricane Two was a tropical wave that developed into a tropical storm on August 21 over the Windward Islands. It moved westward over the Caribbean Sea, strengthening to a hurricane on the 25th south of Jamaica. The hurricane crossed over the northeast tip of the Yucatán Peninsula on the 28th. While over the Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane reached a peak of 115 mph winds, but weakened to a minimal hurricane on the 30th just before hitting the central Texas coast. The next day it dissipated over northwestern Texas, after resulting in $26.5 million in damage and eight casualties.
[edit] Hurricane Ten
On November 5, a tropical storm was first seen over the northern Lesser Antilles. It headed west-northwestward, becoming a hurricane on the 6th over the southern Bahamas. A ridge of high pressure to its north forced the storm west-southwestward, where it hit Cuba later that day. After weakening over the island, the now tropical storm re-strengthened to a hurricane on the 8th over the western Caribbean Sea. It attained a peak of 95 mph winds before hitting Belize on the 9th. After crossing the Yucatán Peninsula, the ridge of high pressure built to its northwest, forcing the storm back southeastward. It hit the western Yucatán Peninsula on the 11th, and dissipated shortly thereafter over land. The hurricane was responsible for 9 deaths, $4 million in damage, and unavailable damage figures elsewhere.
