1960 Atlantic hurricane season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Season summary map |
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| First storm formed: | June 22, 1960 |
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| Last storm dissipated: | September 27, 1960 |
| Strongest storm: | Donna - 932 mbar (27.52 inHg), 160 mph (260 km/h) |
| Total storms: | 7 |
| Major storms (Cat. 3+): | 2 |
| Total damage: | $410 million (1960 USD) $2.6 billion (2005 USD) |
| Total fatalities: | 385 |
| Atlantic hurricane seasons 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962 |
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The 1960 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1960, and lasted until November 30, 1960. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season had below-average activity, with only seven total storms.
The most notable storm of the season was Hurricane Donna, which reached Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale and was the longest-lasting major hurricane in the history of the Atlantic basin. It was the worst storm to strike Florida in ten years, causing six direct deaths, and causing $387 million in damage ($2.4 billion in 2000 dollars).
Also, Ethel reached Category 5 strength very briefly before falling apart prior to landfall in Mississippi. This marks the first of only three seasons that two or more Category 5 hurricanes have formed (the others being the 1961 and 2005 seasons); it remains the only season with two consecutive Category 5 hurricanes.
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[edit] Storms
[edit] Tropical Storm One
The southern portion of a strong westerly trough developed into a tropical depression in the Bay of Campeche on June 22. It moved northwestward, strengthening into a tropical storm the next day and hitting 30 miles south of Corpus Christi, Texas as a 45 mph storm. The storm looped over southern Texas, dumping heavy rain over the area. It moved slowly northward, and eventually dissipated over Illinois on the 29th. Though weak, the storm caused $3.6 million in damage (1960 dollars) and 15 deaths.
[edit] Hurricane Abby
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| Abby radar image and storm track. | |
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The tropical depression that became Hurricane Abby developed east of the Lesser Antilles on July 10, likely from a tropical wave. As it crossed the islands, it rapidly strengthened into a hurricane that night. Abby remained disorganized while crossing the Caribbean Sea, and weakened back to a tropical storm on the 13th. It became better organized while approaching the coast of British Honduras, now known as Belize, and reached a peak of 85 mph before hitting the country on the 15th. Abby dissipated the next day over Mexico, after causing around $600,000 (1960 USD) in damage, and killing six in St. Lucia.
[edit] Tropical Storm Brenda
A weak circulation in the eastern Gulf of Mexico developed into a tropical depression on July 28. It moved rapidly northeastward, becoming a tropical storm the next day while over southeastern Georgia. Brenda reached her peak of 60 mph on the 30th while paralleling the eastern seaboard. It moved northward through New England, where it became extratropical on the 31st. Brenda caused an estimated $5 million (1960 dollars) in damage to western Florida. Brenda also destroyed many trees.
[edit] Hurricane Cleo
The precursor to Hurricane Cleo was a trough of low pressure that developed into a tropical cyclone on August 17. Cleo, a small storm, became a hurricane on the 18th as it moved northeastward. After reaching a peak of 90 mph, cooler waters and upper-level winds weakened it steadily until its dissipation on the 21st.
[edit] Hurricane Donna
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| Donna radar image and storm track. | |
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- Main article: Hurricane Donna
Hurricane Donna was the most destructive hurricane of the season. After reaching Category 5 strength in the open ocean in early September, it passed north of the Greater Antilles as a Category 4. Donna hit the Florida Keys, Fort Myers, Florida, the Outer Banks, and finally Long Island, New York on September 12. Donna caused $400 million in damage (1950 dollars, $3.3 billion in 2005 dollars), and caused 364 deaths, of which 148 were directly caused by the storm.
[edit] Hurricane Ethel
- Main article: Hurricane Ethel
Hurricane Ethel formed in the Gulf of Mexico on September 14 and intensified rapidly, reaching Category 5 strength that evening just south of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The storm weakened to a tropical storm the next morning after brushing lower Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana with hurricane-force winds. Ethel made landfall as a tropical storm on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, causing just $1 million US ($6 million adjusted for inflation) in damage.
[edit] Tropical Storm Florence
A large area of shower activity north of Puerto Rico developed into a tropical depression on September 17. It became a tropical storm the next day, but unfavorable conditions weakened Florence back to a depression. It looped over Cuba on the 22nd, and moved northeastwards over Florida. A ridge of high pressure forced Florence back westward where, after moving across the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, it dissipated over Mississippi on the 27th.
[edit] 1960 storm names
The following names were used for named storms (tropical storms and hurricanes) that formed in the North Atlantic in 1960. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.
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[edit] Retirement
- See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricanes
The name Donna was later retired.
