1954 Atlantic hurricane season
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 Season summary map |
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| First storm formed: | June 24, 1954 |
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| Last storm dissipated: | January 6, 1955 |
| Strongest storm: | Hazel - 937 mbar (27.67 inHg), 155 mph (250 km/h) |
| Total storms: | 11 |
| Major storms (Cat. 3+): | 2 |
| Total damage: | $751.6 million (1954 USD) $5.2 billion (2005 USD) |
| Total fatalities: | 1069 |
| Atlantic hurricane seasons 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 |
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The 1954 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1954, and lasted until November 15, 1954.[1] These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin, although in actuality the season continued to the end of 1954 and into 1955 due to the second Hurricane Alice - the first such overlap ever recorded.
The season was a busy one for the Northeastern United States. Hurricane Carol and Hurricane Edna followed nearly identical paths, brushing North Carolina's Outer Banks before striking New England; the two storms caused $500 million (1954 US dollars) in damages. Hurricane Hazel was the worst storm of the season, killing hundreds and causing $250 million (1954 USD) in damage in a long path from Haiti to Toronto.
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[edit] Storms
[edit] Hurricane Alice (June)
- Main article: Hurricane Alice (June 1954)
A tropical storm rapidly developed in the western Gulf of Mexico on June 24, becoming a hurricane the next day. Alice hit northeastern Mexico on the 25th, and dissipated the next day over Texas. Heavy rains caused major crop damage (cotton), as well as 55 deaths.
[edit] Tropical Storm Barbara
On July 27 a tropical depression formed in the northern Gulf of Mexico. It headed northwestward, becoming a tropical storm the next day. Barbara hit near Vermillion Bay, Louisiana on the 29th, and dissipated the next day. The storm caused some moderate flooding, but it was more beneficial than harmful.
[edit] Hurricane Carol
- Main article: Hurricane Carol
Hurricane Carol developed from a tropical wave over the Bahamas on August 25. It moved generally northward, reaching a peak of 95 mph winds before brushed North Carolina's Outer Banks and hitting New England on the 31st. Carol caused $460 million in damage (1954 US dollars), and left 60 dead.
[edit] Hurricane Dolly
A fast moving tropical wave became a tropical depression on August 31 just northwest of Puerto Rico. It became a tropical storm later that day, and a hurricane on the 1st. After reaching a peak of 95 mph winds, Dolly became extratropical south of Nova Scotia on September 2.
[edit] Hurricane Edna
- Main article: Hurricane Edna
Edna followed a very similar path to Carol brushing the Outer Banks before making landfall on Cape Cod and striking Maine; both landfalls were as a Category 1. Hurricane Edna brought more winds and heavy rain to New England, an area hit by Carol only 12 days before, causing 20 deaths and $40 million (1954 USD) in damage.
[edit] Hurricane Florence
A tropical storm formed in the Bay of Campeche on September 11. Florence moved west-southwestward, and hit between Tuxpan, Veracruz, and Nautla, Veracruz, on the 12th as a minimal hurricane. The hurricane dissipated later that day, after causing 5 deaths and $1.5 million (1954 dollars) in damage, mostly from banana crop destruction.
[edit] Tropical Storm Gilda
Tropical Storm Gilda formed in the Central Caribbean Sea on September 24. It moved westward, reaching a peak of 70 mph winds before hitting Belize on the 27th. Gilda caused heavy rains and flooding, leading to 29 deaths and extensive flooding, mostly in northern Honduras.[1]
[edit] Hurricane Eight
A tropical depression formed in the Central Atlantic on September 25. It drifted east-northeastward, eventually becoming a tropical storm on the 29th. The storm turned west-southwestward, and became a hurricane on the 2nd. It turned to the northeast on the 3rd, and reached a peak of 95 mph winds shortly thereafter. On the 6th, Hurricane Eight became extratropical over the Northeastern Atlantic.
[edit] Unnumbered Tropical Depression
Sometime in early October or extremely late September, a tropical depression formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It made landfall near the United States-Mexico border on October 3. As an extratropical system, it went inland and eventually turned to the north and crossed into New Mexico before dissipating on October 7. The system caused flash flooding in the Pecos River system. A maximum of 9.8 inches of rainfall from this system was recorded near Canton, New Mexico.[2]
[edit] Hurricane Hazel
- Main article: Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel was the most destructive hurricane in the 1954 season. It developed in the Caribbean, moved northward, and hit Haiti as a major hurricane in early October. It continued rapidly north-northwestward, and made landfall near the North Carolina/South Carolina border as a Category 4 hurricane on October 15. Hazel went on to move through Canada as an extratropical storm, bringing very heavy rain and hurricane-force winds on its path of destruction. Hazel caused around $250 million in damage (1954 dollars), as well as between 600–1200 deaths across Haiti, the United States, and Canada.
[edit] Tropical Storm Ten
On November 16, a tropical depression developed northeast of the Lesser Antilles. It moved to the west, reaching a peak of 50 mph winds before dissipating on the 21st.
[edit] Hurricane Alice (December)
- Main article: Hurricane Alice (December 1954)
Hurricane Alice was one of only two Atlantic tropical storms and the only hurricane on record whose duration spanned two calendar years (the other was Tropical Storm Zeta in 2005). It formed northeast of the Lesser Antilles in late December, and dissipated over the southeastern Caribbean Sea in early January, causing minor damage.
The name Alice was used twice during this season; the latter storm was believed to have formed on January 1, 1955, thus making it part of the 1955 season. During post-storm analysis, however, it was determined that this storm formed December 30, 1954, and was thus part of the 1954 season. The names are the same since the National Weather Service recycled the same naming list year after year during this era. Had it been discovered before the end of 1954, it would have been Hurricane Irene.
[edit] Storm names
The following names were used for named storms (tropical storms and hurricanes) that formed in the North Atlantic in 1954. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.
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[edit] Retirement
- See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
The name Carol was re-used in the 1965 season, but was retroactively retired when the modern naming system was introduced. Edna was reused in 1968 and retired. Hazel was not re-used and was retired.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Stuart G. Baird. AF 'Hurricane Hunter' In Sky Over East Coast. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
[edit] External links
| 1950-59 Atlantic hurricane seasons | |
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