1960 Atlantic hurricane season

1960 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
First storm formed June 23, 1960
Last storm dissipated September 25, 1960
Strongest storm Donna – 932 mbar (hPa) (27.53 inHg), 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Total storms 7
Hurricanes 4
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) 2
Total fatalities 387
Total damage $396.7 million (1960 USD)
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962

The 1960 Atlantic hurricane season was the least active Atlantic hurricane season since 1952. The season officially began on June 15, 1960,[1] and lasted until November 15, 1960.[2] These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin.[3] The season had below-average activity, with only seven total storms, but unfortunately, was also devastating.

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 since Hurricane King in 1950, causing six direct deaths, and causing nearly $386.5 million in damage (1960 USD, $2.87 billion 2012 USD). Hurricane Ethel also reached Category 5 strength, but rapidly weakened prior to landfall in Mississippi. This marks the first of only four Atlantic hurricane seasons that two or more Category 5 hurricanes were officially recorded, the other years being 1961, 2005 and 2007. In addition, 1960 remains the only Atlantic hurricane season with two consecutive Category 5 hurricanes.

Contents

Season summary

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1960.[1] It was a below average season in which seven tropical depressions formed. All seven of the depressions attained tropical storm status, and four of these attained hurricane status. Furthermore, two storms reached major hurricane status (Category 3+ on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale); both of which became Category 5 hurricanes. Two hurricane and four tropical storms made landfall during the season and caused 387 deaths and $396.7 million (1960 USD, $2.94 billion 2012 USD) in damage.[4][5][6]

Season activity began on June 23, with the development of an unnamed tropical storm. The season activity was confined only from June to September, and only one or two tropical cyclones developed per month in that time period. In addition, the season featured one of the least active months of August and September on record, with only two tropical cyclone developing in both months. Since the satellite era began, only The last storm of the season, Tropical Storm Florence, dissipated on September 25, over a month before the official end of the season on November 15.[2][4]

Storms


Tropical Storm One

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration June 23 – June 29
Intensity 45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min),  1002 mbar (hPa)
Main article: 1960 Texas tropical storm

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 mi (48 km) south of Corpus Christi, Texas as a 45 mph (75 km/h) storm. The storm looped over southern Texas, dumping heavy rain over the area. It moved slowly northward, and eventually dissipated over Illinois on June 29.[4]

The storm dropped heavy rainfall throughout much of its path, with precipitation amounts peaking at 29.76 in (756 mm) in Port Lavaca, Texas.[7] In Kentucky, rainfall peaked at 11.25 in (286 mm), making it the wettest tropical cyclone in that state.[8] Though weak, the storm caused $3.6 million in damage (1960 USD, $26.7 million 2012 USD) and 15 deaths.[4]

Hurricane Abby

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration July 10 – July 16
Intensity 100 mph (155 km/h) (1-min),  Unknown
Main article: Hurricane Abby (1960)

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 July 13. It became better organized while approaching the coast of British Honduras, now known as Belize, and reached a peak of 85 mph (137 km/h) before hitting the country on July 15. Abby rapidly weakened, and dissipated the next day over Mexico. However, after the remnants of Abby entered the Pacific Ocean, and re-developed into Hurricane Celeste.[4]

Throughout its path, Abby left light damage, totaling to $600,000 (1960 USD, $4.45 million 2012 USD) in damage, all of which was in Dominica and St. Lucia. Abby also caused six fatalities, all on the island of St. Lucia. In addition, Abby dropped light to moderate precipitation on several of the Windward Islands. Only minor effects were reported in Central America, limited to light winds and rain.[9][10]

Tropical Storm Brenda

Main article: Tropical Storm Brenda (1960)
Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration July 28 – July 31
Intensity 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min),  Unknown

A weak circulation in the eastern Gulf of Mexico developed into a tropical depression on July 28. As it headed rapidly northeastward, the depression made landfall southwest of Cross City, Florida. Although the depression moved inland, it intensified into Tropical Storm Brenda over southeastern Georgia on July 29. Further intensification continued, and Brenda reached its peak winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) while paralleling the eastern seaboard on July 30. It moved northward through New England, where it became extratropical on July 31.

Brenda dropped light to relatively heavy rainfall throughout its path, peaking at 14.57 in (370 mm) at the Tampa International Airport. Brenda caused an estimated $5 million (1960 USD, $37.1 million 2012 USD) in damage to western Florida. Brenda also destroyed many trees.

Hurricane Cleo

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration August 17 – August 21
Intensity 90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min),  Unknown

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 August 18 as it moved northeastward. After reaching a peak of 90 mph (140 km/h), cooler waters and upper-level winds weakened it steadily until its dissipation on August 21.

Hurricane Donna

Category 5 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration August 29 – September 13
Intensity 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-min),  932 mbar (hPa)
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 (1960 dollars), and caused 364 deaths, of which 148 were directly caused by the storm.

Hurricane Ethel

Category 5 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration September 14 – September 17
Intensity 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-min),  972 mbar (hPa)
Main article: Hurricane Ethel (1960)

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 (1960 USD) in damage.

Tropical Storm Florence

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration September 17 – September 25
Intensity 45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min),  Unknown

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 September 22, 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 September 27. The only notable topic on Florence was its erratic track across the Atlantic and eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Storm names

The following names were used for named storms (tropical storms and hurricanes) that formed in the North Atlantic in 1960. Storms were named Abby and Donna for the first time in 1960. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.

  • Abby
  • Brenda
  • Cleo
  • Donna
  • Ethel
  • Florence
  • Gladys (unused)
  • Hilda (unused)
  • Isbell (unused)
  • Janet (unused)
  • Katy (unused)
  • Lila (unused)
  • Molly (unused)
  • Nita (unused)
  • Odette (unused)
  • Paula (unused)
  • Roxie (unused)
  • Stella (unused)
  • Trudy (unused)
  • Vesta (unused)
  • Winny (unused)

Retirement

See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names

The name Donna was later retired.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Associated Press (June 15, 1960). "1960 Hurricane Season Open As Planes Prowl". The Evening Independent. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0g9QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dlUDAAAAIBAJ&dq=1960%20hurricane%20season&pg=3556%2C2273287. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  2. ^ a b Palm Beach Post (November 15, 1960). "Hurricane Hunters Go Away Till The Next Time". The Miami News. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eW1VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-z4NAAAAIBAJ&dq=1960%20hurricane%20season&pg=4745%2C7388095. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  3. ^ Neil Dorst (January 12, 2010). "FAQ: When is hurricane season?". Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/G1.html. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  4. ^ a b c d e Gordon Dunn (March 1961). "The Hurricane Season of 1960". United States Weather Bureau. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1960.pdf. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  5. ^ Edward N. Rappaport, Jose Fernandez-Partagas, Jack Beven (April 22, 1997). "The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1996". National Hurricane Center. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastdeadlyapp1.shtml?. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  6. ^ Arnold Sugg (March 1966). "The Hurricane Season Of 1965". United States Weather Bureau. http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/094/mwr-094-03-0183.pdf. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  7. ^ David Roth (March 12, 2007). "Unnamed Tropical Storm - June 22–29, 1960". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/unnamed1960.html. Retrieved April 26, 2011. 
  8. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Rainfall for the Midwest". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. September 26, 2010. http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/tcmidwest.html. Retrieved April 26, 2011. 
  9. ^ "Hurricane Abby Preliminary Report (Page 1)". United States Weather Bureau. August 1960. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1960/abby/prenhc/prelim01.gif. Retrieved May 5, 2011. 
  10. ^ "Hurricane Abby Preliminary Report (Page 2)". United States Weather Bureau. August 1960. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1960/abby/prenhc/prelim02.gif. Retrieved May 5, 2011. 

External links

Tropical cyclones of the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season
Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale
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