1960 Atlantic hurricane season
All the storms of the season | |
Formation of the first storm |
June 22 |
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Dissolution of the last storm |
September 27th |
Strongest storm | Donna - 932 hPa ( mbar ), 140 kn (260 km / h ) |
Storms | 7th |
Hurricanes | 4th |
Severe hurricanes ( Cat. 3+ ) | 2 |
Total number of victims | 385 |
Total damage | $ 410 million (1960) |
The 1960 hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1960 and ended on November 30, 1960. These dates usually delimit the period of each year when most of the tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. The season was below average, with only seven storms in total.
The season's most notable storm was Hurricane Donna , which reached Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale and was the longest-running major hurricane on record for tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Basin. It was the worst storm to hit Florida in the past decade, with six direct deaths and $ 387 million in damage (2.4 billion in dollars from 2000).
Ethel also quickly reached Category 5 before falling off before going ashore in Mississippi . This marks the first of just five seasons in which two or more Category 5 hurricanes formed (the others were 1961 , 2005 , 2007, and 2017 ); it remains the only season with two consecutive Category 5 hurricanes.
Storms
Tropical storm one
Tropical storm | |||
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Duration | June 23rd - June 29th | ||
intensity | 40 kn (75 km / h ) (1 minute) , ≤1002 hPa |
The southern part of a strong western depression developed into a tropical depression in Campeche Bay on June 22nd. It moved northwest, intensifying into a tropical storm the next day, striking 30 miles south of Corpus Christi , Texas at 72 km / h. The storm meandered over southern Texas , pouring heavy rainfall over the area. It moved slowly northward and finally broke up over Illinois on the 29th. Although weak, the storm caused $ 3.6 million (1960) and 15 deaths in damage.
Hurricane Abby
Category 2 hurricane | |||
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Duration | July 10th - July 16th | ||
intensity | 85 kn (155 km / h ) (1 minute) |
The tropical depression that became Hurricane Abby arose east of the Lesser Antilles on July 10th, likely from a tropical wave. When it crossed the islands it turned into a hurricane very quickly during the night. Abby stayed cluttered while cruising the Caribbean and weakened again to a tropical storm on the 13th. It became clearer as it approached the coast of British Honduras, now Belize , and reached a high of 137 km / h before it hit land on the 15th. Abby broke up over Mexico the next day after causing $ 600,000 ($ 1960) in damage and killing six people in St. Lucia .
Tropical storm Brenda
Tropical storm | |||
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Duration | July 28th - July 31st | ||
intensity | 50 kn (95 km / h ) (1 minute) |
A weak circulation in the eastern Gulf of Mexico turned into a tropical depression on June 28th. It moved quickly northeast and turned into a tropical storm over southeast Georgia the next day . Brenda peaked at 60 mph on the 30th while running along the east coast. He moved north through New England , where he became extra-tropical on the 31st. Brenda caused an estimated $ 5 million (1960) damage in west Florida .
Hurricane Cleo
Category 1 hurricane | |||
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Duration | August 17th - August 21st | ||
intensity | 80 kn (150 km / h ) (1 minute) |
The precursor to Hurricane Cleo was a low pressure depression that developed into a tropical cyclone on August 17. Cleo, a small storm turned hurricane on the 18th as it moved northeast. After it reached a high of 145 km / h, cooler waters and higher-level winds weakened it steadily until it dissolved on 21.
Hurricane Donna
- See main article: Hurricane Donna
Category 5 hurricane | |||
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Duration | August 29th - September 13th | ||
intensity | 140 kn (260 km / h ) (1 minute) , 932 hPa |
Hurricane Donna was the season's most devastating hurricane. After reaching Category 5 strength on the open ocean in early September, it passed the north of the Greater Antilles as Category 4. Donna hit the Florida Keys , Fort Myers , the Outer Banks and finally Long Island , New York on September 12th. Donna caused $ 400 million in damage and 364 deaths, of which 148 were directly caused by the storm.
Hurricane Ethel
Category 5 hurricane | |||
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Duration | September 14th - September 17th | ||
intensity | 140 kn (260 km / h ) (1 minute) , 972 hPa |
Hurricane Ethel formed in the Gulf of Mexico on September 14 and rapidly intensified, reaching Category 5 that evening south of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The storm weakened to a tropical storm the next morning after hitting lower Plaquemines Parish with hurricane-like winds. Ethel came ashore on the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a tropical storm, causing only $ 1 million in damage.
Tropical storm Florence
Tropical storm | |||
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Duration | September 17th - September 25th | ||
intensity | 40 kn (75 km / h ) (1 minute) |
A large area of rainy activity north of Puerto Rico developed into a tropical depression on September 17th. The next day it became a tropical storm, but unfavorable conditions weakened Florence back to a low pressure area. It moved over Cuba on the 22nd and moved northeast over Florida . A high pressure ridge forced Florence westward, where, after moving over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, it dissolved over Mississippi on the 27th.
Names of the 1960s storms
The following names were used as names for storms (tropical storms and hurricanes) that formed in the North Atlantic in 1960. Names that have not been set are highlighted.
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Withdrawal
The name Donna was later removed from the list of tropical cyclone names and replaced with Dora .