1953 Atlantic hurricane season
| 1953 Atlantic hurricane season |
Season summary map
|
| Seasonal boundaries |
| First system formed |
May 25, 1953 |
| Last system dissipated |
December 9, 1953 |
| Strongest storm |
|
| Name |
Carol |
| • Maximum winds |
160 mph (260 km/h) |
| • Lowest pressure |
929 mbar (hPa; 27.43 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics |
| Total depressions |
14 |
| Total storms |
14 |
| Hurricanes |
7 |
Major hurricanes
(Cat. 3+) |
3 |
| Total fatalities |
14+ |
| Total damage |
$3.75 million (1953 USD) |
|
|
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955
|
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
May 25 – June 7 |
| Peak intensity |
70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min) 994 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 11 – July 15 |
| Peak intensity |
45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min) ≤ 1005 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 11 – August 15 |
| Peak intensity |
90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min) 973 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 5 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 28 – September 9 |
| Peak intensity |
160 mph (260 km/h) (1-min) 929 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 29 – September 1 |
| Peak intensity |
40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min) 1007 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 8 – September 12 |
| Peak intensity |
75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min) 989 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 15 – September 18 |
| Peak intensity |
115 mph (185 km/h) (1-min) 962 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 15 – September 21 |
| Peak intensity |
50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 1002 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 23 – September 27 |
| Peak intensity |
115 mph (185 km/h) (1-min) ≤ 968 mbar (hPa) |
The 1953 Atlantic hurricane season was the first time an organized list of female names was used to name Atlantic storms. It officially began on June 15, and lasted until November 15, although activity occurred both before and after the season's limits. The season was active with fourteen total storms, six of which developed into hurricanes; four of the hurricanes attained major hurricane status, or a Category 3 or greater on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
The strongest hurricane of the season was Carol, although by the time it struck Atlantic Canada it was much weaker. Both hurricanes Barbara and Florence struck the United States; the former crossed the Outer Banks and impacted much of the east coast, and Florence struck a sparsely populated region of the Florida Panhandle without causing much damage. Bermuda was threatened by three hurricanes within two weeks. In addition to the hurricanes, Tropical Storm Alice developed in late May and left several fatalities in Cuba. The final named storm of the season, Hazel, produced additional rainfall in Florida after previous flooding conditions. There were several unnamed storms, the last of which dissipated on December 9.
A tropical storm developed east of Nicaragua on May 25, executing a counterclockwise loop over Central America. After weakening over land, Alice re-intensified over the western Caribbean, moving over western Cuba on May 21 with winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). On June 1, it entered the Gulf of Mexico, and later executed another loop off the northwest coast of Cuba. Alice quickly weakened due to a cold front, and advisories were discontinued by June 3. While near Cuba, Alice produced drought-breaking rainfall that caused flooding and several unofficial drowning deaths.
After passing near Cuba, Alice turned to the north and restrengthened to peak winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) (in fact, it is possible Alice briefly reached hurricane intensity but data was inconclusive). It again weakened before making landfall near Panama City Beach on June 6 as a minimal tropical storm, and Alice dissipated shortly thereafter. Alice brought heavy rainfall to Florida, peaking at 13.48 inches (342 mm) in Lake Placid. Near where it made landfall, the storm dropped light rainfall, and there were no reports of damage in the state. Alice was the first North Atlantic tropical cyclone to have a female name. It was also one of 22 tropical or subtropical cyclones on record in the month of May.
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Wikipedia
