1973 Atlantic hurricane season
| 1973 Atlantic hurricane season |
Season summary map
|
| Seasonal boundaries |
| First system formed |
April 18, 1973 |
| Last system dissipated |
October 27, 1973 |
| Strongest storm |
|
| Name |
Ellen |
| • Maximum winds |
115 mph (185 km/h)
(1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure |
962 mbar (hPa; 28.41 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics |
| Total depressions |
24 |
| Total storms |
8 (1 subtropical) |
| Hurricanes |
4 |
Major hurricanes
(Cat. 3+) |
1 |
| Total fatalities |
18 direct, 4 indirect |
| Total damage |
$28 million (1973 USD) |
|
|
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975
|
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 1 – July 7 |
| Peak intensity |
90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min) 986 mbar (hPa) |
| Subtropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 30 – August 2 |
| Peak intensity |
45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min) 1005 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 18 – August 22 |
| Peak intensity |
90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min) 977 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 25 – September 4 |
| Peak intensity |
70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min) 996 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 1 – September 7 |
| Peak intensity |
70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min) 986 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical depression (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 6 – September 12 |
| Peak intensity |
35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min) 1003 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 14 – September 22 |
| Peak intensity |
115 mph (185 km/h) (1-min) 962 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical depression (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 24 – September 26 |
| Peak intensity |
30 mph (45 km/h) (1-min) 1010 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
October 8 – October 12 |
| Peak intensity |
80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min) 978 mbar (hPa) |
The 1973 Atlantic hurricane season was the first season to use the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale, a scale developed in 1971 by Herbert Saffir and Robert Simpson to rate the intensity of tropical cyclones. The season produced 24 tropical and subtropical cyclones, of which only 8 reached storm intensity, 4 became hurricanes, and only 1 reached major hurricane status. Although more active than the 1972 season, 1973 brought few storms of note. Nearly half of the season's storms affected land, one of which resulted in severe damage.
The season officially began on June 1, 1973, and lasted until November 30, 1973. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, the first system formed on April 18, more than a month before the official start. Three more depressions formed before June 1; however, none attained storm intensity. The first named storm of the year was Hurricane Alice which formed on July 1 and became the first known cyclone to affect Bermuda during July. More than a month later, the second hurricane, Brenda, formed and was considered the worst storm to strike Mexico along the eastern coast of the Bay of Campeche, killing 10 people.
Later in August, Tropical Storm Christine became the easternmost forming tropical cyclone on record when it developed formed over Guinea. The most intense storm of the season was Hurricane Ellen, a Category 3 cyclone that remained over open water. The final named storm was meteorologically significant in that it became the first recorded tropical cyclone to transition into a subtropical cyclone. No names were retired during the season; however, due to the addition of male names into the list of Atlantic hurricane names in 1979, several of the names were removed and have not been used since.
...
Wikipedia
