1952 Atlantic hurricane season
Encyclopedia
The 1952 Atlantic hurricane season was the most recent season
in which all named storms
attained hurricane status, although it was the least active since 1946
. The season officially started on June 15; however, a pre-season unnamed storm
formed on Groundhog Day
, becoming the only storm on record in the month of February. The other six tropical cyclone
s were named using the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
, the first of which formed on August 18. The final storm of the season dissipated on October 28, two and a half weeks before the season officially ended on November 15.
Four of the tropical cyclones made landfall
during the season, the first being the February tropical storm that crossed southern Florida
. The first hurricane, named Able
, struck South Carolina
with winds of 105 mph (169 km/h), causing heavy damage near the coast and widespread power outages. It moved up most of the East Coast of the United States
, leaving 3 deaths and widespread damage. As a developing tropical cyclone, Hurricane Charlie caused damaging flooding and landslides in southwest Puerto Rico. The final and strongest of the season, Hurricane Fox
, struck Cuba
with winds of 150 mph (241.4 km/h); it killed 40 people and left heavy damage, particularly to the sugar crop, reaching $10 million (1952 USD
, $ USD).
two months after the end of the hurricane season. It moved quickly north-northwestward and intensified into a tropical storm, followed by a northeast turn after brushing the Yucatan Peninsula
. Early on February 3, the storm struck Cape Sable, Florida and quickly crossed the state. The Miami National Weather Service
office recorded a wind gust of 68 mph (110 km/h) during its passage. The winds damaged windows and power lines, catching residents and tourists off-guard. The cyclone also dropped 2–4 inches (50–100 mm) of precipitation along its path, causing crop damage in Miami-Dade County
.
After leaving Florida, the storm continued rapidly northeastward, strengthening to 50 mph (85 km/h) winds. On February 4 it completed the transition into an extratropical cyclone
off the coast of North Carolina
. Later that day, it passed over Cape Cod
, and early on February 5 dissipated after crossing into Maine
. The storm caused scattered power outages and gusty winds across New England
. The cyclone remains the only tropical or subtropical
storm on record during the month of February, and was the earliest tropical cyclone to strike the United States.
on August 18. It moved generally west- to west-northwestward for much of its duration, intensifying into a tropical storm on August 24 east of the Lesser Antilles
. The next day, Hurricane Hunters
confirmed the presence of Tropical Storm Able. Passing north of the islands, the storm attained hurricane status on August 27. On August 30, Able turned to the north-northwest due to an approaching cold front
, and the next day made landfall
near Beaufort, South Carolina
with peak winds of 105 mph (169 km/h). The town was heavily damaged, and was briefly isolated after winds downed power and telephone lines. Across South Carolina, the hurricane caused two indirect deaths, as well as moderate damage totaling $2.2 million (1952 USD
, $ USD).
As Able turned north and northeastward over land, the winds quickly weakened to tropical storm force, although it retained gale force winds through North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland; this was due to remaining over the flat terrain east of the Appalachian Mountains
, as well as retaining a plume of tropical moisture from its south. It left light damage in North Carolina, some of it due to a tornado. In Maryland, heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding, which washed out the tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
near Baltimore. In Ellicott City, Maryland
, the rains flooded several houses, forcing families to evacuate. Two tornadoes were also reported in the region, and damage in the Washington, D.C.
area reached $500,000 (1952 USD
, $ USD). Further northeast, the storm continued to produce heavy rainfall, causing flooding, as well as one indirect death in Pennsylvania. After moving through New England, Able dissipated on September 2 near Portland, Maine
.
With a large anticyclone
located over the Ohio Valley, Baker turned to the northeast on September 5, passing about halfway between Bermuda and North Carolina. The hurricane slowly weakened as it moved through the north Atlantic Ocean, just missing Newfoundland while maintaining winds of 80 mph (128.7 km/h). Wind gusts on Avalon Peninsula
reached 70 mph (112.7 km/h), and heavy fishing damage was reported in Lower Island Cove
. After affecting the island, Baker transitioned into an extratropical storm, which lasted another day before dissipating south of Greenland
.
. As it tracked west-northwestward, the depression dropped heavy rainfall, peaking at 4.42 in (112.3 mm) in Christiansted, United States Virgin Islands, as well as 11.9 in (302.3 mm) in Garzas, Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, the rains caused and landslides that affected seven towns, notably Ponce
, the island's second-largest city. There, at least 14 buildings were destroyed. The floods left more than 1,000 people homeless, 300 of whom took refuge in a Red Cross shelter. Overall, the flooding on the island killed four people and left moderate damage of around $1 million (1952 USD
, $ USD).
After affecting Puerto Rico, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Charlie, and subsequently struck the Dominican Republic
on September 23. The circulation became disrupted while crossing Hispaniola
, although it reorganized near the Turks and Caicos Islands
. On September 25, Charlie attained hurricane status,, and due to its continued northwest motion, the Weather Bureau advised small craft to remain at port in the southeastern United States coast. However, the hurricane turned to the north and northeast on September 26, during which the Hurricane Hunters recorded peak winds of 120 mph (193.1 km/h). It briefly threatened Bermuda, prompting the United States Air Force
to evacuate its fleet of airplanes from Kindley Air Force Base
. Charlie ultimately northwest of Bermuda, and later began weakening. On September 29 it turned eastward, and later that day transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. The remnants lasted two more days before dissipating 400 mi (643.7 km) southeast of Newfoundland.
, near where the previous hurricane developed. The depression proceeded northward, and was detected by the Hurricane Hunters on October 7. The next day, a plane flew into Easy and reported peak winds of 110 mph (177 km/h), indicating the storm had rapidly intensified. By the time it reached peak intensity, the hurricane had turned sharply to the east, and later began to move toward the south. As quickly as it strengthened, Easy began to weaken, and an aircraft reported winds of only 48 mph (77.2 km/h) on October 9. The storm headed southwest, ultimately dissipating on October 11 about 155 mi (249.4 km) southwest of where it formed. Easy never affected land.
, believed to have been from the Intertropical Convergence Zone
. It moved northwestward, intensifying into a tropical storm on October 21 and a hurricane the following day. Fox subsequently turned to the north, intensifying to a major hurricane as it passed west of the Cayman Islands. Late on October 24, the cyclone struck the small island of Cayo Guano del Estes in the Archipelago de los Canarreos
, south of Cienfuegos
, Cuba. It struck the island with peak winds of 150 mph (241.4 km/h), and the island reported a minimum pressure of 934 mbar (27.59 inHg). Shortly thereafter, Fox crossed the mainland coast of Cuba west of Cienfuegos, and it weakened while crossing the island.
Hurricane Fox crossed Cuba in a rural area dominated by sugar plantations, with heavy damage reported to 36 mills. In one town, the hurricane destroyed about 600 homes and damaged over 1,000 more. Across the island, the strongest winds downed large trees and washed a large freighter ashore. Heavy rainfall affected all but the extreme eastern and western end of the island, with a peak of 6.84 in (173.7 mm) near Havana
. The rains flooded low-lying areas and caused rivers to exceed their banks. Throughout Cuba, Hurricane Fox injured 70 people, killed 40, and heavy damage totaling $10 million (1952 USD
, $ USD). Fox was among the strongest hurricanes to strike the country.
After crossing Cuba, Fox emerged into the Atlantic Ocean with winds of 100 mph (160.9 km/h), crossing central Andros
and turning eastward though the Bahamas. On New Providence
, the hurricane dropped 13.27 in (337.1 mm) of rainfall, Strong winds caused severe crop damage, leaving 30% of the tomato crop destroyed. After briefly restrengthening to a major hurricane, Fox began a steady weakening trend. It turned abruptly to the north-northwest, followed by another turn to the northeast. On October 28, Fox was absorbed by a cold front west-southwest of Bermuda.
. Names that were not used to designate tropical cyclones are marked in .
Atlantic hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year when hurricanes usually form in the Atlantic Ocean. Tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic are called hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition, there have been several storms over the years that have not been fully...
in which all named storms
Tropical cyclone naming
Tropical cyclones have officially been named since 1945 and are named for a variety of reasons, which include to facilitate communications between forecasters and the public when forecasts, watches, and warnings are issued. Names also reduce confusion about what storm is being described, as more...
attained hurricane status, although it was the least active since 1946
1946 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1946 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 16, 1946, and lasted until November 15, 1946. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin....
. The season officially started on June 15; however, a pre-season unnamed storm
1952 Groundhog Day Tropical Storm
The 1952 Groundhog Day Storm was the only Atlantic tropical cyclone on record in the month of February. First observed in the western Caribbean Sea on February 2, it moved rapidly throughout its duration and struck southwestern Florida within 24 hours of forming. In the state, the winds...
formed on Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter-like weather will soon end...
, becoming the only storm on record in the month of February. The other six tropical cyclone
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
s were named using the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
The Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet was a radio alphabet developed in 1941 and was used by all branches of the United States military until the promulgation of the ICAO spelling alphabet in 1956, which replaced it...
, the first of which formed on August 18. The final storm of the season dissipated on October 28, two and a half weeks before the season officially ended on November 15.
Four of the tropical cyclones made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
during the season, the first being the February tropical storm that crossed southern Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The first hurricane, named Able
Hurricane Able (1952)
Hurricane Able was the only hurricane to make landfall in the United States in the 1952 season. Forming on August 18 off the west coast of Africa, Able moved generally west- to west-northwestward for much of its duration. It was first observed by the Hurricane Hunters on August 25 to the...
, struck South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
with winds of 105 mph (169 km/h), causing heavy damage near the coast and widespread power outages. It moved up most of the East Coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, leaving 3 deaths and widespread damage. As a developing tropical cyclone, Hurricane Charlie caused damaging flooding and landslides in southwest Puerto Rico. The final and strongest of the season, Hurricane Fox
Hurricane Fox (1952)
Hurricane Fox was the strongest and deadliest tropical cyclone of the below average 1952 Atlantic hurricane season. The seventh tropical storm, sixth Atlantic hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the season, Fox was a small and intense Caribbean storm that developed northwest of Cartagena,...
, struck Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
with winds of 150 mph (241.4 km/h); it killed 40 people and left heavy damage, particularly to the sugar crop, reaching $10 million (1952 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $ USD).
Unnamed Tropical Storm
On February 2, a tropical depression formed in the western Caribbean SeaCaribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
two months after the end of the hurricane season. It moved quickly north-northwestward and intensified into a tropical storm, followed by a northeast turn after brushing the Yucatan Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
. Early on February 3, the storm struck Cape Sable, Florida and quickly crossed the state. The Miami National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
office recorded a wind gust of 68 mph (110 km/h) during its passage. The winds damaged windows and power lines, catching residents and tourists off-guard. The cyclone also dropped 2–4 inches (50–100 mm) of precipitation along its path, causing crop damage in Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
.
After leaving Florida, the storm continued rapidly northeastward, strengthening to 50 mph (85 km/h) winds. On February 4 it completed the transition into an extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
off the coast of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Later that day, it passed over Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, and early on February 5 dissipated after crossing into Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. The storm caused scattered power outages and gusty winds across New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. The cyclone remains the only tropical or subtropical
Subtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
storm on record during the month of February, and was the earliest tropical cyclone to strike the United States.
Hurricane Able
Over six months after the previous storm dissipated, a tropical depression developed just off the west coast of AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
on August 18. It moved generally west- to west-northwestward for much of its duration, intensifying into a tropical storm on August 24 east of the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
. The next day, Hurricane Hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
confirmed the presence of Tropical Storm Able. Passing north of the islands, the storm attained hurricane status on August 27. On August 30, Able turned to the north-northwest due to an approaching cold front
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
, and the next day made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
near Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
with peak winds of 105 mph (169 km/h). The town was heavily damaged, and was briefly isolated after winds downed power and telephone lines. Across South Carolina, the hurricane caused two indirect deaths, as well as moderate damage totaling $2.2 million (1952 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $ USD).
As Able turned north and northeastward over land, the winds quickly weakened to tropical storm force, although it retained gale force winds through North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland; this was due to remaining over the flat terrain east of the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
, as well as retaining a plume of tropical moisture from its south. It left light damage in North Carolina, some of it due to a tornado. In Maryland, heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding, which washed out the tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
near Baltimore. In Ellicott City, Maryland
Ellicott City, Maryland
Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The population was 65,834 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Howard County...
, the rains flooded several houses, forcing families to evacuate. Two tornadoes were also reported in the region, and damage in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
area reached $500,000 (1952 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $ USD). Further northeast, the storm continued to produce heavy rainfall, causing flooding, as well as one indirect death in Pennsylvania. After moving through New England, Able dissipated on September 2 near Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
.
Hurricane Baker
The third tropical cyclone of the season developed on August 31 a short distance east of the northern Lesser Antilles. Its presence was reported by a ship the next day that encountered rough seas and gale force winds. As a result, the Weather Bureau sent the Hurricane Hunters to investigate the system, which reported a strengthening hurricane moving northwestward. Given the name Baker, the hurricane passed north of the Lesser Antilles, reaching peak winds of 120 mph (193.1 km/h) late on September 3. For several days, the Hurricane Hunters reported similar winds, along with gusts up to 140 mph (225.3 km/h).With a large anticyclone
Anticyclone
An anticyclone is a weather phenomenon defined by the United States' National Weather Service's glossary as "[a] large-scale circulation of winds around a central region of high atmospheric pressure, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere"...
located over the Ohio Valley, Baker turned to the northeast on September 5, passing about halfway between Bermuda and North Carolina. The hurricane slowly weakened as it moved through the north Atlantic Ocean, just missing Newfoundland while maintaining winds of 80 mph (128.7 km/h). Wind gusts on Avalon Peninsula
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland.The peninsula is home to 257,223 people, which is approximately 51% of Newfoundland's population in 2009, and is the location of the provincial capital, St. John's. It is connected to the...
reached 70 mph (112.7 km/h), and heavy fishing damage was reported in Lower Island Cove
Lower Island Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
Lower Island Cove is an incorporated town located on the Bay de Verde Peninsula on the north shore of Conception Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is a fishing community that has seen a decrease in residents since the cod moratorium.-History:...
. After affecting the island, Baker transitioned into an extratropical storm, which lasted another day before dissipating south of Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
.
Hurricane Charlie
On September 22, a tropical wave moved into the eastern Caribbean Sea, spawning a tropical depression just west of MartiniqueMartinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. As it tracked west-northwestward, the depression dropped heavy rainfall, peaking at 4.42 in (112.3 mm) in Christiansted, United States Virgin Islands, as well as 11.9 in (302.3 mm) in Garzas, Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, the rains caused and landslides that affected seven towns, notably Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, the island's second-largest city. There, at least 14 buildings were destroyed. The floods left more than 1,000 people homeless, 300 of whom took refuge in a Red Cross shelter. Overall, the flooding on the island killed four people and left moderate damage of around $1 million (1952 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $ USD).
After affecting Puerto Rico, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Charlie, and subsequently struck the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
on September 23. The circulation became disrupted while crossing Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
, although it reorganized near the Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the Caribbean, the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, known for tourism and as an offshore financial centre.The Turks and...
. On September 25, Charlie attained hurricane status,, and due to its continued northwest motion, the Weather Bureau advised small craft to remain at port in the southeastern United States coast. However, the hurricane turned to the north and northeast on September 26, during which the Hurricane Hunters recorded peak winds of 120 mph (193.1 km/h). It briefly threatened Bermuda, prompting the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
to evacuate its fleet of airplanes from Kindley Air Force Base
Kindley Air Force Base
Kindley Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base in Bermuda from 1948–1970, having been operated from 1943 to 1948 by the United States Army Air Force as Kindley Field.-World War II:...
. Charlie ultimately northwest of Bermuda, and later began weakening. On September 29 it turned eastward, and later that day transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. The remnants lasted two more days before dissipating 400 mi (643.7 km) southeast of Newfoundland.
Hurricane Dog
On September 25, a tropical wave spawned a tropical storm about 700 mi (1,126.5 km) east of the Lesser Antilles. Given the name Dog, the storm moved northwestward for its entire duration. On September 26, Hurricane Hunters observed winds of 78 mph (125.5 km/h), which indicated that Dog attained hurricane status. The plane also estimated winds of around 100 mph (160.9 km/h), although they were unable to located a closed center of circulation. After maintaining hurricane status for about 18 hours,, Dog began a marked weakening trend, with winds of only 50 mph (85 km/h) by September 27. Continuing to weaken, the storm dissipated on September 29. The Weather Bureau advised ships to avoid the storm, but overall Dog did not affect land. As the Hurricane Hunters did not reported a well-defined circulation, there was a possibility Dog was not a tropical cyclone; the report of the 1952 season assessed that Dog remained a tropical wave.Hurricane Easy
On October 6, a tropical depression formed about 700 mi (1,126.5 km) east of AntiguaAntigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, near where the previous hurricane developed. The depression proceeded northward, and was detected by the Hurricane Hunters on October 7. The next day, a plane flew into Easy and reported peak winds of 110 mph (177 km/h), indicating the storm had rapidly intensified. By the time it reached peak intensity, the hurricane had turned sharply to the east, and later began to move toward the south. As quickly as it strengthened, Easy began to weaken, and an aircraft reported winds of only 48 mph (77.2 km/h) on October 9. The storm headed southwest, ultimately dissipating on October 11 about 155 mi (249.4 km) southwest of where it formed. Easy never affected land.
Hurricane Fox
The final and strongest tropical cyclone of the season formed on October 20 in the Caribbean Sea off the northwest coast of ColombiaColombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, believed to have been from the Intertropical Convergence Zone
Intertropical Convergence Zone
The Intertropical Convergence Zone , known by sailors as The Doldrums, is the area encircling the earth near the equator where winds originating in the northern and southern hemispheres come together....
. It moved northwestward, intensifying into a tropical storm on October 21 and a hurricane the following day. Fox subsequently turned to the north, intensifying to a major hurricane as it passed west of the Cayman Islands. Late on October 24, the cyclone struck the small island of Cayo Guano del Estes in the Archipelago de los Canarreos
Canarreos Archipelago
Canarreos Archipelago is an archipelago of Cuba.It is located south of the main island of Cuba, in the Caribbean Sea, at . It is bordered to the east by the Gulf of Cazones, to the north by the Gulf of Batabano and to the west by the Los Indios Channel....
, south of Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos is a city on the southern coast of Cuba, capital of Cienfuegos Province. It is located about from Havana, and has a population of 150,000. The city is dubbed La Perla del Sur...
, Cuba. It struck the island with peak winds of 150 mph (241.4 km/h), and the island reported a minimum pressure of 934 mbar (27.59 inHg). Shortly thereafter, Fox crossed the mainland coast of Cuba west of Cienfuegos, and it weakened while crossing the island.
Hurricane Fox crossed Cuba in a rural area dominated by sugar plantations, with heavy damage reported to 36 mills. In one town, the hurricane destroyed about 600 homes and damaged over 1,000 more. Across the island, the strongest winds downed large trees and washed a large freighter ashore. Heavy rainfall affected all but the extreme eastern and western end of the island, with a peak of 6.84 in (173.7 mm) near Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
. The rains flooded low-lying areas and caused rivers to exceed their banks. Throughout Cuba, Hurricane Fox injured 70 people, killed 40, and heavy damage totaling $10 million (1952 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $ USD). Fox was among the strongest hurricanes to strike the country.
After crossing Cuba, Fox emerged into the Atlantic Ocean with winds of 100 mph (160.9 km/h), crossing central Andros
Andros, Bahamas
Andros Island is an archipelago within the archipelago-nation of the Bahamas, the largest of the 26 inhabited Bahamian Islands. Geo-politically considered a single island, Andros has an area greater than all the other 700 Bahamian islands combined...
and turning eastward though the Bahamas. On New Providence
New Providence
New Providence is the most populous island in the Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. It also houses the national capital city, Nassau.The island was originally under Spanish control following Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, but the Spanish government showed...
, the hurricane dropped 13.27 in (337.1 mm) of rainfall, Strong winds caused severe crop damage, leaving 30% of the tomato crop destroyed. After briefly restrengthening to a major hurricane, Fox began a steady weakening trend. It turned abruptly to the north-northwest, followed by another turn to the northeast. On October 28, Fox was absorbed by a cold front west-southwest of Bermuda.
Storm names
These names were used to name storms during the 1952 season, the third and final time storm names were taken from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic AlphabetJoint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
The Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet was a radio alphabet developed in 1941 and was used by all branches of the United States military until the promulgation of the ICAO spelling alphabet in 1956, which replaced it...
. Names that were not used to designate tropical cyclones are marked in .
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See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Atlantic hurricane seasons