1979 Atlantic hurricane season
Encyclopedia
The 1979 Atlantic hurricane season was the first in which the Atlantic hurricane naming list
included both male and female names. It officially began on June 1 and lasted until November 30, and there was tropical cyclone activity in every month. The dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclone
s form in the Atlantic basin
. Hurricane Frederic hit 4 countries and 2 states.
The most notable storm of 1979 was Hurricane David
, a Category 5 storm on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale that killed over 2,000 people, mostly in the Dominican Republic
, and caused nearly 1.5 billion dollars in damage (1979 USD). Hurricane Frederic
, which caused $2.3 billion (1979 US dollars and became the most expensive hurricane in United States
history when it made landfall near the border between Mississippi
and Alabama
.
was an average but destructive season with 27 depressions, with nine reaching tropical storm strength. The notable cyclones include Tropical Depression One which caused one of Jamaica's worst natural disasters. Tropical Storm Claudette became one of the most destructive tropical storms of all time and created a 24-hour rainfall record for the United States. Hurricane David
peaked at Category 5 status becoming the first hurricane of such strength to make landfall directly in the Dominican Republic
, killing over 2,000 people. Hurricane Frederic became a weak Category 4 hurricane with winds of 135 mi/h, causing over $4–8 billion dollars in damage (2005 USD) to some of the same areas impacted by Hurricane David. Hurricane Henri
formed in Mid-September in the Gulf of Mexico
and never made landfall, which is a rare occurrence. Damage for the whole season totaled out to $4.27 billion (1979 USD).
The season's activity was reflected with a cumulative accumulated cyclone energy
(ACE) rating of 93. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength. Subtropical storms are not included in the ACE value.
before dissipating on June 10.
on June 11 produced heavy rainfalls with record floods in several parishes for two days with maximum sustained wind
s of 35 mph (56.3 km/h). The depression continued north, parallelling the Florida
coast on June 15 and made landfall in South Carolina
on June 16. Tropical Depression One dissipated over land. The town of Friendship recorded 32 in (812.8 mm) of rain with 15 in other parts of western Jamaica. Due to saturated mud from other rains, caused one of Jamaica
's worst natural disaster in the 70s. Over 210,000 people were affected by floods on June 12 alone causing for major damage. Economic damages totalled out to $27 million (1979 USD-$75 million in 2006 USD) with forty people killed.
The flooding in western Jamaica from Tropical Depression One devastated the area and caused the government to establish a permanent disaster management organization.
on June 19. She was one of the first tropical storms to develop that far east during the month of June since the 1933 Atlantic hurricane season
. The depression curved gently northwest and strengthened into Tropical Storm Ana while 100 miles (160.9 km) northeast of Barbados on June 22. Ana crossed the Leeward Islands
and weakened into a tropical depression. The storm degenerated the next morning in the central Caribbean Sea
.
on July 8. The depression moved nearby Bermuda
with no ill effects. The tropical depression then curved northeast, and dissipated on July 13 in the open Atlantic.
and curved northeast. The storm strengthened rapidly, reaching hurricane strength a couple hundred miles south of the Louisiana
coast on July 11. It made landfall near Dulac, Louisiana
later that day, killing two people and causing $20 million ($55.56 million in 2006 USD) in damages. Bob dropped 3-5 inches of rain over southern Indiana
before moving south through the mid-Atlantic
states and out into the Atlantic Ocean
. The storm finally dissipated on July 16.
Bob was the first July hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico
since Hurricane Debra in the 1959 season
as well as the first North Atlantic tropical cyclone to have a male name from the new alternating male-female lists.
and dissipated on July 11 to the northeast of South America
.
. It had two spells as a tropical storm; the first was a brief one east of Puerto Rico
. The storm passed directly over the island just after weakening, where it killed one person from flooding. The depression moved slowly through the Greater Antilles
before emerging into the Gulf of Mexico. Claudette restrengthened into a tropical storm south of Sabine Pass, Texas
and made landfall near Port Arthur
, killing one person from floods. The storm stalled over Alvin, Texas
on the evening of July 25 and dropped 45 inches (1,143 mm) of rain there over the next 42 hours; this included 43 inches (1,092.2 mm) in 24 hours, the highest 24-hour rainfall amount in United States history. Damages from flooding in Texas were significant, totaling $400 million (1979 USD).
on August 4. The depression made landfall on the southeastern tip of Newfoundland on August 5 after passing southeast of Nova Scotia
earlier that morning. Tropical Depression Six became an extratropical cyclone on August 6 southeast of Labrador
, and crossed the north Atlantic ocean, moving across northwest Europe on August 8 through August 11 before turning northward towards the North Pole while dissipating.
in the central Atlantic east of the Windward Islands
. The storm headed west, steadily strengthening. By the time David reached the Leeward Islands
, it was at Category 4 intensity. David continued strengthening and reached Category 5 status south of Puerto Rico
. It spent nearly two days at Category 5 intensity, storming through Santo Domingo
, the capital of the Dominican Republic
. Crossing Hispaniola
weakened the storm greatly however, and David exited the island as a weak Category 1. It strengthened into a Category 2 off the south Florida
coast.
The western eyewall
crossed the shoreline near Fort Lauderdale
and continued up the entire length of the coast of eastern North America
. After transitioning to an extratropical cyclone
, David intensified once more as it crossed the far north Atlantic, clipping northwestern Iceland
before moving eastward well north of the Faroe Islands
on September 10. The beach erosion was severe. David killed over 2,000 people in Hispaniola, 56 people on the island of Dominica
, and 12 people in the U.S. as well as causing $1.54 billion (1979 USD) in damage.
David was only one of two storms to directly impact the Dominican Republic at such intensity, the only other being the Hurricane 2 of 1930
.
on August 27, however on August 29, ship and buoy reports mentioned a low-level circulation forming. An Air Force
reconnaissance
flight confirmed the report and was upgraded into Tropical Depression Six on the same day. Slow development occurred causing the depression to gain strength slowly, however by the next day, it was able to strengthen into Tropical Storm Elena. Elena did not intensify, peaking with maximum sustained wind
s of 40 mph with a pressure of 1004 mb. Elena turned toward the Texas coast near Matagorda Bay
, spawning watches and warnings and made landfall on September 1 as a weak tropical storm. Elena weakened below tropical depression criteria by the next day. Elena caused less than $10 million dollars (1979 USD) ($28 million 2005 USD) in damage but managed to kill two people in floods.
. It first became a hurricane in the central Atlantic east of the Windward Islands
but soon weakened back into a tropical storm. Frederic crossed Hispaniola and weakened into a tropical depression. Frederic then crossed Cuba
and regained tropical storm strength before entering the Gulf of Mexico
. It was then that Frederic started to strengthen rapidly. By the time it reached a point just east of the Mississippi River Delta
, Frederic was a Category 4. It made landfall near the Alabama
/Mississippi
border, just to the west of Mobile
, Alabama
. Due to prior warning, the death toll was a minimal five people; however, damages soared to $2.3 billion (1979 dollars) in damage.
on September 4. Steadily weakening thereafter over cool waters, the depression dissipated southeast of the Azores on September 6.
. The northwesterly course was influenced by the depression's large size. On September 6, the depression became Tropical Storm Gloria and reached hurricane strength the next day. After becoming a hurricane, Gloria slowed down to just about 15 mi/h to the northwest until September 10. However, rising pressures caused Gloria to go in a westerly drift for a few days. Rapid acceleration to the northeast occurred with satellites indicating that Gloria had reached her peak intensity of 105 mi/h on September 13 with a minimum pressure of 975 mbar. Gloria merged with a low-pressure system on September 15 and lost tropical characteristics.
Gloria did not affect landmasses and was only a threat to marine interests.
. It formed as a tropical depression off Cancún
and curved around the peninsula, entering the Bay of Campeche
. Henri quickly strengthened into a tropical storm and reached hurricane strength on September 17. It soon weakened back to a tropical storm and stalled off Tampico, Mexico. Henri then doubled back the way it came, weakened into a tropical depression, and curved sharply east into the open Gulf of Mexico, dissipating in the eastern Gulf. No damage was reported. This was a rare example of a storm entering the Gulf of Mexico and dissipating without making landfall.
, the system turned northward and passed between Bermuda and the Azores. Turning northeast on September 20, the system became an extratropical cyclone, passing northwest of the Azores before dissipating on September 21.
s along a stationary front
during the evening of September 19 off the coast of Brownsville, Texas
. The low appeared to the northwest of Tropical Storm Henri in the Gulf of Mexico
and to the east of a cold-core low
over Arizona and New Mexico. The low became a non-tropical gale center on the morning of September 20, as it moved into southeast Texas. The cyclone continued northeastward and dissipating as it entered Tennessee. The depression left 10 inches (254 mm) to 15 inches (381 mm) of rainfall throughout the area from Corpus Christi, Texas to southwestern Louisiana. Heavy rainfall spread northeast towards the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee river valleys.
and moved to the northeast towards Cuba
. The depression passed by Cuba and turned back towards the Yucatan Peninsula
. The depression made landfall in the Yucatan on October 20 and dissipated afterwards.
on October 23 and headed north. The subtropical depression
grazed Bermuda and became a subtropical storm. This unnamed storm continued north
and continued to strengthen. The storm briefly reached hurricane strength (though it was not a hurricane at the time because it was not tropical) before weakening. The storm made landfall on Newfoundland on October 25 and dissipated later that day. No damage was reported. Rainfall spread across Atlantic Canada, peaking at 2.91 in (74 mm) on northeastern Cape Breton Island
in Nova Scotia
.
on October 24. The depression moved to the north towards Cuba
but changed directions and headed towards Nicaragua
, where it made landfall on October 29, dissipating over land.
, or baroclinic zone, on November 6 near Puerto Rico
. The depression moved northeastward but appeared to have made contact with the westerlies, as it turned off to the east-northeast. Ships that passed through the system recorded winds of 35-40 mph. The system degenerated to a low pressure area and dissipated on early on November 10.
approved of the current list alternating between male and female names of English, Spanish, and French origin. Initially, male names were scheduled to be introduced in the 1981 season
. Storms were named Ana, Bob, Claudette, David, Frederic and Henri for the first time in 1979. The name Elena was previously used in the 1965 season
, and the name Gloria was used in 1976. The names not retired from this list were used again in the 1985 season
. Names that were not assigned are marked in .
retired two names in the spring of 1980: David and Frederic. They were replaced in the 1985 season
by Danny and Fabian.
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...
included both male and female names. It officially began on June 1 and lasted until November 30, and there was tropical cyclone activity in every month. The dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most 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 form in the Atlantic basin
Atlantic Basin
The Atlantic Basin is the Atlantic Ocean.Atlantic Basin may also refer to:* Atlantic Basin Iron Works, an ironworks that operated in Brooklyn, New York, in the early to mid-20th century...
. Hurricane Frederic hit 4 countries and 2 states.
The most notable storm of 1979 was Hurricane David
Hurricane David
Hurricane David was the fourth named tropical cyclone, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. A Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, David was among the deadliest hurricanes in the latter half of the 20th century, killing...
, a Category 5 storm on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale that killed over 2,000 people, mostly in 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...
, and caused nearly 1.5 billion dollars in damage (1979 USD). Hurricane Frederic
Hurricane Frederic
Hurricane Frederic was the sixth tropical cyclone, third hurricane and second major hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. Frederic was the costliest hurricane to ever hit the U.S. Gulf Coast at that particular time...
, which caused $2.3 billion (1979 US dollars and became the most expensive hurricane in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
history when it made landfall near the border between Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
Season summary
The 1979 seasonAtlantic 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...
was an average but destructive season with 27 depressions, with nine reaching tropical storm strength. The notable cyclones include Tropical Depression One which caused one of Jamaica's worst natural disasters. Tropical Storm Claudette became one of the most destructive tropical storms of all time and created a 24-hour rainfall record for the United States. Hurricane David
Hurricane David
Hurricane David was the fourth named tropical cyclone, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. A Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, David was among the deadliest hurricanes in the latter half of the 20th century, killing...
peaked at Category 5 status becoming the first hurricane of such strength to make landfall directly in 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...
, killing over 2,000 people. Hurricane Frederic became a weak Category 4 hurricane with winds of 135 mi/h, causing over $4–8 billion dollars in damage (2005 USD) to some of the same areas impacted by Hurricane David. Hurricane Henri
Hurricane Henri (1979)
Hurricane Henri was a rare tropical cyclone that entered the Gulf of Mexico without having made landfall; it was the second of four times this occurred during the 20th century. The eighth named storm and fifth hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season, it formed on September 14 in the...
formed in Mid-September in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and never made landfall, which is a rare occurrence. Damage for the whole season totaled out to $4.27 billion (1979 USD).
The season's activity was reflected with a cumulative accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy is a measure used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to express the activity of individual tropical cyclones and entire tropical cyclone seasons, particularly the North Atlantic hurricane season. It uses an approximation of the energy used by a...
(ACE) rating of 93. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength. Subtropical storms are not included in the ACE value.
Early June Tropical Depression
A tropical depression formed on June 9 north of Puerto Rico and headed northward to the west of BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
before dissipating on June 10.
Tropical Depression One
A tropical depression formed west of JamaicaJamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
on June 11 produced heavy rainfalls with record floods in several parishes for two days with maximum sustained wind
Maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained winds associated with a tropical cyclone are a common indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, they are found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unlike gusts, the value of these winds are...
s of 35 mph (56.3 km/h). The depression continued north, parallelling the 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...
coast on June 15 and made landfall in 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...
on June 16. Tropical Depression One dissipated over land. The town of Friendship recorded 32 in (812.8 mm) of rain with 15 in other parts of western Jamaica. Due to saturated mud from other rains, caused one of Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
's worst natural disaster in the 70s. Over 210,000 people were affected by floods on June 12 alone causing for major damage. Economic damages totalled out to $27 million (1979 USD-$75 million in 2006 USD) with forty people killed.
The flooding in western Jamaica from Tropical Depression One devastated the area and caused the government to establish a permanent disaster management organization.
Tropical Storm Ana
Ana formed as the third tropical depression east of the Lesser AntillesLesser 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...
on June 19. She was one of the first tropical storms to develop that far east during the month of June since the 1933 Atlantic hurricane season
1933 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1933 Atlantic hurricane season was the second most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, with 21 storms forming during that year in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. The season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1933, and was surpassed in total number of tropical cyclones by...
. The depression curved gently northwest and strengthened into Tropical Storm Ana while 100 miles (160.9 km) northeast of Barbados on June 22. Ana crossed the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
and weakened into a tropical depression. The storm degenerated the next morning in the central Caribbean Sea
Caribbean 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....
.
Early July Tropical Depression
A tropical Depression formed north of HispaniolaHispaniola
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...
on July 8. The depression moved nearby Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
with no ill effects. The tropical depression then curved northeast, and dissipated on July 13 in the open Atlantic.
Hurricane Bob
Bob was a weak hurricane that formed in the western Gulf of MexicoGulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and curved northeast. The storm strengthened rapidly, reaching hurricane strength a couple hundred miles south of the Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
coast on July 11. It made landfall near Dulac, Louisiana
Dulac, Louisiana
Dulac is a census-designated place in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,458 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
later that day, killing two people and causing $20 million ($55.56 million in 2006 USD) in damages. Bob dropped 3-5 inches of rain over southern Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
before moving south through the mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
states and out into the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The storm finally dissipated on July 16.
Bob was the first July hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
since Hurricane Debra in the 1959 season
1959 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1959 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1959, and lasted until November 15, 1959. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
as well as the first North Atlantic tropical cyclone to have a male name from the new alternating male-female lists.
Mid July Tropical Depression
This depression formed in the deep tropics of the Atlantic ocean on July 9. The system slightly accelerated while moving due west along the 10th parallel north10th parallel north
The 10th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 10 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, the Indian Ocean, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Central America, South America and the Atlantic Ocean....
and dissipated on July 11 to the northeast of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Tropical Depression Four
A tropical depression formed offshore the Georgia coast on July 10. The system moved north of due east with slight intensification on July 11. The system turned east, passing south of Bermuda early on the morning of July 13 while accelerating eastward, with the system dissipating that afternoon.Tropical Storm Claudette
Claudette was a long-lived but fairly weak storm that spent almost its entire life as a tropical depression or tropical wave. Claudette formed in the central Atlantic east of the Windward IslandsWindward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
. It had two spells as a tropical storm; the first was a brief one east of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. The storm passed directly over the island just after weakening, where it killed one person from flooding. The depression moved slowly through the Greater Antilles
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles are one of three island groups in the Caribbean. Comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico, the Greater Antilles constitute almost 90% of the land mass of the entire West Indies.-Greater Antilles in context :The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as...
before emerging into the Gulf of Mexico. Claudette restrengthened into a tropical storm south of Sabine Pass, Texas
Sabine Pass, Texas
Sabine Pass is a neighborhood of Port Arthur, Texas, United States. It lies on the west bank of Sabine Pass, near the Louisiana border.Originally known as Sabine City, the original date of settlement of Sabine Pass is unknown, but is estimated at 1836...
and made landfall near Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
, killing one person from floods. The storm stalled over Alvin, Texas
Alvin, Texas
Alvin is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and Brazoria County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 21,413. Alvin's claim to fame is Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, who moved with his family to the city in 1947 as...
on the evening of July 25 and dropped 45 inches (1,143 mm) of rain there over the next 42 hours; this included 43 inches (1,092.2 mm) in 24 hours, the highest 24-hour rainfall amount in United States history. Damages from flooding in Texas were significant, totaling $400 million (1979 USD).
Late July Tropical Depression
A tropical depression formed offshore western Africa on July 20. The system moved westward through the Cape Verde Islands as a weak system on July 22. The system turned west-northwest, peaking in strength on July 24 when it gained some central convection. By late on July 25, the depression began to weaken as it turned more to the north, and the system dissipated well to the east-southeast of Bermuda on July 26.Tropical Depression Six
The tenth tropical depression of the 1979 season formed on July 28 south of where Tropical Depression Nine formed a week before. The depression moved to the northwest, making landfall as a tropical depression in BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
on August 4. The depression made landfall on the southeastern tip of Newfoundland on August 5 after passing southeast of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
earlier that morning. Tropical Depression Six became an extratropical cyclone on August 6 southeast of Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
, and crossed the north Atlantic ocean, moving across northwest Europe on August 8 through August 11 before turning northward towards the North Pole while dissipating.
Hurricane David
David ranks as one of the strongest and deadliest Atlantic hurricanes on record. It formed from a tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
in the central Atlantic east of the Windward Islands
Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
. The storm headed west, steadily strengthening. By the time David reached the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
, it was at Category 4 intensity. David continued strengthening and reached Category 5 status south of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. It spent nearly two days at Category 5 intensity, storming through Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, the capital of 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...
. 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...
weakened the storm greatly however, and David exited the island as a weak Category 1. It strengthened into a Category 2 off the south 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...
coast.
The western eyewall
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
crossed the shoreline near Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
and continued up the entire length of the coast of eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. After transitioning to 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...
, David intensified once more as it crossed the far north Atlantic, clipping northwestern Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
before moving eastward well north of the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
on September 10. The beach erosion was severe. David killed over 2,000 people in Hispaniola, 56 people on the island of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
, and 12 people in the U.S. as well as causing $1.54 billion (1979 USD) in damage.
David was only one of two storms to directly impact the Dominican Republic at such intensity, the only other being the Hurricane 2 of 1930
1930 Dominican Republic Hurricane
The 1930 Dominican Republic Hurricane, also known as Hurricane San Zenon, is the fifth deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record. The second of two known tropical cyclones in the 1930 Atlantic hurricane season, the hurricane was first observed on August 29 to the east of the Lesser Antilles...
.
Tropical Depression Eight
A tropical depression formed in the Bay of Campeche on August 25. Moving generally northwest, the depression moved into Mexico south of Brownsville, Texas late on August 27, and dissipated inland during the morning of August 28.Tropical Storm Elena
A weak tropical wave formed over FloridaFlorida
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...
on August 27, however on August 29, ship and buoy reports mentioned a low-level circulation forming. An 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...
reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
flight confirmed the report and was upgraded into Tropical Depression Six on the same day. Slow development occurred causing the depression to gain strength slowly, however by the next day, it was able to strengthen into Tropical Storm Elena. Elena did not intensify, peaking with maximum sustained wind
Maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained winds associated with a tropical cyclone are a common indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, they are found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unlike gusts, the value of these winds are...
s of 40 mph with a pressure of 1004 mb. Elena turned toward the Texas coast near Matagorda Bay
Matagorda Bay
Matagorda Bay is a large estuary bay on the Texas coast, lying in Calhoun and Matagorda counties and located approximately northeast of Corpus Christi, southeast of San Antonio, southwest of Houston, and southeast of Austin. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Matagorda Peninsula and...
, spawning watches and warnings and made landfall on September 1 as a weak tropical storm. Elena weakened below tropical depression criteria by the next day. Elena caused less than $10 million dollars (1979 USD) ($28 million 2005 USD) in damage but managed to kill two people in floods.
Hurricane Frederic
Frederic was a long-lived Cape Verde-type hurricaneCape Verde-type hurricane
A Cape Verde-type hurricane is an Atlantic hurricane that develops near the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa. The average hurricane season has about two Cape Verde-type hurricanes, which are usually the largest and most intense storms of the season because they often have plenty of...
. It first became a hurricane in the central Atlantic east of the Windward Islands
Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
but soon weakened back into a tropical storm. Frederic crossed Hispaniola and weakened into a tropical depression. Frederic then crossed 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...
and regained tropical storm strength before entering the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. It was then that Frederic started to strengthen rapidly. By the time it reached a point just east of the Mississippi River Delta
Mississippi River Delta
The Mississippi River Delta is the modern area of land built up by alluvium deposited by the Mississippi River as it slows down and enters the Gulf of Mexico...
, Frederic was a Category 4. It made landfall near the Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
/Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
border, just to the west of Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Due to prior warning, the death toll was a minimal five people; however, damages soared to $2.3 billion (1979 dollars) in damage.
Late August Tropical Depression
A tropical depression formed offshore the coast of the Carolinas on August 29. The system quickly moved east-northeast between the East coast North America and Bermuda over the next couple days. The depression became a frontal wave southeast of Newfoundland on September 1, and dissipated soon afterward.Early September Tropical Depression
A tropical depression formed northeast of the Cape Verde Islands on September 1. The depression moved west-northwest before recurving sharply just east of the 40th meridian west40th meridian west
The meridian 40° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, the Atlantic Ocean, South America, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
on September 4. Steadily weakening thereafter over cool waters, the depression dissipated southeast of the Azores on September 6.
Hurricane Gloria
Hurricane Gloria began as a large African disturbance and became Tropical Depression Seventeen on September 4 off the northwestern African coast. As common with early September, Tropical Depression Seventeen took a northwesterly direction, passing to the northeast of Cape VerdeCape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
. The northwesterly course was influenced by the depression's large size. On September 6, the depression became Tropical Storm Gloria and reached hurricane strength the next day. After becoming a hurricane, Gloria slowed down to just about 15 mi/h to the northwest until September 10. However, rising pressures caused Gloria to go in a westerly drift for a few days. Rapid acceleration to the northeast occurred with satellites indicating that Gloria had reached her peak intensity of 105 mi/h on September 13 with a minimum pressure of 975 mbar. Gloria merged with a low-pressure system on September 15 and lost tropical characteristics.
Gloria did not affect landmasses and was only a threat to marine interests.
Hurricane Henri
Henri was a weak hurricane that took an unusual track through the Gulf of MexicoGulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. It formed as a tropical depression off Cancún
Cancún
Cancún is a city of international tourism development certified by the UNWTO . Located on the northeast coast of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico, more than 1,700 km from Mexico City, the Project began operations in 1974 as Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of FONATUR Cancún is a city of...
and curved around the peninsula, entering the Bay of Campeche
Bay of Campeche
The Bay of Campeche is the southern bight of the Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded on three sides by the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz. It was named by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and Antonio de Alaminos during their expedition in 1517...
. Henri quickly strengthened into a tropical storm and reached hurricane strength on September 17. It soon weakened back to a tropical storm and stalled off Tampico, Mexico. Henri then doubled back the way it came, weakened into a tropical depression, and curved sharply east into the open Gulf of Mexico, dissipating in the eastern Gulf. No damage was reported. This was a rare example of a storm entering the Gulf of Mexico and dissipating without making landfall.
Tropical Depression Thirteen
This tropical depression formed in the tropical Atlantic as a low pressure area southwest of the Cape Verde Islands on September 15. It became a tropical depression on September 16, moving northwestward. Once it passed the 50th meridian west50th meridian west
The meridian 50° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, the Atlantic Ocean, South America, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
, the system turned northward and passed between Bermuda and the Azores. Turning northeast on September 20, the system became an extratropical cyclone, passing northwest of the Azores before dissipating on September 21.
Mid September Depression
This system formed as a non-tropical low within a pre-existing area of heavy thunderstormThunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s along a stationary front
Stationary front
A stationary front is a boundary between two different air masses, neither of which is strong enough to replace the other. On a weather map, this is shown by an inter-playing series of blue spikes pointing one direction and red domes pointing the other. They tend to remain essentially in the same...
during the evening of September 19 off the coast of Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
. The low appeared to the northwest of Tropical Storm Henri in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and to the east of a cold-core low
Cold-core low
A cold-core low, also known as a cold low or cold-core cyclone, is a cyclone aloft which has an associated cold pool of air residing at high altitude within the Earth's troposphere. It is a low pressure system which strengthens with height in accordance with the thermal wind relationship. These...
over Arizona and New Mexico. The low became a non-tropical gale center on the morning of September 20, as it moved into southeast Texas. The cyclone continued northeastward and dissipating as it entered Tennessee. The depression left 10 inches (254 mm) to 15 inches (381 mm) of rainfall throughout the area from Corpus Christi, Texas to southwestern Louisiana. Heavy rainfall spread northeast towards the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee river valleys.
Late September Tropical Depression
A tropical depression formed in the tropical north Atlantic east of the Lesser Antilles on September 21. The system moved northwest over the next few days, staying well east of the Leeward Islands, before dissipating on September 24.Tropical Depression Fourteen
A tropical depression formed on October 12 near HondurasHonduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
and moved to the northeast towards 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...
. The depression passed by Cuba and turned back towards 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...
. The depression made landfall in the Yucatan on October 20 and dissipated afterwards.
Late October Atlantic Tropical Depression
A tropical depression formed in the eastern tropical Atlantic on October 22. The depression moved northwest over the next six days, dissipating on October 28 to the southwest of the Azores.Subtropical Storm One
Subtropical Storm One formed south of BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
on October 23 and headed north. The subtropical depression
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...
grazed Bermuda and became a subtropical storm. This unnamed storm continued north
North
North is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.North is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west.By convention, the top side of a map is north....
and continued to strengthen. The storm briefly reached hurricane strength (though it was not a hurricane at the time because it was not tropical) before weakening. The storm made landfall on Newfoundland on October 25 and dissipated later that day. No damage was reported. Rainfall spread across Atlantic Canada, peaking at 2.91 in (74 mm) on northeastern Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
Late October Caribbean Tropical Depression
The twenty-fifth tropical depression of the 1979 season formed near PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
on October 24. The depression moved to the north towards 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...
but changed directions and headed towards Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, where it made landfall on October 29, dissipating over land.
Subtropical Depression Fifteen
This subtropical depression formed from an old weather frontWeather front
A weather front is a boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena. In surface weather analyses, fronts are depicted using various colored lines and symbols, depending on the type of front...
, or baroclinic zone, on November 6 near Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. The depression moved northeastward but appeared to have made contact with the westerlies, as it turned off to the east-northeast. Ships that passed through the system recorded winds of 35-40 mph. The system degenerated to a low pressure area and dissipated on early on November 10.
Mid November Tropical Depression
This tropical depression formed northeast of the Greater Antilles along a frontal zone on November 13. The depression completed a quick recurvature over the next couple days, dissipating as a tropical cyclone on November 15.Storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1979. This season marked the debut of the current set of six lists containing both male and female names, replacing the ten-year set of female name lists introduced in 1971; this was due to protests from women's rights groups. Unisex names were considered, though prior to the start of the season the World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
approved of the current list alternating between male and female names of English, Spanish, and French origin. Initially, male names were scheduled to be introduced in the 1981 season
1981 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1981 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1981, and lasted until November 30, 1981. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The 1981 season was high in activity with 18 tropical depressions and...
. Storms were named Ana, Bob, Claudette, David, Frederic and Henri for the first time in 1979. The name Elena was previously used in the 1965 season
1965 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1965 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1965, and lasted until November 30, 1965. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin....
, and the name Gloria was used in 1976. The names not retired from this list were used again in the 1985 season
1985 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1985 Atlantic hurricane season had the most U.S. landfalling tropical cyclones since 1916. The season officially began on June 1, 1985, and lasted until November 30, 1985...
. Names that were not assigned are marked in .
|
Hurricane Henri (1979) Hurricane Henri was a rare tropical cyclone that entered the Gulf of Mexico without having made landfall; it was the second of four times this occurred during the 20th century. The eighth named storm and fifth hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season, it formed on September 14 in the... |
Retirement
The World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
retired two names in the spring of 1980: David and Frederic. They were replaced in the 1985 season
1985 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1985 Atlantic hurricane season had the most U.S. landfalling tropical cyclones since 1916. The season officially began on June 1, 1985, and lasted until November 30, 1985...
by Danny and Fabian.
Season effects
This is a table of the storms in 1979 and their landfall(s), if any. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but are still storm-related. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical or a wave or low.See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
- 1979 Pacific hurricane season1979 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 1979 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 1979 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 1979 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1979. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeast Pacific Ocean.With ten...
- 1979 Pacific typhoon season1979 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 1979 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1979, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December...
- 1979 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons: 1978–79, 1979–80