List of off-season Atlantic hurricanes
Encyclopedia
The list of off-season Atlantic hurricanes is a list of all recorded tropical and subtropical cyclone
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...

s that existed in the Atlantic basin
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...

 outside of the official Atlantic hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...

 currently defines the season as occurring between June 1 and November 30 each calendar year, which is when 97% of all Atlantic tropical cyclones occur. Peak activity is known to be between August and October. In the off-season, storms are most likely to occur in May, with approximately 60% of such storms occurring during that month. Occasionally, however, storms develop in late November and persist until December. As of , there have been 60 off-season cyclones in the Atlantic hurricane database, which began in 1851
1851 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1851 Atlantic hurricane season was the first Atlantic hurricane season in the official Atlantic tropical cyclone record. Six known tropical cyclones occurred during the season, the earliest of which formed on June 25 and the latest of which dissipated on October 19. These dates fall within the...

. In addition, there were 6 storms before 1851.

Off-season cyclones are most likely to occur in the central to western Atlantic Ocean, and most do not make 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...

. Of the storms that did strike land, most affected areas surrounding the 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....

. Cumulatively, at least 240 deaths occurred due to the storms, primarily on the islands of 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...

 and 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...

; a tropical storm in May 1948 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...

 to become the deadliest off-season storm. The strongest hurricane between December to May was Hurricane Able
Hurricane Able (1951)
Hurricane Able was the strongest recorded hurricane outside of the typical Atlantic hurricane season. The first tropical cyclone in 1951, Able developed from a trough of low pressure on May 15 about 300 miles south of Bermuda...

 in 1951, which reached winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). The most recent off-season storm was Tropical Depression One
Tropical Depression One (2009)
Tropical Depression One was the first tropical cyclone to develop during the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. Upon being declared a tropical depression on May 28, it marked the third time that a pre-season storm formed in three consecutive years...

 in 2009
2009 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2009 Atlantic hurricane season was a below-average year, unlike the 2009 Pacific hurricane season, which was above average, both due to a moderate El Niño. During this year, nine tropical storms formed, the fewest since the 1997 season.An average season has ten tropical storms, six hurricanes...

.

Background

In 1938, the United States Weather Bureau began issuing tropical cyclone warnings
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...

 as a collaborative observation network for cities along the U.S. coastline, and the season was defined between June 15 and November 15. In 1964, the season was extended to begin on June 1 and end on November 30, which remains the official length of the season. About 97% of all tropical cyclones form within this time span, and activity usually peaks between August and October.

Chronology

Tropical cyclones have been named in the Atlantic since 1950
1950 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1950 Atlantic hurricane season was the first year in which tropical cyclones were given official names in the Atlantic basin. Names were taken from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet, with the first named storm being designated "Able", the second "Baker", and so on. It was an active season...

, and subtropical cyclones have been named since 2001
2001 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2001 Atlantic hurricane season was a fairly active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. The season officially lasted from June 1, 2001, to November 30, 2001, dates which by convention limit the period of each...

, as well as in 1972 and 1973. The National Hurricane Center issues names for tropical and subtropical cyclones once their winds reach 39 mph (63 km/h). Before 1950, storms are numbered based on their appearance in the Atlantic hurricane database, although tropical depressions are unnumbered.

The wind speeds listed are maximum one-minute average sustained winds
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...

, and the pressure is the minimum barometric pressure; tropical cyclones listed with N/A under pressure indicates there is no known estimated pressure. The category refers to the intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...

; TS stands for tropical storm
Tropical cyclone scales
Tropical systems are officially ranked on one of several tropical cyclone scales according to their maximum sustained winds and in what oceanic basin they are located...

, TD for tropical depression, and SS for subtropical cyclone
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...

. For deaths, "0" indicates that there were no reports of fatalities; death tolls listed as "several" mean there were fatalities reported, but an exact total is unavailable. For both deaths and damage, N/A refers to no known total, although such storms may have impacted land. The damage totals are inflated to  USD.

Name Season Dates SSHS
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...


category
Winds
mph (km/h)
Pressure
(mbar)
Region(s) affected Deaths Damage in
 USD
1771  2 TS 40 ≥40 (65) N/A 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1779  2 TS 40 ≥40 (65) N/A 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1794  2 TS 40 ≥40 (65) N/A 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1822  3 ≥C1 75 ≥75 (120) N/A eastern 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....

 
0 0 0 N/A
1825  3 ≥C1 75 ≥75 (120) N/A 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...

, 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...

 
7 0 N/A
1838  2 TS 40 ≥40 (65) N/A 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1865  2 TS 60 60 (95) N/A 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....

 
0 0 0 N/A
1878
1878 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1878 Atlantic hurricane season last from the summer through much of fall. A total of 12 storms were observed during this season. Due to lack of technology there may have been more cyclones that could have formed during the 1878 season...

 
2 TS 70 70 (115) N/A 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...

, 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...

, 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1887
1887 Atlantic hurricane season
Another May storm formed south of Jamaica on May 17, way outside of the season and moved generally northward. It crossed Cuba on the 19th as a tropical storm, and moved out to sea. Two peaked at twice, once on May 18 and May 20. Two dissipated on the 21st in the Atlantic Ocean...

 
2 TS 70 70 (115) N/A Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1887
1887 Atlantic hurricane season
Another May storm formed south of Jamaica on May 17, way outside of the season and moved generally northward. It crossed Cuba on the 19th as a tropical storm, and moved out to sea. Two peaked at twice, once on May 18 and May 20. Two dissipated on the 21st in the Atlantic Ocean...

 
2 TS 6060 (95) N/A 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...

, 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...

, Bahamas 
0 0 0 N/A
1887
1887 Atlantic hurricane season
Another May storm formed south of Jamaica on May 17, way outside of the season and moved generally northward. It crossed Cuba on the 19th as a tropical storm, and moved out to sea. Two peaked at twice, once on May 18 and May 20. Two dissipated on the 21st in the Atlantic Ocean...

 
3 C1 8080 (130) N/A Bahamas  0 0 0 N/A
1887
1887 Atlantic hurricane season
Another May storm formed south of Jamaica on May 17, way outside of the season and moved generally northward. It crossed Cuba on the 19th as a tropical storm, and moved out to sea. Two peaked at twice, once on May 18 and May 20. Two dissipated on the 21st in the Atlantic Ocean...

 
3 C1 8080 (130) N/A Central Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
1887
1887 Atlantic hurricane season
Another May storm formed south of Jamaica on May 17, way outside of the season and moved generally northward. It crossed Cuba on the 19th as a tropical storm, and moved out to sea. Two peaked at twice, once on May 18 and May 20. Two dissipated on the 21st in the Atlantic Ocean...

 
2 TS 6060 (95) N/A 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...

, Colombia
Colombia
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...

, 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1889
1889 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1889 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1889.-Hurricane One:Hurricane one formed on May 16...

 
3 C1 8080 (130) N/A Western Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
1890
1890 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1890 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1890.The 1890 season was fairly inactive, with only four storms forming. Two became hurricanes, two were tropical storms...

 
2 TS 6060 (95) N/A 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...

 
2 "Several" 0 N/A
1899
1899 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1899 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1899. The season was average, with 9 tropical storms, of which 5 became hurricanes and only two became major hurricanes....

 
1 TD 25 25 (35) 2 1010 Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...

, 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1908
1908 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1908 Atlantic hurricane season ran from June 1 to November 30 in 1908. These dates conventionally delimit the year in which most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, this season got off to a very early start, with a Category 2 hurricane forming on March 6, making it the...

 
4 C2 96 100 (160) N/A 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1908
1908 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1908 Atlantic hurricane season ran from June 1 to November 30 in 1908. These dates conventionally delimit the year in which most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, this season got off to a very early start, with a Category 2 hurricane forming on March 6, making it the...

 
3 C1 7575 (120) 32 989 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1911
1911 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1911 Atlantic hurricane season was relatively inactive, with only six known tropical cyclones forming in the Atlantic during the summer and fall. There were three suspected tropical depressions, including one that began the season in February and one that ended the season when it dissipated in...

 
1 TD 35 35 (55) 3 1009 Central Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
1911
1911 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1911 Atlantic hurricane season was relatively inactive, with only six known tropical cyclones forming in the Atlantic during the summer and fall. There were three suspected tropical depressions, including one that began the season in February and one that ended the season when it dissipated in...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 8 1005 Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...

, 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1913
1913 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1913 Atlantic hurricane season was a relatively inactive Atlantic hurricane season during which six tropical cyclones formed, four of which became hurricanes. The first storm developed on June 22, and the last dissipated on October 30. The official start of the season is generally...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 11 1003 Northern Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
1916
1916 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1916 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1916. The season is one of only two in which two major hurricanes were reported before the month of August, the other being the 2005 season.-Storms:...

 
2 TS 60 60 (95) 30 990 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...

, 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1922
1922 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1922 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1922. The season was a quiet one, with only five tropical cyclones forming during the course of the season. The first was a tropical storm that passed over the Yucatán Peninsula and later made another landfall...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 4 1008 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1925
1925 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1925 Atlantic hurricane season was an inactive Atlantic hurricane season during which four tropical cyclones, two of which were hurricanes, formed. The first storm developed on August 18, and the last dissipated on December 1. The season began at a late date, more than two months...

 
3 C1 7575 (120) 28 992 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...

, United States East Coast
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...

, 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...

, Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...

59 59 20,000,000 $5
1932
1932 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1932 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1932. The 1932 season was an active one. An early tropical storm formed in May and hit Hispaniola, causing minimal damage. A Category 4 struck Galveston, Texas and the Galveston Seawall proved its worth. A...

 
2 TS 5050 (85) N/A 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1933
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...

 
2 TS 45 45 (75) N/A 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1934
1934 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1934 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1934. The 1934 season was fairly quiet. However, it was a continuation of deadly seasons that had been going on since 1928....

 
2 TS 6060 (95) N/A 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...

 
0 0 155,000 $
1940
1940 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1940 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 16, 1940, and lasted until October 31, 1940. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...

 
2 TS 6060 (95) N/A Western Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
1948
1948 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1948 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1948, and lasted until November 15, 1948. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin....

 
2 TS 50 50 (85) N/A 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...

 
80 80 0 N/A
Able
Hurricane Able (1951)
Hurricane Able was the strongest recorded hurricane outside of the typical Atlantic hurricane season. The first tropical cyclone in 1951, Able developed from a trough of low pressure on May 15 about 300 miles south of Bermuda...

 
1951
1951 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1951 Atlantic hurricane season was moderately active, starting with an pre-season hurricane and lasting until late October. The season officially started on June 15, when the United States Weather Bureau began its daily monitoring for tropical cyclone activity; the season officially ended...

 
5 C3 97 115 (185) N/A Bahamas, 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1952
1952 Atlantic hurricane season
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...

 
2 TS 5050 (85) N/A 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
Alice
Tropical Storm Alice (1953)
Tropical Storm Alice was the first tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean to receive a female name. It was a rare off-season tropical cyclone that hit Central America, Cuba, and Florida in late May to early June 1953. Alice formed on May 25 in the western Caribbean, and executed a large loop over...

 
1953
1953 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1953 Atlantic hurricane season was the first time an organized list of female names was used to name Atlantic storms. It officially began on June 15, and lasted until November 15, although activity occurred both before and after the season's limits...

 
2 TS 70 70 (115) 33 987 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...

, 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...

 
2 "Several" 0 N/A
1953
1953 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1953 Atlantic hurricane season was the first time an organized list of female names was used to name Atlantic storms. It officially began on June 15, and lasted until November 15, although activity occurred both before and after the season's limits...

 
2 TS 4040 (65) N/A Central Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
Alice  1954
1954 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1954 Atlantic hurricane season caused over $750 million in damage, the most of any season at the time. The season officially began on June 15, and nine days later the first named storm developed. Hurricane Alice developed in the Gulf of Mexico and moved inland along the Rio Grande,...

1955
1955 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1955 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1955, and lasted until November 15, 1955. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The 1955 season was active, with twelve tropical storms forming.Three...

 
3 C1 8080 (130) 33 987 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...

 
0 0 600,000 $
Arlene
Tropical Storm Arlene (1959)
Tropical Storm Arlene was a short lived, pre-season tropical storm which made landfall on the central Louisiana coastline on May 30, causing minor damages and one fatality. Arlene developed out of a tropical wave which was first noted near the Dominican Republic on May 23. Development of the system...

 
1959
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...

 
2 TS 6060 (95) 17 1000 United States Gulf Coast  1 1 500,000 $
1963
1963 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1963 Atlantic hurricane season was a below average Atlantic hurricane season, with nine named storms. Although the season officially began on June 1, the first storm did not form until nearly a month later. Hurricane Cindy made landfall in Texas before dissipating in the southern portion of the...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 12 1003 Mid-Atlantic states
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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1969
1969 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1969 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1969, and lasted until November 30, 1969. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season was among the most active on record, with 18 tropical cyclones, 12...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) N/A Western Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
1969
1969 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1969 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1969, and lasted until November 30, 1969. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season was among the most active on record, with 18 tropical cyclones, 12...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) N/A 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
Alma
Hurricane Alma (1970)
Hurricane Alma was one of only four Atlantic tropical cyclones to reach hurricane status in May. It developed on May 17 north of Panama, and rapidly intensified on May 20 to peak winds of , near Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. It stalled south of Cuba and deteriorated due to wind shear, and by...

 
1970
1970 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1970 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1970, and lasted until November 30, 1970. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...

 
3 C1 8080 (130) 28 993 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...

, 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...

 
8 8 0 N/A
Alpha
Subtropical Storm Alpha (1972)
Subtropical Storm Alpha was a rare off-season subtropical cyclone that hit Georgia in May 1972. It developed from a previously non-tropical cyclone in the western Atlantic Ocean, and initially it moved northeastward off of the Carolinas. The storm turned southwestward due to a building ridge, and...

 
1972
1972 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1972 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1972, and lasted until November 30, 1972. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. A strong El Niño kept hurricane activity at a minimum, and in fact the season...

 
2 SS 70 70 (115) 29 991 Southeastern United States 2 2 0 N/A
1973
1973 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1973 Atlantic hurricane season was the first season to use the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, a scale developed in 1971 by Herbert Saffir and Robert Simpson used for rating the intensity of tropical cyclones. The season produced 24 tropical and subtropical cyclones, of which only 8 reached...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 6 1006 Central Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
1974
1974 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1974 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1974, and lasted until November 30, 1974. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...

 
1 TD 3030 (45) N/A Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1975
1975 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1975 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1975, and lasted until November 30, 1975. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...

 
2 SS 70 70 (115) 34 985 Northeast Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
1976
1976 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1976 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1976, and lasted until November 30, 1976. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...

 
2 SS 5050 (85) 23 994 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1978
1978 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1978 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1978, and lasted until November 30, 1978. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...

 
2 SS 45 45 (75) 14 1002 Central Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
Arlene
Tropical Storm Arlene (1981)
Tropical Storm Arlene was a rare off-season tropical cyclone that hit Cuba and the Bahamas in May 1981. Its formation was unusual, originating from a tropical disturbance that crossed from the eastern Pacific Ocean into the Caribbean Sea; few Atlantic hurricanes develop in this manner...

 
1981
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...

 
2 TS 6060 (95) 19 999 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...

, Bahamas 
0 0 0 N/A
Lili
Hurricane Lili (1984)
Hurricane Lili was one of only five Atlantic tropical cyclones on record to reach hurricane status in the month of December. The final of thirteen tropical storms in the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season, Lili developed as a subtropical cyclone which originated from a frontal trough to the south of...

 
1984
1984 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1984 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1984, and lasted until November 30, 1984. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The 1984 season was an active one in terms of named storms, but most of them...

 
3 C1 8080 (130) 36 980 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1985
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...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) N/A Western 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....

 
0 0 0 N/A
1987
1987 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1987 Atlantic hurricane season was a below-average hurricane season that was limited by an ongoing El Niño. The season officially began on June 1, 1987, and lasted until November 30, 1987, although activity began on May 25 when a tropical depression developed in the east central...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 1 1011 Bahamas  0 0 0 N/A
1988
1988 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1988 Atlantic hurricane season was a moderately active season that proved costly and deadly, with 15 tropical cyclones directly affecting land. The season officially began on June 1, 1988, and lasted until November 30, 1988, although activity began on May 30 when a tropical...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 9 1004 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...

 
37 37 0 N/A
Karen  1989
1989 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1989 Atlantic hurricane season was an active season that produced fifteen tropical cyclones, eleven named storms, seven hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. The season was officially designated from June 1, 1989, to November 30, 1989, dates which conventionally...

 
2 TS 6060 (95) 18 1000 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1990
1990 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1990 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season since 1969. It officially began on June 1, 1990, and lasted until November 30, 1990. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 5 1007 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...

, 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...

 
0 0 0 N/A
1992
1992 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1992 Atlantic hurricane season had one of the latest dates on record for the first named storm. The season officially began on June 1, 1992, and lasted until November 30, 1992. It was the least active hurricane season in nine years due to a strong El Niño...

 
2 SS 5050 (85) 15 1002 Central Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
1993
1993 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1993 Atlantic hurricane season was a period in the annual formation of tropical cyclones. It officially began on June 1, 1993, and lasted until November 30, 1993. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 20 999 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...

, 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...

 
7 7 0 N/A
Nicole
Hurricane Nicole (1998)
Hurricane Nicole was the last hurricane in the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. It developed from a frontal low to the south of the Azores on November 24, and quickly strengthened to reach winds of 70 mph as it moved to the west-southwest...

 
1998
1998 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1998 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1998, and lasted until November 30, 1998. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin; however, the season extended through December 1 as Hurricane Nicole remained...

 
3 C1 8585 (140) 37 979 Northeastern Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
Olga
Hurricane Olga (2001)
Hurricane Olga was a late season Category 1 Atlantic hurricane that formed during the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. The fifteenth named storm, ninth and final hurricane of the 2001 season, Olga formed as a subtropical cyclone on November 24. After acquiring tropical characteristics later that...

 
2001
2001 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2001 Atlantic hurricane season was a fairly active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. The season officially lasted from June 1, 2001, to November 30, 2001, dates which by convention limit the period of each...

 
3 C1 9090 (150) 38 973 Western Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
Ana
Tropical Storm Ana (2003)
Tropical Storm Ana was the only tropical cyclone on record in the Atlantic basin to form during the month of April. The first tropical cyclone of the season, it developed as a subtropical cyclone from a non-tropical low on April 20 to the west of Bermuda...

 
2003
2003 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2003 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season with tropical activity before and after the official bounds of the season – the first such occurrence in 50 years. The season produced 21 tropical cyclones, of which 16 developed into named storms; seven...

 
2 TS 6060 (95) 24 994 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...

 
2 2 0 N/A
Odette
Tropical Storm Odette (2003)
Tropical Storm Odette was a rare off-season tropical storm that affected the Caribbean Sea in December 2003. The 15th tropical storm of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season, Odette formed near the coast of Panama a few days after the official end of the Atlantic hurricane season, and ultimately made...

 
2003
2003 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2003 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season with tropical activity before and after the official bounds of the season – the first such occurrence in 50 years. The season produced 21 tropical cyclones, of which 16 developed into named storms; seven...

 
2 TS 6565 (100) 27 993 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...

 
8 8 8,000,000 $
Peter  2003
2003 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2003 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season with tropical activity before and after the official bounds of the season – the first such occurrence in 50 years. The season produced 21 tropical cyclones, of which 16 developed into named storms; seven...

 
2 TS 70 70 (115) 31 990 Eastern Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
Otto  2004
2004 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2004, and lasted until November 30, 2004. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...

 
2 TS 5050 (85) 22 995 Central Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
Epsilon
Hurricane Epsilon
Hurricane Epsilon was a long-lasting hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season in late November and early December. It was the 27th of 28 tropical or subtropical cyclones, as well as the last of 15 hurricanes of the record-breaking year. Originating from a cold front beneath an upper-level...

 
2005
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, repeatedly shattering numerous records. The impact of the season was widespread and ruinous with an estimated 3,913 deaths and record damage of about $159.2 billion...

 
3 C1 8585 (140) 35 981 Central Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
Zeta
Tropical Storm Zeta (2005)
Tropical Storm Zeta was a late-developing tropical storm over the central Atlantic which formed after the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season had officially ended , and continued into January 2006...

 
2005
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, repeatedly shattering numerous records. The impact of the season was widespread and ruinous with an estimated 3,913 deaths and record damage of about $159.2 billion...

2006
2006 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season was significantly less active than the record previous season. It marked the first since 2001 in which no hurricanes made landfall in the United States, and was the first since 1994 that no tropical cyclones formed during October. Following the intense activity of...

 
2 TS 6565 (100) 25 994 Central Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
Andrea
Subtropical Storm Andrea (2007)
Subtropical Storm Andrea was the first named storm and first subtropical cyclone of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season. It developed out of a previously non-tropical low on May 9 about 150 miles northeast of Daytona Beach, Florida, three weeks before the official start of the season...

 
2007
2007 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 tropical storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. It officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the...

 
2 SS 6060 (95) 16 1001 Southeast United States coast 6 6 0 N/A
Olga
Tropical Storm Olga (2007)
Tropical Storm Olga was the fifteenth named storm of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season. In the second week of December, after the official end of the hurricane season, a low developed east of the northernmost Lesser Antilles. It slowly acquired tropical characteristics, and late on December 10,...

 
2007
2007 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 tropical storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. It officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the...

 
2 TS 6060 (95) 13 1003 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...

 
25 ≥25 45,000,000 $5
Arthur
Tropical Storm Arthur (2008)
Tropical Storm Arthur was the first Atlantic tropical storm that formed during the month of May since 1981. The first tropical cyclone of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, the storm formed on May 30 from the interaction of two tropical waves and the remnants of the eastern Pacific Tropical...

 
2008
2008 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season was a very active hurricane season with sixteen named storms formed, including eight that became hurricanes and five that became major hurricanes. The season officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of...

 
2 TS 45 45 (75) 10 1004 Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...

, 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...

 
5 5 78,000,000 $
2009
2009 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2009 Atlantic hurricane season was a below-average year, unlike the 2009 Pacific hurricane season, which was above average, both due to a moderate El Niño. During this year, nine tropical storms formed, the fewest since the 1997 season.An average season has ten tropical storms, six hurricanes...

 
1 TD 3535 (55) 7 1006 Western Atlantic Ocean 0 0 0 N/A
Source for Name, Season, Dates, Winds, Pressure, and Region(s) affected: Hurricane Research Division
A Reassessment of Historical Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclone Activity, 1700-1855


Records and statistics

In the official Atlantic hurricane database, which dates back to 1851, the first storm to occur outside of the current season was in 1865 in the Caribbean Sea. In the database, 59 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 have existed between December and May, most recently Tropical Depression One
Tropical Depression One (2009)
Tropical Depression One was the first tropical cyclone to develop during the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. Upon being declared a tropical depression on May 28, it marked the third time that a pre-season storm formed in three consecutive years...

 in 2009. In addition, there were at least five storms in May and another in December before the start of the official database.

Storms were most likely to occur in May, followed by December. Only one cyclone was reported in March, in 1908
1908 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1908 Atlantic hurricane season ran from June 1 to November 30 in 1908. These dates conventionally delimit the year in which most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, this season got off to a very early start, with a Category 2 hurricane forming on March 6, making it the...

, and only one tropical storm has ever occurred in February or April, the 1952 Groundhog Day Storm and Tropical Storm Ana
Tropical Storm Ana (2003)
Tropical Storm Ana was the only tropical cyclone on record in the Atlantic basin to form during the month of April. The first tropical cyclone of the season, it developed as a subtropical cyclone from a non-tropical low on April 20 to the west of Bermuda...

 of 2003, respectively. Of all cyclones during the off-season, Hurricane Lili
Hurricane Lili (1984)
Hurricane Lili was one of only five Atlantic tropical cyclones on record to reach hurricane status in the month of December. The final of thirteen tropical storms in the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season, Lili developed as a subtropical cyclone which originated from a frontal trough to the south of...

 in 1984 lasted the longest, for a total of 12 days. Hurricane Epsilon, which formed in November, maintained hurricane status for five days in December 2005, longer than any other storm in December; the previous record was two and a half days, set by Hurricane Lili in 1984. Additionally, Hurricane Alice in 1954–1955 and Tropical Storm Zeta
Tropical Storm Zeta (2005)
Tropical Storm Zeta was a late-developing tropical storm over the central Atlantic which formed after the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season had officially ended , and continued into January 2006...

 in 2005–2006 were the only recorded cyclones to have spanned two calendar years.

Of the off-season storms that struck land, portions of the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...

 were affected most. Hurricane Alice was the only of the cyclones to strike land as a hurricane, doing so to islands in the northern 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...

; it caused locally heavy rainfall and moderate damage. No hurricanes have ever made landfall in the United States during December. One century earlier, a hurricane formed in the western Caribbean and struck Florida on or before June 3, which was the earliest date for a United States hurricane landfall. The deadliest off-season storm was a tropical storm in May 1948, which killed 80 people 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...

.

The year with the most off-season storms was 1887
1887 Atlantic hurricane season
Another May storm formed south of Jamaica on May 17, way outside of the season and moved generally northward. It crossed Cuba on the 19th as a tropical storm, and moved out to sea. Two peaked at twice, once on May 18 and May 20. Two dissipated on the 21st in the Atlantic Ocean...

, with a total of five existing in the off-season. Several others had three tropical cyclones, of which only 2003
2003 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2003 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season with tropical activity before and after the official bounds of the season – the first such occurrence in 50 years. The season produced 21 tropical cyclones, of which 16 developed into named storms; seven...

 had three tropical storms. The 1908
1908 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1908 Atlantic hurricane season ran from June 1 to November 30 in 1908. These dates conventionally delimit the year in which most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, this season got off to a very early start, with a Category 2 hurricane forming on March 6, making it the...

 season was the only one with two hurricanes forming in the off-season. In five seasons, there were storms both prior to the start of the season as well as after the season ended, those being 1887, 1911
1911 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1911 Atlantic hurricane season was relatively inactive, with only six known tropical cyclones forming in the Atlantic during the summer and fall. There were three suspected tropical depressions, including one that began the season in February and one that ended the season when it dissipated in...

, 1953
1953 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1953 Atlantic hurricane season was the first time an organized list of female names was used to name Atlantic storms. It officially began on June 15, and lasted until November 15, although activity occurred both before and after the season's limits...

, 2003, and 2007
2007 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 tropical storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. It officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the...

; all but 1911 had tropical cyclones of at least tropical storm status before and after the season.

Monthly statistics

Month of formation Number of recorded storms
January 1
February 1
March 1
April 2
May 40
November 8
December 13
Source Hurricane Research Division



External links

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