1953 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1953 Atlantic hurricane season was an active season, with fourteen tropical storms, seven of which developed into hurricanes; three of the hurricanes attained major hurricane status (Category 3 or greater on the Saffir-Simpson scale). This was the first season in which an official list of female names was used to name storms in the basin. The season officially began on June 15, and lasted until November 15, although activity occurred both before and after the season's limits.

The strongest hurricane of the season was Carol, although by the time it struck Atlantic Canada it was much weaker. Both hurricanes Barbara and Florence struck the United States; the former crossed the Outer Banks and impacted much of the east coast, and Florence struck a sparsely populated region of the Florida Panhandle without causing much damage. Bermuda was threatened by three hurricanes within two weeks. In addition to the hurricanes, Tropical Storm Alice developed in late May and left several fatalities in Cuba. The final hurricane of the season, Hazel, produced additional rainfall in Florida after previous flooding conditions. The season's last tropical storm, Irene, dissipated north of the Lesser Antilles on December 9.

Timeline

Systems

Tropical Storm Alice

In May and June 1953, an unusually long-lasting upper-level low persisted across Mexico and Central America. On May 25, a weak warm-core surface circulation developed east of Nicaragua. It moved around the upper-level low, bringing it to the northwest and later looping to the south through Honduras and Central America. The system weakened over land, but it re-intensified over the western Caribbean Sea, moving over western Cuba as a tropical storm on May 31. Advisories for Alice did not begin until June 1, when the storm entered the Gulf of Mexico. Alice was the first North Atlantic tropical cyclone to have a female name. Around the time of the cyclone's naming, reconnaissance aircraft reported winds of around , and subsequently Alice executed another loop off the northwest coast of Cuba. It deteriorated so much that advisories were discontinued, with Miami Weather Bureau meteorologist James George remarking that "no danger [existed there] whatsoever." After again passing near the Cuban coast, Alice turned to the northwest and began re-strengthening. On June 5, reconnaissance aircraft estimated winds in brief squalls northeast of the center, along with a pressure of ; this would be its peak intensity. The storm again weakened as it approached the Florida peninsula, and Alice made landfall just west of Panama City Beach on June 6 as a minimal tropical storm. It dissipated shortly thereafter. Alice quickly weakened due to a cold front, and advisories were discontinued by June 3. While near Cuba, Alice produced drought-breaking rainfall that caused flooding and several unofficial drowning deaths.

Hurricane Barbara

A tropical wave developed into Tropical Storm Barbara over the Bahamas on August 11. It intensified as it moved north-northwestward, becoming a hurricane by the next day, and reaching peak winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) just south of Cape Hatteras on August 13. Barbara moved over the Outer Banks, passing between Morehead City and Ocracoke, and it turned and accelerated to the northeast. Steadily weakening and losing tropical characteristics, the hurricane transitioned into an extratropical cyclone late on August 15. It turned northward, crossing eastern Nova Scotia and dissipating over Labrador on August 16. Wind gusts reached at Hatteras and Nags Head. Torrential rainfall fell across the state and extended northward into Virginia, Across the region, the hurricane left flooding and downed trees, mostly from the crop damage. Newspaper reports indicated there were seven deaths in the country;

Hurricane Carol

On August 28, a tropical wave developed into a tropical depression near Cape Verde. After moving west-southwestward, it turned to the northwest, intensifying into a tropical storm on August 31 and into a hurricane on September 2. Passing northeast of the Lesser Antilles, Carol rapidly intensified to Category 5 intensity, reaching peak winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) on September 3, making it the strongest hurricane of the season. Carol later turned to the north-northeast, brushing Cape Cod and causing boating accidents across New England. Four people were killed in the region. Fishing losses totaled around $1 million (1953 USD, $  USD). As the storm moved ashore, it produced hurricane conditions in eastern Maine, one of only six Atlantic hurricanes to do so. In Nova Scotia, several boats were wrecked or washed ashore, with one drowning death reported. High seas caused coastal flooding, while strong winds downed large areas of trees. Heavy losses to the apple crop occurred in Annapolis Valley, totaling $1 million (1950 CAD, $  USD). On August 31, the storm turned to the northwest, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). The system weakened to a tropical depression before moving ashore near Savannah, Georgia on September 1. It dissipated that day over land.

Hurricane Dolly

The origins of Dolly were from a tropical wave that moved through the eastern Caribbean Sea, On September 8, a tropical storm developed north of Puerto Rico, which moved slowly west-southwestward before turning to the north. It quickly intensified, and after Hurricane Hunters reported an eye, Dolly reached hurricane status on September 9. At that time, hurricane warnings were issued in the Bahamas, although the storm turned away from the archipelago. After continued weakening, Dolly passed over the island on September 11, producing only gale-force winds, rains, and little to no damage. It deteriorated into a tropical storm on September 12 and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone later that day. The remnants of Dolly later turned eastward, dissipating just west of Portugal on September 17.

Hurricane Edna

Shortly behind Dolly, another tropical wave spawned a tropical depression over the Lesser Antilles on September 15. Edna quickly intensified as it tracked northwestward, attaining hurricane status on September 15 and peak winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) the next day. After peaking, the hurricane turned to the northeast and maintained most of its intensity for a few days. The hurricane caused "considerable damage", with wind gusts reaching . During its passage, Edna produced heavy rainfall and also damaged several roofs. There were three injuries on the island. The storm reached peak winds of 50 mph (75 km/h) while moving in a small clockwise loop southeast of Louisiana. The storm weakened into a tropical depression on September 17, but re-intensified to a tropical storm three days later. On September 20, the storm moved ashore in Taylor County, Florida and dissipated the next day over the state, bringing of rainfall to coastal areas. It intensified to hurricane status on September 24 while passing through the Yucatán Channel, After turning north and entering the Gulf of Mexico, Florence quickly intensified to peak winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). It gradually weakened before making landfall on September 26 as a minimal hurricane in a sparsely populated region of the Florida Panhandle.

Before Florence hit the United States Gulf Coast, about 10,000 people evacuated Panama City, Florida, and the Weather Bureau issued timely warnings that was credited in preventing any deaths or major injuries. and the heaviest rainfall was in Lockhart, Alabama. The combination of winds and heavy rainfall left crop damage in the Florida panhandle and southeastern Alabama, although coastal damage was not severe. Overall, 421 houses were damaged and another three were destroyed, with monetary damage estimated around $200,000 (1953 USD, $  USD). As it accelerated northeastward, the storm strengthened slightly to maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h), before becoming extratropical on October 6. Two days later, the remnants moved over Atlantic Canada with winds of 70 mph (120 km/h), producing flooding rainfall that washed out several roads. The storm caused two deaths after it wrecked a boat in Broad Cove, Nova Scotia. Later, the cyclone passed south of Greenland before dissipating southwest of Iceland on October 10.

Hurricane Hazel

The twelfth tropical storm and the final hurricane of the season formed in the Yucatán Channel on October 7. Given the name Hazel, the storm tracked north-northeastward, then northeastward through the Gulf of Mexico while gradually intensifying. On October 9, Hazel strengthened into a hurricane and made landfall just north of Fort Myers, Florida at its peak intensity of 85 mph (140 km/h). The storm crossed the state in about six hours, during which it weakened slightly back to a tropical storm. Over the western Atlantic Ocean, Hazel re-intensified to its peak winds, although by late on October 10 it transitioned into an extratropical storm between North Carolina and Bermuda. The remnants continued northeastward, dissipating southeast of Newfoundland on October 12.

Due to the fairly light winds across Florida, damage from Hazel was minor, estimated around $250,000 (1953 USD, $  USD). During its passage, the storm spawned a tornado in St. James City that destroyed several homes, and there were indications of another tornado in Okeechobee City. The primary impact from Hazel was from its rainfall, The rains added to previous flooding conditions across the state, causing a record flood stage along the St. Johns River that flooded of highway. Overall flooding damage was estimated up to $10 million (1953 USD, $  USD), but it was impossible to determine how much was due to Hazel. This list was used again the following season, except for Gail, which was replaced with Gilda, due to the former name's confusion with the term gale.

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Alice
Barbara
Carol
Dolly
Edna
Florence
Gail
Hazel

Irene

References

External links

Monthly Weather Review
On the formation of Tropical Storm Alice, 1953