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The 1959 Atlantic hurricane season featured near normal tropical cyclone activity overall. The season officially began on June&nbsp;15, 1959 and lasted until November&nbsp;15, 1959. These dates historically described the period in each year when most tropical cyclogenesis occurs in the Atlantic basin. However, the formation of a tropical cyclone is possible at any time of the year, as shown in 1959, by the formation of Tropical Storm Arlene on May&nbsp;28. Arlene struck Louisiana and brought minor flooding to the Gulf Coast of the United States. The next tropical storm, Beulah, formed in the western Gulf of Mexico and brought negligible impact to Mexico and Texas. Later in June, an unnamed hurricane caused minor damage in Florida and then devastated parts of Maritime Canada, resulting in what became known as the Escuminac disaster. Hurricane Cindy brought minor impact to The Carolinas. In late July, Hurricane Debra produced flooding in the state of Texas. Tropical Storm Edith in August and Hurricane Flora in September caused negligible impact on land.

The most significant storm of the season was Hurricane Gracie, which peaked as a Category&nbsp;4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. After weakening slightly, Gracie made landfall as a Category&nbsp;4 hurricane in South Carolina on September&nbsp;29. It brought strong winds, rough seas, heavy rainfall, and tornadoes to the state, as well as North Carolina and Virginia. Overall, Gracie caused 22&nbsp;fatalities and $14&nbsp;million in damage. Following Hurricane Gracie was Hurricane Hannah, a long-lived storm that did not cause any known impact on land. The last two tropical cyclones, Tropical Storm Irene and Hurricane Judith, both caused minor coastal and inland flooding in Florida. The storms of the 1959 Atlantic hurricane season were collectively attributed to $24&nbsp;million (1959&nbsp;USD) and 64&nbsp;fatalities.

Season summary

The 1959 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June&nbsp;15, 1959, and it ended on November&nbsp;15, 1959. Eleven tropical cyclones were reported during the season. All eleven of them developed into a tropical storm, and all but one was assigned a name. These numbers were slightly above (or at) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 1950–2000 averages of 9.6 tropical storms, 5.9 hurricanes, and 2.3 major hurricanes. Collectively, the tropical cyclones of the 1959 Atlantic hurricane season caused 64&nbsp;fatalities and about $24&nbsp;million (1959 USD) in damage. which is slightly below the 1950–2000&nbsp;average of 94.7.

Systems

Tropical Storm Arlene

A tropical wave developed into the first tropical depression of the season on May&nbsp;28, while located in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. In New Orleans, several roads were shut down due to inundation. Additionally, at least 100&nbsp;homes within the city were flooded. In Baton Rouge, dozens of people were evacuated from a flooded home via ambulance and wagon to safer areas.

Overall, damage was light, reaching $500,000. One death was related to Arlene; a man drowned in rough surf off the coast of Galveston, Texas.

Tropical Storm Beulah

A cold front became stationary as it began to move across the Gulf of Mexico on June&nbsp;13. After the SS Hondo reported winds of ,

June hurricane

A tropical wave developed into a tropical depression while situated in the central Gulf of Mexico on June&nbsp;18. It headed rapidly northeastward and made landfall near the Tampa Bay Area of Florida later that day. Losses in Florida were around $1.7&nbsp;million. The New Brunswick Fishermen's Disaster Fund was created to assist victims. The fund raised $400,000 in a few months from donations from throughout Canada, as well as Pope John XXIII and Queen Elizabeth II, the latter of whom was on a tour of the country at the time.

Hurricane Cindy

A low-pressure area associated with a cold front developed into a tropical depression on July&nbsp;5, while located east of Florida. and five deaths were caused by poor road conditions wrought by the storm in New England. Many areas experienced heavy rains, and several thousand people evacuated. Damage was mainly confined to broken tree limbs, shattered windows and power outages. Cindy brought a total of eleven tornadoes with it, of which two caused minor damage in North Carolina. The heaviest rainfall occurred in northern South Carolina, where rainfall amounted to . Tides ranged from above normal along the coast. As drought-like conditions were present in The Carolinas at the time, the rain that fell in the area was beneficial. After becoming extratropical over Atlantic Canada, the cyclone produced heavy rains and strong winds that sunk one ship. Damage caused by Cindy was estimated at $75,000. Sea vessels took the brunt of the storm, with many becoming stranded or damaged. Air, rail, and road transportation were significantly interrupted or even shut down. High winds from the storm caused expansive damage to buildings, windows, signs, and roofs. although approximately 90&nbsp;cattle drowned. Damage in Brazoria, Galveston, and Harris counties surmounted $6.685&nbsp;million. Additionally, impact in other areas increased the total losses to $7&nbsp;million.

Late August tropical storm

A dissipating cold front spawned a low pressure over the central Atlantic Ocean on August&nbsp;26. Moving slowly northward, the system organized into a tropical storm on August&nbsp;28, and a day later, an approaching cold front turned the storm to the east-northeast. Based on ship observations, it is estimated that the storm reached peak winds of on August&nbsp;31. By September&nbsp;3, the storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone as it interacted with the cold front, located halfway between Newfoundland and the Azores. A day later, the storm was absorbed by a larger extratropical storm southwest of Iceland. The storm was added to the Atlantic hurricane database in 2016. Gracie was one of the strongest tropical cyclones to strike South Carolina until Hurricane Hugo in 1989. It rapidly weakened inland, becoming extratropical on September&nbsp;30.

Along the coast of South Carolina, the highest tide recorded was above mean low water at Charleston Harbor. On Folly Beach, all waterfront houses sustained some damage, while roads on the east side of the island were washed away. Gracie brought wind gusts as high as to the Beaufort area. Inland, winds lashed Walterboro. As much as 75% of Charleston County was left without electricity. Farther north, a F1 tornado damaged homes in Garden City. Throughout the South Carolina Lowcountry, 48&nbsp;homes were destroyed, 349&nbsp;homes suffered major damage, and 4,115&nbsp;homes suffered minor damage. Precipitation from the storm peaked at in Big Meadows. Overall, Gracie caused 22&nbsp;deaths and $14&nbsp;million in damage. At this time, a Colorado low drew polar air into the Mississippi Valley, suggesting extratropical characteristics of the developing system. A tropical depression formed on October 6; it meandered in a north-northeasterly direction for the next two days. On October&nbsp;8, Irene made landfall near Pensacola, Florida, as a well-organized tropical storm. The storm rapidly weakened to a tropical depression, before dissipating early on October 9. In Florida, flooding from rainfall associated with Irene caused damage around the Lake Okeechobee area. Several roads were flooded along the coast at Shalimar near Fort Walton Beach. The winds downed trees and a telephone pole, causing a short power outage in Ocean City. Red tides were ongoing in western Florida; winds from the storm's precursor blew thousands of dead fish ashore. Local residents complained that the odor from the rotting fish were unbearable.

Hurricane Judith

A tropical wave developed into Tropical Storm Judith on October&nbsp;17, near the Yucatán Channel. Precipitation from the storm peaked at in Miles City. The Imperial River overflowed near Bonita Springs, flooding pasture lands and washing out crops, most of which were recently planted. A portion of U.S. Route 41 was inundated by up to of water in Bonita Springs. This was a completely new set of names, and most names used this season were used for the first time, all except: Edith, Flora, and Irene.

Additionally, this is the last designated storm names list to feature names starting with the letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z. As these designated storm letters were removed following the 1960 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

{| width=80%

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  • Arlene
  • Beulah
  • Cindy
  • Debra
  • Edith
  • Flora
  • Gracie

|

  • Hannah
  • Irene
  • Judith

|

|

|}

See also

  • 1959 Pacific hurricane season
  • 1959 Pacific typhoon season
  • Australian region cyclone seasons: 1958–59 1959–60
  • South Pacific cyclone seasons: 1958–59 1959–60
  • South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1958–59 1959–60

References

  • Monthly Weather Review