1964 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1964 Atlantic hurricane season featured the highest number of U.S.-landfalling hurricanes since 1933. It was a slightly above average season in which thirteen tropical storms formed, compared with the 1950–2000 average of 9.6 named storms. Seven of these reached hurricane status, which is slightly higher than the 1950–2000 average of 5.9. The tropical cyclones of the 1964 Atlantic hurricane season collectively caused at least 271 deaths and about $640.63 million in damage. The season officially ended on November 30, 1964. 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. It is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding , which is tropical storm strength.

Systems

Unnamed June tropical storm

A disturbance that moved out of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) developed into a tropical depression to the east of British Honduras (modern day Belize) on June 2. Overall, the storm caused about $1 million in damage. The depression moved east-northeastward and emerged into the Atlantic near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, early on July 24. Several hours later, the depression intensified into a tropical storm. Based on ship data and baroclinic intensification, the storm likely peaked with maximum sustained winds of just before becoming extratropical about of Nantucket, Massachusetts, around 12:00 UTC on July 26. Reports from a reconnaissance aircraft indicate that a tropical depression developed at 06:00 UTC on July 28, while located about halfway between the Leeward Islands and the northernmost islands of Cape Verde. The depression moved westward and initially remained disorganized. A fishing company in Matagorda lost a portion of its roof. Abby resulted in an estimated $750,000 in losses,

Tropical Storm Brenda

A minor trough of low pressure was situated west of Bermuda in early August. An airline crew member observed a low-level circular cloud forming at 32.0°N, 69.0°W at 18:00 UTC on August 7. Early on August 8, a tropical depression developed about northwest of Bermuda. It moved east-southeastward and strengthened into Tropical Storm Brenda six hours later. At 13:00 UTC on August 8, the cyclone struck Bermuda with winds of . The island experienced sustained winds up to and gusts up to . A tornado damaged several aircraft, most of which were privately owned. A cold front caused the storm to re-curve northeastward on August 9. Strong winds in Haiti caused severe damage. On Île-à-Vache, 50 houses either had the roof caved in or the walls knocked over. In Les Cayes, 70% of houses were destroyed, as was the sugar mill. In rural areas outside of the city, 90% to 95% of dwellings were demolished. About half of the houses in Camp-Perrin were leveled. Near Saint-Louis-du-Sud, many sugarcane crops, particularly on the west side of the city, were ruined. The storm left 192 fatalities and $5 million in damage in Haiti. Throughout the state, the storm damaged almost 19,000 homes and destroyed 4 others, while 2,187 mobile homes were flattened or suffered severe impact. Additionally, 605 small businesses were damaged or destroyed. There were three deaths in Broward County and about $125 million in damage, including agriculture. Cleo brought flooding to a few other states, especially Virginia. In the Hampton Roads area, many streets were inundated and blocked. Hundreds of dwellings were flooded, forcing several areas to evacuate. Three deaths and about $3 million in damage occurred in Virginia. Around 04:00 UTC on September 10, the hurricane made landfall near St. Augustine, Florida, with winds of . Dora initially weakened quickly after moving inland, falling to tropical storm status within 14 hours of landfall. Dora then briefly drifted over southwestern Georgia, until turning east-northeastward late on September 11. The system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over South Carolina around 12:00 UTC on September 13. The remnants emerged into the Atlantic near Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and continued northeastward, striking Newfoundland on September 15, shortly before being absorbed by a larger extratropical cyclone. Along the coast, tides reached up to above mean sea level. Sustained hurricane-force winds were reported from Flagler County to far southeastern Georgia. Much of the damage in the Jacksonville area occurred to older buildings and those located in coastal areas. Additionally, sections of the city experienced wind-induced river flooding in the vicinity of the St. Johns River. Heavy rainfall damaged many unharvested crops and inundated numerous of roads and bridges, isolated some communities for several days. There was one death in the state and at least $9 million in damage. A few other states were affected by the storm, though impact there was much lesser. It developed into a tropical depression early that day while located about east of Cape Verde. The depression moved west-northwestward and intensified into Tropical Storm Ethel at 18:00 UTC on September 4. Initially, it was suggested that Hurricane Dora could absorb Ethel, as the storms were located apart. Throughout the island, low-lying areas were flooded and trees were felled. At St. George's Island, residents were briefly left without electricity and telephones and the causeway linking St. George's Island to the main island was inundated. Early on September 13, Ethel intensified into a Category 2 hurricane and soon peaked with winds of . The system became extratropical late on September 14, while located about southeast of Cape Race. Newfoundland. The extratropical remnants slowly weakened while meandering around the Atlantic, until dissipating just north of the Azores on September 17.

Tropical Storm Florence

A tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa on September 5. The wave quickly developed into a tropical depression at 06:00 UTC on September 5, while located about west of Dakar, Senegal. Shortly later, the depression produced squally weather in Cape Verde. Tracking westward, it developed into Tropical Storm Gladys while centered about midway between the Lesser Antilles and Cape Verde early on September 13. The storm moved northwestward and intensified into a hurricane on September 14, before weakened back to a tropical storm early the next day. Gladys re-strengthened into a hurricane on September 16. By the next day, the cyclone quickly intensified, briefly peaking as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of around 18:00 UTC. Gladys weakened to a Category 3 early on September 18. Gladys weakened to a Category 2 as it re-curved northward on September 20.

The storm weakened to a Category 1 as it turned northwestward on September 22 and briefly threatened the East Coast of the United States. However, it veered northeastward on September 23 and moved rapidly toward Atlantic Canada. By 00:00 UTC on September 25, Gladys became extratropical just offshore Newfoundland and promptly dissipated. Along the East Coast of the United States, Gladys produced light rainfall, gusty winds, and storm surge. Coastal flooding was reported in North Carolina and Virginia. In the former, high tides inundated homes and buildings with of water in two small villages on the Outer Banks and flooded a highway to Manteo. In the state of Virginia, one death occurred when a man was fatally struck in the throat by debris. Abnormally high tides also affected the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and Atlantic Canada, with tides ranging from higher than average in Virginia. The depression tracked west-northwestward and struck Isla de la Juventud, Cuba, early on September 29. After briefly re-emerging into the northwestern Caribbean Sea later that day, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Hilda at 11:00 UTC on September 29 while making landfall near Sandino, Cuba. By late on September 29, it emerged into the Gulf of Mexico near Cape San Antonio. The storm continued to intensify, reaching hurricane status on September 30. During the following 30 hours, Hilda strengthened significantly and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of late on October 1. It re-curved northward and began weakening due to unfavorable conditions. Around 23:00 UTC on October 3, the storm made landfall near Franklin, Louisiana, as a Category 2 with winds of . It rapidly weakened inland and became extratropical over southern Mississippi by 12:00 UTC that day. The remnant extratropical low continued eastward and emerged into the Atlantic late on October 5, before dissipating well north of the Bahamas on October 7.

In Cuba, the storm caused minor impact, with damage totaling about $1 million. In Louisiana, sustained winds of 90 to 105 mph to (150 to 165 km/h) lashed the Abbeville-Morgan City-New Iberia area. Additionally, several tornadoes in the New Orleans area resulted in significant damage. One tornado near Larose killed 22 people despite being on the ground for only . There were 37 fatalities and an estimated 5,000 injuries. Approximately 19,000 homes were damaged in the state, 2,600 of which were severely impacted. Outside of Louisiana, damage was primarily caused by flooding in the Southeastern United States. Impacted worst by flooding was North Carolina, where 2,000 homes and buildings suffered water damage and one death was reported. Isbell was responsible for three deaths and approximately $10 million in damage in Cuba. Three deaths occurred in the state, one due to a heart attack and two from drowning in Florida Keys when their shrimp boat sank. Because the storm weakened considerably, impact in North Carolina was generally minor. The storm also spawned at least six tornadoes in the state, which demolished trailers and unroofed homes and other buildings in several communities. Damage throughout the United States totaled $10 million. A storm was named Isbell for the first time in 1964.

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Abby
Brenda
Cleo
Dora
Ethel
Florence
Gladys

Hilda
Isbell

Retirement

The names Cleo, Dora, and Hilda were later retired and replaced with Candy, Dolly, and Hannah, respectively, for the 1968 season. In addition, the names Ethel, Florence, Isbell, and Winny would be removed but not retired and replaced by Edna, Frances, Ingrid, and Wesley for the 1968 Atlantic hurricane season with no reason cited.

Season effects

This is a table of all of the storms that formed in the 1964 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their name, duration, peak classification and intensities, areas affected, damage, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 1964 USD.

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Notes

References

External links

Monthly Weather Review