1972 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1972 Atlantic hurricane season was a significantly below average season, having only seven named storms, four fully tropical storms (the fewest since 1930) and three subtropical storms. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The first storm, Subtropical Storm Alpha, developed on May 23 off the Southeast United States and struck Florida, causing minor damage and two fatalities.

The most significant storm of the season was Hurricane Agnes, which at the time was the costliest United States hurricane, until Frederic in 1979.|group="nb" This was the first season to name subtropical storms, and did so using the Phonetic Alphabet. Collectively, the storms of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season resulted in 137 deaths and over $2.1 billion in damage.

__TOC__

Season summary

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1972. Of the seven tropical or subtropical storms, three of them strengthened into hurricanes, which is also below average. The last storm of the season, Subtropical Storm Delta, became extratropical on November 7, about 23 days before the official end of hurricane season on November 30.

Systems

Subtropical Storm Alpha

The origins of Alpha were from a surface low northeast of Florida, associated with the larger-scale, cold core upper low. Around that time, it reached its peak winds of . The winds decreased steadily as it turned more westward on May 27. The National Hurricane Center initially thought the center might not have been at the surface, and the agency indicated low forecasting confidence, as they could not determine a circulation center. The difficulty arose from the large, sprawling nature of the storm, and by later on May 27 a new center formed, as confirmed by radar imagery and the Hurricane Hunters. That night, the extremely small center made landfall just south of Savannah, Georgia, affecting a very small area with winds of and a minimum pressure of . The storm weakened quickly over land, although it did not dissipate until two days later over the northeast Gulf of Mexico. The storm dropped rainfall along the coast of North Carolina and Virginia, with a maximum of reported in Ocracoke, North Carolina. While moving slowly off the North Carolina coast, Alpha caused heavy beach erosion, destroyed one house, and threatened the foundation of several other homes in the Outer Banks. Damage totaled over $50,000 (1972 USD). While the storm was traveling over the western Atlantic Ocean, the storm produced a large area of rough seas, which was considered the greatest threat from the storm. In northeastern Florida, police officers were stationed to ensure people did not swim in the dangerous seas. The high waves also halted work to deepen a harbor at the Mayport Naval Station. Two people drowned after the storm dissipated, when surf was still turbulent. Tides along the Georgia coast reached above normal, which caused some flooding and beach erosion. Wind gusts reached on Saint Simons Island. The winds knocked down trees and power lines, leaving some people without power in eastern Georgia. Damage was minor but widespread in the state, estimated at over $50,000 (1972 USD). The storm left seven fatalities. At least 2,082 structures in Florida suffered either major damage or were destroyed. About 1,355 other dwellings experienced minor losses. Though Agnes made landfall as a hurricane, no hurricane-force winds were reported. Abnormally high tides resulted in extensive damage, especially between Apalachicola and Cedar Key. Generally minor effects were also recorded in the states of Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as the New England region. causing several creeks and rivers crest at record height, including the Delaware, Juniata, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and West Branch Susquehanna rivers. More than 100,000 people were forced to leave their homes due to flooding. In the state of Pennsylvania, more than 3,000 businesses and 68,000 homes were destroyed, leaving at least 220,000 people homeless. Agnes remains one of the worst natural disasters in Pennsylvania. New York also suffered severe damage. Similarly, rivers in the state crested high, including the Allegheny, Chemung, Genesee, Susquehanna, and Tioga rivers. By the following day, the extratropical cyclone dissipated over the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

Carrie had a minimal impact on the East Coast south of New England, limited to increased swells, gusty winds, and light rainfall. The worst conditions occurred over southeastern New England, where wind gusts reached and rainfall exceeded . Damage was most severe along and slightly inland from the coast. Thousands of people became stranded on offshore islands of Massachusetts after dangerous conditions created by the storm prompted the suspension of steamship service. Overall, damage was generally light, with total monetary losses valued at $1.78 million. Four deaths were blamed on the storm. While located north of Grand Bahama on September 6, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Dawn. On September 7, a cold low pressure developed near Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, which would influence much of Dawn's movement. Another tropical depression originated about southwest of Flores Island in the Azores on July 16. It trekked slowly until July 19, at which time the system curved northeastward. Late the following day, the depression dissipated about west of Flores Island. On July 31, a tropical depression formed about southeast of Bermuda. The depression moved southwestward, toward the Bahamas and Lesser Antilles, but dissipated about northeast of Turks and Caicos Islands on August 3.

A tropical depression developed over Senegal on August 5. Tracking westward, the depression passed south of Cape Verde before dissipating southwest of the islands on August 8. Four days later, another tropical depression originated about east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. It moved slowly northeastward and intensified slightly, but dissipated about southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on August 15. The tenth tropical depression formed on August 16 while offshore Senegal. Moving generally westward, the cyclone crossed through Cape Verde and struck the islands of Fogo and Santiago. By August 18, the depression dissipated. Another tropical depression developed about east-southeast of Bermuda on September 3. The system moved northeastward toward the Azores, but degenerated about southwest of Flores Island on September 5. The next tropical depression formed on September 20 while located about west-southwest of Cape Verde. The storm tracked generally westward, but then began moving west-northwestward on September 21. Three days later, the depression dissipated about east-northeast of Barbados.

On October 1, a tropical depression originated about east-southeast of Bermuda. The depression tracked generally northward and dissipated about south-southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, on October 3. Another tropical depression formed about west of Bolama, Guinea-Bissau, on October 5. The depression moved generally westward, before curving to the northwest on October 8. Five days later, it turned northward while well northeast of the Lesser Antilles. By October 14, the system began moving north-northeast. The depression dissipated about east-northeast of Bermuda on the following day. Yet another tropical depression formed about southwest of Brava, Cape Verde, on October 16. Initially the depression moved generally west-northwestward and dissipated about halfway between Barbados and Cape Verde.

Storm names

The following list of names was used for named tropical storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1972. Storms were named Agnes, Betty and Dawn for the first (and only, in the case of Agnes) time in 1972.

{| width="90%"

Agnes
Betty
Carrie
Dawn

The NATO phonetic alphabet (below) was used to designates subtropical cyclones that formed in the north Atlantic in 1972. Subtropical Storm Bravo became Betty after acquiring tropical characteristics.

{| width="90%"

Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta

Retirement

After the end of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season, the name Agnes was retired due to the amount of damage and loss of life.

Season effects

This is a table of all of the storms that formed in the 1972 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 1972 USD.