1861 Atlantic hurricane season

1861 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	July 6, 1861
Last system dissipated	November 3, 1861
Strongest storm
Name	One and Three
• Maximum winds	105 mph (165 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Seasonal statistics
Total storms	8
Hurricanes	6
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+)	0
Total fatalities	At least 22
Total damage	Unknown
Atlantic hurricane seasons 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863

The 1861 Atlantic hurricane season occurred during the first year of the American Civil War^[1] and had some minor impacts on associated events. Eight tropical cyclones are believed to have formed during the 1861 season; the first storm developed on July 6 and the final system dissipated on November 3. Six of the eight hurricanes attained Category 1 hurricane status or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, of which three produced hurricane-force winds in the United States. No conclusive damage totals are available for any storms. Twenty-two people died in a shipwreck off the New England coast, and an undetermined number of crew members went down with their ship in the July hurricane. Based on maximum sustained winds, the first and third hurricanes are tied for the strongest of the year, although the typical method for determining that record—central barometric air pressure—is not a reliable indicator due to a general lack of data and observations.

Four tropical storms from 1861 had been previously identified by scholars and hurricane experts, but three more were uncovered in modern-day reanalysis. Known tracks for most of the systems are presumed to be incomplete, despite efforts to reconstruct the paths of older tropical cyclones. Three systems completely avoided land. They all had an effect on shipping, in some cases inflicting severe damage on vessels. A storm in September, referred to as the "Equinoctial Storm", hugged the East Coast of the United States and produced rainy and windy conditions both along the coast and further inland. The last storm of the season followed a similar track, and affected a large Union fleet of ships sailing to South Carolina for what would become the Battle of Port Royal. Two vessels were sunk and several others had to return home for repairs. Ultimately the expedition ended in a Union success.