| 1920 Atlantic hurricane season | |
|---|---|
 Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | September 7, 1920 |
| Last system dissipated | October 27, 1920 |
| Strongest storm | |
| By maximum sustained winds | One |
| • Maximum winds | 110 mph (175 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 985 mbar (hPa; 29.09 inHg) |
| By central pressure | Two |
| • Maximum winds | 100 mph (155 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 975 mbar (hPa; 28.79 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total storms | 5 |
| Hurricanes | 4 |
| Total fatalities | 1 direct, 2 indirect |
| Total damage | ≥ $1.45 million (1920 USD) |
| Related articles | |
The 1920 Atlantic hurricane season featured tropical storms and hurricanes only in the month of September. (The present-day delineation of the Atlantic hurricane season is June 1 to November 30.)[1] The first system, a hurricane, developed on September 7 while the last, a tropical depression, transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 27. Of note, four of the six cyclones co-existed with another tropical cyclone during the season.
Of the season's six tropical cyclones, five became tropical storms and four strengthened into hurricanes. Furthermore, none of these strengthened into a major hurricane—Category 3 or higher on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale—marking the seventh such occurrence since 1900.[2] The strongest hurricane of the season peaked as only as a strong Category 2 with winds of 110 mph (180 km/h). The second hurricane caused one death and $1.45 million (1920 USD) in damage in Louisiana, the third left one fatality in North Carolina, and the fifth storm indirectly killed one person in Florida.
The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 30,[2] below the 1911–1920 average of 58.7.[3] 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 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm status.[2]
- ^ Neal Dorst (1993). "When is hurricane season ?". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 8 March 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2009.
- ^ a b c Atlantic basin Comparison of Original and Revised HURDAT. Hurricane Research Division; Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (Report). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. June 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
- ^ Christopher W. Landsea; et al. (May 15, 2008). "A Reanalysis of the 1911–20 Atlantic Hurricane Database" (PDF). Journal of Climate. 21 (10). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: 2146. Bibcode:2008JCli...21.2138L. doi:10.1175/2007JCLI1119.1. S2CID 1785238. Retrieved September 6, 2021.