 | This article needs to be updated. (September 2023) |
 Faith on September 1 as it moved towards Cape Hatteras | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 21, 1966 |
| Extratropical | September 4, 1966 |
| Dissipated | September 15, 1966 |
| Category 3 major hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 120 mph (195 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 950 mbar (hPa); 28.05 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 4 direct, 1 indirect |
| Areas affected | Lesser Antilles, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Europe |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1966 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Faith was a long-lived Cape Verde hurricane and was the sixth named storm and fifth hurricane of the 1966 Atlantic hurricane season. Faith developed from an area of disturbed weather between Cape Verde and the west coast of Africa on August 21. Tracking westward, the depression gradually intensified and became Tropical Storm Faith on the following day. Moving westward across the Atlantic Ocean, it continued to slowly strengthen, reaching hurricane status early on August 23. Over the next several days, the storm treked north of the Lesser Antilles, weakening into a tropical storm on August 26. Located near the Lesser Antilles, the outer bands of Faith produced gale-force winds in the region, especially Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Antigua. Minor coastal damage occurred as far south as Trinidad and Tobago.
On August 27, the storm reached hurricane status again, and the next day, the storm further intensified into a major hurricane after curving north-northwestward near The Bahamas. The next day, the storm weakened back to a Category 2 hurricane and began re-curving to the northeast. One person drowned in the western Atlantic after his ship sank. Heavy rainfall and strong winds pelted Bermuda, though no damage occurred. The storm maintained hurricane intensity for several days, while tracking east of the United States. On September 3, Faith reattained major hurricane status as it underwent extratropical transition, reaching peak winds of 120 mph (190 km/h). Faith weakened as it completed extratropical transition, finally losing tropical characteristics while east of Atlantic Canada. The system continued traversing the Atlantic Ocean for several days, finally dissipating on September 15, while located just north of Franz Josef Land. Three other drowning deaths occurred in the North Sea near Denmark. A fifth death occurred after a man succumbed to injuries sustained during a boating incident related to the storm.