1941 Atlantic hurricane season

1941 Atlantic hurricane season
Map of storm tracks over the northeast Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. Six storms hit regions including Florida, Texas, and northern Central America, often veering northeast after hitting land.
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formedSeptember 11, 1941
Last system dissipatedOctober 22, 1941
Strongest storm
By maximum sustained windsFour
 • Maximum winds130 mph (215 km/h)
(1-minute sustained)
 • Lowest pressure957 mbar (hPa; 28.26 inHg)
By central pressure"Texas"
 • Maximum winds125 mph (205 km/h)
(1-minute sustained)
 • Lowest pressure942 mbar (hPa; 27.82 inHg)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions6
Total storms6
Hurricanes4
Major hurricanes
(Cat. 3+)
3
Total fatalities63
Total damage$10 million (1941 USD)
Related articles
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943

The 1941 Atlantic hurricane season was the period in 1941 in which tropical cyclones formed in the Atlantic Basin. It was a relatively inactive hurricane season, with only six known storms. It officially began on June 16, 1941, and lasted until November 1, 1941.[1] These dates delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones tend to form in the Atlantic basin. Of the six cyclones, four attained hurricane status, and three became major hurricanes. The active season had an abnormally late start; the first system formed on September 11, nearly three months after the official beginning date. The season was also short-lived, as all six storms developed in rapid succession. On September 23, three hurricanes existed simultaneously in the Atlantic basin.

In total, the season resulted in about 63 fatalities and over $10 million in damages.[2] The first and last storms of the season were largely insignificant, although the second, fourth, and fifth storms had considerable effects. Two hurricanes struck the United States: a major hurricane that struck Texas and Louisiana in late September, disrupting the Louisiana Maneuvers, and Hurricane Five, which made two landfalls in Florida, the first of which was near Miami at Category 2 intensity, inflicting widespread damage. Another major storm—Hurricane Four—traversed the Caribbean before striking the NicaraguaHonduras border at Category 4 intensity, leaving 47 men dead at sea.

The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 52 units,[3] below the 1931–1943 average of 91.2.[4] ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration will have high values of ACE. It is only calculated at six-hour increments in which specific tropical and subtropical systems are either at or above sustained wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included here.[3]

  1. ^ "Don't Get Alarmed But Hurricane Season Is Now Officially 'Open'". Port Arthur News. June 16, 1941.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference MWR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Comparison of Original and Revised HURDAT". Hurricane Research Division. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. September 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  4. ^ Christopher W. Landsea; et al. (August 15, 2014). "A Reanalysis of the 1931–43 Atlantic Hurricane Database" (PDF). Journal of Climate. 27 (16). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: 6111. Bibcode:2014JCli...27.6093L. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00503.1. S2CID 1785238. Retrieved October 4, 2021.