1960 Atlantic hurricane season

1960 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	June 22, 1960
Last system dissipated	September 26, 1960
Strongest storm
Name	Donna
• Maximum winds	145 mph (230 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	930 mbar (hPa; 27.46 inHg)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions	8
Total storms	8
Hurricanes	4
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+)	2
Total fatalities	454
Total damage	$990.74 million (1960 USD)
Related articles
1960 Pacific hurricane season 1960 Pacific typhoon season 1960 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
Atlantic hurricane seasons 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962

The 1960 Atlantic hurricane season was the least active season since 1952. The season officially began on June 15,^[1] and lasted until November 15.^[2] These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The first system, an unnamed storm, developed in the Bay of Campeche on June 22. It brought severe local flooding to southeastern Texas and was considered the worst disaster in some towns since a Hurricane in 1945. The unnamed storm moved across the United States for almost a week before dissipating on June 29. In July, Hurricane Abby resulted in minor damage in the Leeward Islands, before impacting a few Central American counties — the remnants of the storm would go on to form Hurricane Celeste in the East Pacific. Later that month, Tropical Storm Brenda caused flooding across much of the East Coast of the United States. The next storm, Hurricane Cleo, caused no known impact, despite its close proximity to land.

The most significant storm of the season was Hurricane Donna, which at the time was among the ten costliest United States hurricanes. After the precursor caused a deadly plane crash in Senegal, the storm itself brought severe flooding and wind impacts to the Lesser Antilles and Florida, where Donna made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. It moved northeast and struck North Carolina and Long Island, New York, while still at hurricane intensity. Donna caused at least 428 fatalities and $980 million (1960 USD) in damage. Hurricane Ethel reached Category 3 intensity, but rapidly weakened before making landfall in Mississippi, resulting in only 1 fatality and $1.5 million in losses. The final storm, Florence, developed on September 17. It remained weakened and moved erratically over Cuba and Florida. Only minor flooding was reported. Collectively, the tropical cyclones in 1960 caused at least 454 deaths and about $990.74 million in damage.