| 1971 Atlantic hurricane season | |
|---|---|
 Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | July 4, 1971 |
| Last system dissipated | November 22, 1971 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Edith |
| • Maximum winds | 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 943 mbar (hPa; 27.85 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total depressions | 22 |
| Total storms | 13 |
| Hurricanes | 6 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 1 |
| Total fatalities | 52 total |
| Total damage | $220 million (1971 USD) |
| Related articles | |
The 1971 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season overall, producing 13 named storms (including a nameable system that went unnamed), of which 6 strengthened into hurricanes. The season officially began on June 1, 1971,[1] and lasted until November 30, 1971. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin.[2] This season, the first storm, Arlene, developed on July 4, while the last, Laura, dissipated on November 22.
Activity was steady through most of the season. Hurricane Edith was its strongest system, reaching Category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale. It struck Nicaragua at peak intensity, killing dozens, and later hit southern Louisiana. Hurricane Ginger was its longest-lived system, lasting 27 days from early September to early October, setting a record for the longest known duration of a North Atlantic tropical cyclone (not surpassed until 2003). Ginger moved ashore in North Carolina, producing heavy rains and damaging winds. An unnamed storm in August attained hurricane status further north than any other Atlantic hurricane on record. On September 11-12, there were five active Atlantic tropical cyclones at one time.[3] Despite the activity, damage in the United States totaled about $235 million (1971 USD, $1.77 billion 2024 USD), which National Hurricane Center forecaster Paul Hebert noted was "pretty small considering we had five storms in a row strike the U.S."[2] Most of the damage came from Tropical Storm Doria, which affected much of the East Coast of the United States. Hurricane Fern struck Texas after executing an unusual track, dropping heavy rainfall and producing flooding.
- ^ Staff Writer (June 1, 1971). "National Hurricane Center Has Good News for Season". Sarasota Journal. Associated Press. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
- ^ a b Staff Writer (December 1, 1971). "Winter Winds Signal End of 1971 Hurricane Season". The Evening Independent. Associated Press. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
- ^ Erdman, John (August 27, 2015). "Six Tropical Cyclones At Once in the Pacific Ocean: How Rare Is That?". weather.com. Retrieved September 17, 2017.