&sq=&lang=&file=File:Hurricane_Able_(1951).JPG) Surface weather analysis of Able on May 18 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 15, 1951 |
| Dissipated | May 24, 1951 |
| Category 1 hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 90 mph (150 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 973 mbar (hPa); 28.73 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | None |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Florida, Bahamas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1951 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Able was a rare hurricane that formed outside the typical North Atlantic hurricane season. The second tropical storm and first hurricane of 1951, Able developed from a trough of low pressure on May 15 about 300 miles (480 km) south of Bermuda. Initially subtropical in nature, Able acquired tropical characteristics as it moved over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and attained hurricane status on May 17 off the coast of Florida. This made Able one of only four May Atlantic hurricanes on record. On May 22 Able reached peak winds of 90 mph (140 km/h) about 70 miles (110 km) off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The hurricane weakened as it turned eastward, and became an extratropical cyclone on May 23, before dissipating on the next day.
Hurricane Able did not affect land significantly. In Florida, the storm dropped light precipitation, while in the Bahamas it produced winds of up to 95 mph (153 km/h). From North Carolina through New England, Able produced higher than normal tides. No casualties were reported.