Timeline of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season

Timeline of the
2003 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
Season boundaries
First system formedApril 20, 2003
Last system dissipatedDecember 11, 2003
Strongest system
NameIsabel
Maximum winds165 mph (270 km/h)
(1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure919 mbar (hPa; 27.14 inHg)
Longest lasting system
NameIsabel
Duration13.5 days
Storm articles
Other years
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

The 2003 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season with tropical activity before and after the official bounds of the season – the first such occurrence in 33 years. The season officially began on June 1, 2003, and ended on November 30. However, a pre-season storm, Tropical Storm Ana, led to the season starting on April 20, and storm activity continued through December 11. The timeline includes information which was not operationally released, meaning that information from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as information on a storm that was not operationally warned upon, has been included. This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, as well as dissipations during the season.

This season had 21 tropical depressions, of which, 16 became named storms. Of these, 7 strengthened into hurricanes with 3 intensifying into major hurricanes.[nb 1] Hurricane Fabian, Hurricane Isabel, and Hurricane Juan had their names retired due to the impact caused in Bermuda, the eastern United States, and Nova Scotia respectively. Both Fabian and Juan were the worst hurricanes to hit their respective areas, causing $450 million in damages and 16 fatalities.[2][3] Hurricane Isabel was the strongest, deadliest, and costliest storm of the season. Isabel peaked as a Category 5 hurricane over the open waters of the Atlantic; however, it weakened to a Category 2 before impacting the east coast of the United States, causing $3.6 billion in damages and 51 fatalities.[4]

  1. ^ "Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Fabian TCR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Juan TCR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Isabel TCR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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