The 1950 Atlantic hurricane season was the first year in the Atlantic hurricane database (
HURDAT
The Hurricane Databases (HURDAT), managed by the National Hurricane Center, are two separate databases that contain details on tropical cyclones, that have occurred within the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Pacific Ocean since 1851 and 1949 respectiv ...
) that storms were given names in the
Atlantic basin
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
. Names were taken from the
Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
The Allied military phonetic spelling alphabets prescribed the words that are used to represent each letter of the alphabet, when spelling other words out loud, letter-by-letter, and how the spelling words should be pronounced for use by the Alli ...
, with the first named storm being designated "Able", the second "Baker", and so on. It was a very active season with sixteen tropical storms, with eleven of them developing into hurricanes. Six of these hurricanes were intense enough to be classified as
major hurricanes—a denomination reserved for storms that attained
sustained winds equivalent to a Category 3 or greater on the present-day
Saffir–Simpson scale
The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) classifies hurricanes—which in the Western Hemisphere are tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms—into five categories distinguished b ...
. One storm, the twelfth of the season, was unnamed and was originally excluded from the yearly summary, and three additional storms were discovered in re-analysis. The large quantity of strong storms during the year yielded, prior to modern
reanalysis, what was the highest seasonal
accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) of the 20th century in the Atlantic basin; 1950 held the seasonal ACE record until broken by the
1995 Atlantic hurricane season. However, later examination by researchers determined that several storms in the 1950 season were weaker than thought, leading to a lower ACE than assessed originally.
This season also set the record for the most tropical storms, eight, in the month of October.
The tropical cyclones of the season produced a total of 88 fatalities and $38.5 million in property damage (1950
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
). The first
officially named Atlantic hurricane was
Hurricane Able The name Able has been used for three tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean.
*Hurricane Able (1950), a Category 3 hurricane that ultimately hit Nova Scotia as a tropical storm
*Hurricane Able (1951), an early-season Category 1 hurricane ...
, which formed on August 12, brushed the North Carolina coastline, and later moved across
Atlantic Canada. The strongest hurricane of the season,
Hurricane Dog, reached the equivalent of a
Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale and caused extensive damage to the
Leeward Islands. Two major hurricanes affected Florida:
Easy produced the
highest 24-hour rainfall total recorded in the United States, while
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
struck downtown Miami as a Category 4 hurricane and caused $27.75 million (1950 USD) of damage. The two major landfalls made the 1945–1950 period the only five-year period to feature five major hurricane landfalls in the United States—a record that held until tied in 2000–2005.
The last storm of the year, an unnamed tropical storm, dissipated on November 13.
Seasonal summary
The season officially began on June 15 and ended on November 15; these dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most
tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depen ...
s form in the
Atlantic basin
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
. This season was the first time that the
United States Weather Bureau
The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the ...
operated with
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
technology to observe hurricanes away from land. Although the season began on June 15, tropical activity typically does not begin before August. The tropics remained tranquil through early August, and the U.S. Weather Bureau noted that the season had been "remarkably quiet".
The inactive period ended on August 12, when the first tropical storm developed east of the
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc bet ...
. This storm received the name "Able" as part of the
Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
The Allied military phonetic spelling alphabets prescribed the words that are used to represent each letter of the alphabet, when spelling other words out loud, letter-by-letter, and how the spelling words should be pronounced for use by the Alli ...
.
(The same alphabet was also used in the
1951
Events
January
* January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950).
* January 9 – The Government of the United ...
and
1952
Events January–February
* January 26 – Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.
* February 6
** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes m ...
seasons, before being replaced by female naming in
1953
Events
January
* January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma.
* January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a government-in-exile in Oslo.
* January 14
** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yug ...
.)
Before the end of August, four hurricanes had formed in the Atlantic, two of which attained
major hurricane status.
A major hurricane is a tropical cyclone with winds of at least ; a storm of this intensity would be classified as a Category 3 or greater on the
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale introduced in the 1970s. In contrast to the busy August, only three named storms developed in September—although three of the August hurricanes lasted into September.
Hurricane Dog became the strongest hurricane of the season on September 6 with winds of ; its peak strength occurred over the open Atlantic Ocean, so it did not cause significant damage when it was at its strongest. It was among the most severe hurricanes on record in
Antigua, where the hurricane struck early in its duration.
Eight tropical storms or hurricanes formed in October, which is greater than in any other year.
In total, there were sixteen tropical storms during the season, of which five (Tropical Storm How, Tropical Storm Mike and three unnamed tropical storms) did not attain hurricane status. Overall, six major hurricanes occurred during the year.
The
Hurricane Hunters made about 300 flights into hurricanes during the season, the most since the practice began in
1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 ...
.
The number of storms was above average; in a typical year, eleven tropical storms, six hurricanes, and between two and three major hurricanes take place. With the numerous major hurricanes, the season produced a high
accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) of 211, although it was originally assessed as 243 before reanalysis. At one point, the 1950 total was the highest on record, before being surpassed by the 2005 season.
This value is an approximation of the combined
kinetic energy
In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion.
It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acc ...
used by all tropical cyclones throughout the season.
Systems
Hurricane Able
The beginning of the hurricane season was inactive, with the formation of no tropical cyclones during June or July. The first storm of the year originated from a
tropical wave that exited the west coast of Africa around August 5. Its status over the next few days were unknown due to sparse observations. On August 12, the system was designated Tropical Storm Able east of the
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc bet ...
, which strengthened to hurricane status on August 14. Able gradually intensified as it tracked generally west-northwestward, and by 12:00
UTC on August 17, Able became a major hurricane. Initially, Able was thought to pose a threat to the
Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...
and
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
.
Instead, the hurricane turned to the northwest, reaching its peak intensity as a strong Category 3 hurricane, with winds of . The storm later turned to the northeast, passing just offshore
Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras is a cape located at a pronounced bend in Hatteras Island, one of the barrier islands of North Carolina.
Long stretches of beach, sand dunes, marshes, and maritime forests create a unique environment where wind and waves shap ...
,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
and
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
. Steadily weakening and accelerating, Able struck
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
as a minimal hurricane, and later struck
Newfoundland as an
extratropical storm
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of ...
. It dissipated early on August 24 in the far northern Atlantic Ocean.
Along the coast of North Carolina, the hurricane produced light winds and rough waves, as well as moderate precipitation. Heavier rainfall occurred in southern
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...
, causing flooding in portions of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
and producing slick roads that caused nine traffic fatalities. Able produced hurricane-force winds in
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
,
and damage across Canada totaled over $1 million (1950
CAD
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve co ...
, $ USD) in the agriculture, communications, and fishing industries. Two people died in Canada when their raft was overturned.
Hurricane Baker
A tropical wave exited western Africa on August 13, which developed into Tropical Storm Baker east of the Lesser Antilles on August 18. It moved northwestward and later turned to the west, attaining hurricane status on August 21. The next day, the hurricane attained Category 2 intensity just as it crossed over
Antigua,
where heavy damage was reported. More than 100 homes were damaged or destroyed, which left thousands homeless. Afterward, the hurricane began to weaken, and later on August 22 its winds decreased to tropical storm status. The cyclone then struck
Montserrat as a strong tropical storm. The next day it struck southwestern
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
, and shortly thereafter weakened into a tropical depression, passing over the Dominican Republic. Baker turned more to the west, re-attaining tropical storm status before striking eastern Cuba on August 24.
In Cuba, 37 people died, and the property losses reached several million dollars.
On August 25, Baker weakened to tropical depression status while crossing Cuba, but soon thereafter regained tropical storm intensity in the western
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...
. Two days later, Baker entered the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United ...
, and by the next day Baker had regained hurricane status. It turned northward, reaching a peak intensity of on August 30. Baker weakened slightly before making
landfall
Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
near
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores is a resort city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 9,741.
Geography
Gulf Shores is located on the Gulf of Mexico at 30°16'4.069" North, 87°42'5.285" West (30.267797, −87.7 ...
with winds of on August 31.
Property and crop damage totaled $2.55 million (1950 USD), primarily between
Mobile, Alabama and
Saint Marks, Florida
St. Marks is a city in Wakulla County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Tallahassee metropolitan area. The population was 293 at the 2010 census. As of 2018, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 319.
Geography
St. Mark ...
.
Torrential rainfall fell throughout the region, with the largest total occurring in
Caryville, Florida
Caryville is a town in Washington County, Florida, United States located along the Choctawhatchee River. The population was 411 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Caryville is located at (30.775620, –85.810506).
According to the United States Ce ...
, where of precipitation were recorded. The heavy precipitation was responsible for extensive crop damage across the region. The hurricane also spawned two tornadoes, one of which destroyed four houses and a building in
Apalachicola, Florida
Apalachicola ( ) is a city and the county seat of Franklin County, Florida, United States, on the shore of Apalachicola Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. The population was 2,231 at the 2010 census.
History
The Apalachicola people, after ...
. In
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...
, high wind downed power lines, which caused one death and two injuries due to live wires. While inland, Baker tracked northwestward and eventually dissipated over southeastern
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
on September 1.
Hurricane Charlie
Hurricane Charlie developed on August 21 to the southwest of the
Cape Verde islands.
At the time, the Weather Bureau did not consider Charlie to be a tropical cyclone until almost a week later. For four days, the storm tracked generally to the west as a weak tropical storm. On August 25, it turned to the northwest and intensified, becoming a hurricane on August 28. On August 30, Charlie attained peak winds of , although the
Hurricane Hunters estimated higher winds. At the time, the hurricane was stalled to the east-southeast of
Bermuda
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = National song
, song = "Hail to Bermuda"
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, mapsize2 =
, map_caption2 =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name =
, es ...
, and subsequently turned to a westward drift.
On September 2, Charlie turned to the north and northeast. At the time, it co-existed with two other hurricanes,
Dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
and
Easy; it is a rare occurrence for three hurricanes to exist simultaneously in the Atlantic. Charlie slowly weakened and
lost tropical characteristics, and by September 5 Charlie had transitioned into an
extratropical cyclone about southeast of
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348 ...
. It dissipated later on September 5 without having affected land.
Hurricane Dog
Hurricane Dog is believed to have developed from a tropical wave that left the coast of Africa on August 24. Its first observation as a tropical cyclone occurred on August 30, when it was a hurricane; the storm is believed to have begun farther east as a Cape Verde-type hurricane, but was not detectable before August 30.
At the time, Dog was located east of the
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc bet ...
, and it quickly attained major hurricane status as it moved to the west-northwest. Dog passed through the Lesser Antilles with winds of .
It was considered among the worst hurricanes in the
history of Antigua,
where thousands were left homeless. Damage was estimated at $1 million (1950 USD, $ USD), and there were two deaths from drowning in the region.
After passing through the
Leeward Islands, the hurricane turned to a northerly drift with continued intensification. On September 5, it attained wind speeds that would be equivalent to a
Category 4 hurricane on the present-day Saffir-Simpson scale, with sustained winds of . Operationally, the wind intensity value was estimated by Hurricane Hunters at when the hurricane was located about south-southwest of Bermuda;
this estimate is now believed to have been an overestimation of the peak winds in Hurricane Dog, though the storm produced enormous wave heights at sea.
Maintaining peak intensity for about 18 hours, Dog began a weakening trend as it made a sharp turn to the west. It accelerated to the north on September 10, and two days later Dog passed within of
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
.
Newspapers attributed heavy rainfall in the
Mid-Atlantic states—which resulted in five deaths—to the hurricane.
Further north, the hurricane killed 12 people in New England, and produced a total of $2 million (1950 USD, $ USD) of property damage.
Twelve others died in two shipwrecks off the coast of Canada. The hurricane later became a strong extratropical cyclone, maintaining hurricane-force winds while passing south of Nova Scotia and eventually hitting
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
with hurricane-force gusts on September 18.
Hurricane Easy
Hurricane Easy developed on September 1 from a
trough in the western Caribbean, which persisted after Hurricane Baker moved through the region in late August. Moving northeastward, the hurricane crossed Cuba on September 3 and entered the Gulf of Mexico. Easy turned to the northwest and strengthened to its peak intensity as a Category 3 hurricane. At the time, Easy was located just off the west coast of Florida; however, a
ridge to its north caused the hurricane to stall, execute a small loop, and make
landfall
Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
near
Cedar Key
Cedar Key is a city in Levy County, Florida, United States. The population was 702 at the 2010 census. The Cedar Keys are a cluster of islands near the mainland. Most of the developed area of the city has been on Way Key since the end of the 19th ...
. Following the landfall, Easy moved offshore, turned to the southeast, and made a second landfall near
Hernando Beach on September 6. The hurricane turned northwestward over the Florida Peninsula, and gradually weakened as it moved into
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
and the southeastern United States. On September 9, Easy dissipated over northeastern
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
.
Damage in Cuba was minor, although large portions of western Florida experienced hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall.
Yankeetown reported of precipitation in 24 hours, which at the time was the largest 24-hour rainfall total on record in the United States.
The cumulative total rainfall on Yankeetown from Easy was , which still retains the record for the
wettest tropical cyclone in Florida. Damage was heaviest in Cedar Key, where half of the houses were destroyed and most of the remaining were damaged. The rainfall caused heavy crop damage in the region. Across the state, Easy caused $3 million in damage (1950 USD), the total was less than expected, due to the sparse population of the affected area. Additionally, the hurricane was indirectly responsible for two deaths by electrocution. At the time, Easy was also known as the "Cedar Keys Hurricane".
Hurricane Fox
On September 8, Tropical Storm Fox was present in the open Atlantic Ocean between the Lesser Antilles and Cape Verde, likely originating from a tropical wave. Hurricane Fox was first discovered by Hurricane Hunters on September 10, when it was located about east of Puerto Rico. A small system, the hurricane moved generally northwestward and gradually intensified. After turning toward the north, Fox reached its peak intensity with
maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained wind associated with a tropical cyclone is a common
indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, it is found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unl ...
s of on September 14, as it passed about east of Bermuda. Following its peak intensity, the hurricane accelerated to the north and northeast. By September 17, Fox had
lost all tropical characteristics, and later that day the circulation dissipated about halfway between the
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
and Newfoundland. Fox never affected land along its path. When Fox dissipated, it was the first time in 36 days without an active tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean.
Hurricane George
Tropical Storm George originated on September 27 from a strong tropical wave northeast of the Lesser Antilles and southeast of Bermuda. A large system, it moved to the northwest and later west-northwest. George began strengthening on September 30 as it decreased its forward speed. The next day, while remaining nearly stationary south of Bermuda, a nearby ship reported that George had reached hurricane status. It continued moving very slowly, passing only south of Bermuda.
The island experienced winds of . Aside from
rainband
A rainband is a cloud and precipitation structure associated with an area of rainfall which is significantly elongated. Rainbands can be stratiform or convective, and are generated by differences in temperature. When noted on weather radar im ...
s, little impact was reported on Bermuda.
The hurricane passed west of Bermuda on October 3. A day later, George reached its maximum intensity, attaining sustained winds of ; in its small eye, an Air Force Hurricane Hunter plane measured a central pressure of .
It accelerated to the north and later to the northeast, and on October 5 George transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. Shortly thereafter, it passed just south of Newfoundland, and on October 7 the remnants of George dissipated south of
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
.
Tropical Storm How
A weak trough existed in the eastern Gulf of Mexico on September 29. A circulation developed within the storm, becoming a tropical depression on October 1. Later that day, the system intensified into Tropical Storm How. Initially, the tropical storm moved west-northwestward and its sustained winds peaked by October 2, estimated at .
Officials advised small boats to remain at port along the
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
coast due to the storm. On October 3, Tropical Storm How turned toward the southwest as it began weakening, and the next day it moved ashore near
La Pesca, Tamaulipas
La Pesca is a small town in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North Americ ...
as a tropical depression. About six hours after making landfall, How dissipated over the
Sierra Madre Oriental in northeastern Mexico.
Hurricane Item
On October 4, a trough was present in the western Caribbean Sea, and was possibly a tropical cyclone. Moving northwest, the system crossed the
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula (, also , ; es, Península de Yucatán ) is a large peninsula in southeastern Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north ...
and became disrupted, while also associating with a cold front. It emerged into the Gulf of Mexico on October 7 and became more defined. On the next day, the system developed into Tropical Storm Item off the northwest coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. The storm moved to the southwest and intensified into a hurricane on October 9, reaching peak winds of on the next day based on Hurricane Hunters observations. It is possible that Item was stronger, due to the storm's small size but lack of direct observations. On October 11, the hurricane made landfall at 04:00 UTC near
Nautla, Veracruz
Nautla is a settlement in the Mexican state of Veracruz.
''Nautla'' comes from the Nahuatl ''naui'', 'four'; and from ''tlan'', that means 'place'; so it is known as 'Four Places'.
History
First it was a prehispanic town that was in Casitas, V ...
, with peak gusts of .
The hurricane quickly dissipated over land.
In the sparsely populated area where Item moved ashore, the hurricane dropped heavy rainfall. Newspaper reports considered it the worst storm to hit Mexico in ten years, with damage in Veracruz totaling around $1.5 million (1950 USD, $ USD). The strong winds sank 20 ships, and although there were no reports of casualties, Item caused 15 injuries. Communications were disrupted across the region, and downed trees blocked roads. Near
Tuxpam, the winds damaged large areas of banana plantations.
Hurricane Jig
A tropical storm was first observed on October 11 in the central Atlantic Ocean, northeast of the Lesser Antilles and southeast of Bermuda. Two days later, a ship reported strong winds and a rapid pressure drop, indicating a hurricane was in the region; the tropical cyclone was given the name Jig. It moved northwestward, steadily intensifying before turning to the north and northeast. On October 15, Hurricane Jig passed about east of Bermuda, and later that day its sustained winds reach peak winds of , although the intensity was uncertain, based on estimates from the Hurricane Hunters. The hurricane began weakening on October 16. Jig became an extratropical cyclone later that day and quickly dissipated, never having affected land due to its small size.
Hurricane King
A trough was present in the western Caribbean on October 11. It is estimated that a tropical depression developed just off the north coast of
Honduras on October 13, which moved northeastward and intensified into Tropical Storm King the next day.
The tropical storm was a small weather system throughout its duration.
On October 16, King reached hurricane strength while the passing between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. The next day, King struck Cuba near
Camagüey, Cuba with winds of , equivalent to an upper-end Category 1 hurricane.
The hurricane killed seven people and caused $2 million (1950 USD, $ USD) in damage throughout the country.
After crossing Cuba, King rapidly deepened as it turned toward
South Florida, becoming the sixth and final major hurricane of the season on October 18. King made landfall around 04:30 UTC on October 18, with estimated winds of , or a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale; it was the most severe hurricane to impact the city since the
1926 Miami hurricane
The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 was a large and intense tropical cyclone that devastated the Greater Miami area and caused catastrophic damage in the Bahamas and the U.S. Gulf Coast in September of the year 1926, accruing a US$100 mi ...
. As it approached Miami, the hurricane had a
radius of maximum wind
The radius of maximum wind (RMW) is the distance between the center of a cyclone and its band of strongest winds. It is a parameter in atmospheric dynamics and tropical cyclone forecasting. The highest rainfall rates occur near the RMW of tropic ...
s of , and a minimum pressure of was reported as King moved across the city. The swath of destructive winds was only , likened to a small tornado.
Early on October 19, King weakened to tropical storm status over north-central Florida, and on the next day it dissipated over western
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
.
There was one additional death in Georgia.
Across Florida, damage totaled $27.75 million (1950 USD, $ USD), of which $15 million (1950 USD, $ USD) was in the Miami metropolitan area.
A preliminary survey indicated there were 12,290 houses damaged in the region, with an additional eight destroyed.
Along its path through the state, strong winds were observed around
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee (), also known as Florida's Inland Sea, is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Florida. It is the tenth largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwa ...
, with a gust in
Clewiston
Clewiston is a city in Hendry County, Florida, United States. Its location is northwest of Fort Lauderdale on the Atlantic coastal plain. The population was 7,327 at the 2020 census, up from 7,155 at the 2010 census. The estimated population in 2 ...
. Overall, there were three deaths in the state.
Tropical Storm Twelve
A tropical storm was present in the east-central Atlantic on October 17. It moved northwestward at first before turning to the northeast on October 19, when it was already a small, compact tropical cyclone. The storm steadily intensified as it tracked toward the Azores, and it reached a peak intensity of on October 21. Maintaining its peak strength for 30 hours, the storm began a steady weakening trend before crossing through the southern Azores. It turned to the southeast, weakening to tropical depression status on October 24. Subsequently, the system turned to the south and quickly dissipated.
This tropical storm was not included in the ''
Monthly Weather Review
The ''Monthly Weather Review'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Meteorological Society. It covers research related to analysis and prediction of observed and modeled circulations of the atmosphere, including techniq ...
s summary of the 1950 hurricane season,
and it was added to the
Atlantic hurricane database in 1959.
Hurricane Love
In the wake of
Hurricane King
Hurricane King was the most severe hurricane to strike the city of Miami, Florida since the 1926 Miami hurricane. It was the eleventh tropical storm and the last of six major hurricanes in the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season. The cyclone formed i ...
moving northward through Florida, an
area of low pressure
In meteorology, a low-pressure area, low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclement weather (such as cloudy, windy, with possible ...
developed into a tropical cyclone on October 18 south of Louisiana. This storm was given the name Love and quickly strengthened, reaching hurricane status shortly thereafter. The storm initially moved westward across the Gulf of Mexico, but soon swung southward into the central portion of the Gulf on October 19. Hurricane Love's maximum sustained winds are believed to have reached their peak intensity early on October 20. Throughout the hurricane's track, dry air infringed on the western side of the tropical cyclone's circulation, which produced unfavorable conditions for additional
tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which temperate cyclogenesis occurs. Tr ...
. On October 20, the storm began curving northeastward towards the coast of western Florida; however, the dry air completely circled Love's
center of circulation, drastically weakening the cyclone in the process. On October 21, Love weakened to a tropical storm, and it struck the
Big Bend region of Florida, north of
Cedar Key
Cedar Key is a city in Levy County, Florida, United States. The population was 702 at the 2010 census. The Cedar Keys are a cluster of islands near the mainland. Most of the developed area of the city has been on Way Key since the end of the 19th ...
. At the time, its winds were only of moderate gale force, and the storm degenerated into a trough of low pressure shortly thereafter. This combined with an approaching cold front to produce a powerful extratropical storm.
Certain areas began preparing for the storm along Florida's west coast. Hospitals set up emergency facilities in case of power failure, and some coastal residents left their homes.
Initially, the storm was forecast to strike the
Tampa area, but missed to the north as it weakened. It reportedly left little damage in the sparsely populated land where it made landfall.
Tropical Storm Mike
A westerly moving trough was evident in the east-central Atlantic Ocean on October 24, south of a dissipating cold front. Ships in the region reported light winds, and surface observations suggested that a circulation developed by October 25; on that basis, it is estimated that a tropical depression formed. A nearby ship reported gale-force winds on October 27, suggesting that it intensified into a tropical storm with peak winds of . An approaching cold front turned the storm northward, which absorbed the storm on October 28. The
Air Weather Service (AWS) noted the system as "Storm Mike", but the storm was not included in the annual Monthly Weather Review summary, nor was it included in the database until it was added by the
Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project
The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seeks to correct and add new information about past North Atlantic hurricanes. It was started around 2000 to update HURDAT, the official hurricane ...
in 2014.
Tropical Storm Fifteen
Ships in the eastern Atlantic Ocean suggested that a tropical storm was present on October 28 with peak winds of . It was estimated to have originated the previous day. The small storm moved to the northwest and later west into an area of sparse observations, suggesting a weaker system. The system's track ended on October 29 due to uncertainty, but it was estimated to have dissipated soon after.
Tropical Storm Sixteen
For several days in November, a trough was present across the west-central Atlantic Ocean. On November 10, three ships reported a cyclonic circulation northeast of Bermuda, with peak winds of . It was a large system, and would likely have been classified a subtropical cyclone in the satellite era. The storm moved northeastward and weakened, degenerating into a trough on November 12 before being merging with another system.
Storm names
This was the first season in the Atlantic hurricane database in which cyclones that attained at least tropical storm status were given names. The names used to name storms during the 1950 season were taken from the
Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
The Allied military phonetic spelling alphabets prescribed the words that are used to represent each letter of the alphabet, when spelling other words out loud, letter-by-letter, and how the spelling words should be pronounced for use by the Alli ...
, which was also used in the
1951
Events
January
* January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950).
* January 9 – The Government of the United ...
and
1952
Events January–February
* January 26 – Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.
* February 6
** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes m ...
hurricane seasons before being replaced by female names in
1953
Events
January
* January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma.
* January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a government-in-exile in Oslo.
* January 14
** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yug ...
.
Names that were not assigned are marked in .
Season effects
This is a table of all the storms that have formed in the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their duration, names, landfall(s), denoted in parentheses, damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a tropical wave, or a low, and all the damage figures are in 1950 USD.
See also
*
1950 Pacific hurricane season
The 1950 Pacific hurricane season was notable for one of the storms being the third-wettest tropical cyclone in United States history. Seven known tropical cyclones occurred during the season, the earliest of which formed on June 14 and the latest ...
*
1950 Pacific typhoon season
The 1950 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1950, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when ...
*
Atlantic hurricane season
*
Lists of Atlantic hurricanes
Lists of Atlantic hurricanes, or tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, are organized by the properties of the hurricane or by the location most affected.
By property
* List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
*List of Atlantic hurricane records
*Li ...
*
1950s Australian region cyclone seasons
The following is a list of all reported tropical cyclones within the Australian region between 90°E and 160°E in the 1950s.
1950–51
*December 10–11, 1950 – A tropical cyclone passed overland to the west of Groote Eylandt, where hur ...
*
1950s North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons
The years between 1950 and 1959 featured the 1950s North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons. Each season was an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The North Indian tropical cyclone season has no bounds, but they tend to for ...
Notes
References
External links
Monthly Weather Review
{{DEFAULTSORT:1950 Atlantic Hurricane Season
Articles which contain graphical timelines