1972 Atlantic hurricane season

Systems

Subtropical Storm Alpha

The origins of Alpha were from a surface low northeast of Florida, associated with the larger-scale, cold core upper low. Late on May 23, it organized into a subtropical depression to the east of the Georgia/South Carolina border. A developing ridge blocked its northeast motion, turning the depression to the southeast. On May 25, a small, intense low-level center organized rapidly. By the next day, it attained gale-force winds and was moving southwestward. At 1600 UTC on May 26, the National Hurricane Center initiated advisories on Subtropical Cyclone Alpha, when the storm was about 225 mi (360 km) to the south of Cape Hatteras. Around that time, it reached its peak winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Subtropical Storm Alpha was initially well-defined as it moved southwestward. The very small center was located along the eastern edge of the convection, while low-level cloud bands formed east of the center. The winds decreased steadily as it turned more westward on May 27. The National Hurricane Center initially thought the center might not have been at the surface, and the agency indicated low forecasting confidence, as they could not determine a circulation center. The difficulty arose from the large, sprawling nature of the storm, and by later on May 27 a new center formed, as confirmed by radar imagery and the Hurricane Hunters. That night, the extremely small center made landfall just south of Savannah, Georgia, affecting a very small area with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 991 hPa (29.26 inHg). Around the time of landfall, Alpha developed a warm core, indicating some tropical characteristics. The storm weakened quickly over land, although it did not dissipate until two days later over the northeast Gulf of Mexico.

The interaction between Alpha and the high pressure system to its northeast caused cooler temperatures and gusty winds from Delaware southward. Wave heights reached up to 20 feet (6.1 m) along the Virginia capes. The storm dropped rainfall along the coast of North Carolina and Virginia, with a maximum of 6.97 inches (177 mm) reported in Ocracoke, North Carolina. While moving slowly off the North Carolina coast, Alpha caused heavy beach erosion, destroyed one house, and threatened the foundation of several other homes in the Outer Banks. Damage totaled over $50,000 (1972 USD). While the storm was traveling over the western Atlantic Ocean, the storm produced a large area of rough seas, which was considered the greatest threat from the storm. In northeastern Florida, police officers were stationed to ensure people did not swim in the dangerous seas. The high waves also halted work to deepen a harbor at the Mayport Naval Station. Two people drowned after the storm dissipated, when surf was still turbulent. Tides along the Georgia coast reached 2 to 3 feet (0.61 to 0.91 m) above normal, which caused some flooding and beach erosion. Wind gusts reached 58 mph (93 km/h) on Saint Simons Island. The winds knocked down trees and power lines, leaving some people without power in eastern Georgia. Damage was minor but widespread in the state, estimated at over $50,000 (1972 USD). Moderate rains spread in coastal areas from South Carolina through southern Florida.

Hurricane Agnes

A polar front and an upper trough over the Yucatán Peninsula spawned a tropical depression on June 14. The storm emerged into the western Caribbean Sea on June 15, and by the following day, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Agnes. The storm curved northward and brushed western Cuba on June 17. Agnes continued to intensify, and on June 18, it was upgraded to a hurricane. Minimal fluctuations in intensity occurred before the storm made landfall near Panama City, Florida, on June 19, with 75 mph (120 km/h) winds. After moving inland, Agnes rapidly weakened and was only a tropical depression when it entered Georgia. Thereafter, weakening slowed as the storm crossed over Georgia and into South Carolina. However, while over eastern North Carolina on June 21, Agnes re-strengthened into a tropical storm, as a result of baroclinic activity. It became post-tropical shortly thereafter, but continued to strengthen. Early the following day, the storm emerged into the Atlantic Ocean before re-curving northwestward and making landfall near New York City. Agnes quickly merged with a non-tropical low pressure system on June 23.

Heavy rainfall occurred in western Cuba, causing flooding that destroyed 97 houses, isolated a few cities, and flatted crops in low-lying areas. The storm left seven fatalities. Agnes caused a significant tornado outbreak, with at least 26 confirmed twisters, 24 of them in Florida and the other two in Georgia. The tornadoes alone resulted in over $4.5 million in damage and six fatalities. At least 2,082 structures in Florida suffered either major damage or were destroyed. About 1,355 other dwellings experienced minor losses. Though Agnes made landfall as a hurricane, no hurricane-force winds were reported. Abnormally high tides resulted in extensive damage, especially between Apalachicola and Cedar Key. The storm left nine deaths and approximately $40 million in damage in Florida. Generally minor effects were also recorded in the states of Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as the New England region. However, one fatality was reported in Delaware and three were recorded in Georgia.

The most significant effects, by far, occurred in Pennsylvania, mostly due to severe flooding. Precipitation peaked at 18 in (460 mm) in Schuylkill County, causing several creeks and rivers crest at record height, including the Delaware, Juniata, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and West Branch Susquehanna rivers. More than 100,000 people were forced to leave their homes due to flooding. In the state of Pennsylvania, more than 3,000 businesses and 68,000 homes were destroyed, leaving at least 220,000 people homeless. Agnes remains one of the worst natural disasters in Pennsylvania. New York also suffered severe damage. Similarly, rivers in the state crested high, including the Allegheny, Chemung, Genesee, Susquehanna, and Tioga rivers. Corning, Elmira, and Olean, as well as many other Southern Tier towns, were severely flooded. Throughout New York, 32,832 homes were damaged and 628 others were damaged. A total of 1,547 small businesses were extensively damaged or demolished. In Canada, a mobile home was toppled, killing two people. Overall, Agnes caused 131 fatalities and over $2.1 billion in damage.

Unnamed June tropical storm

Unnamed July subtropical storm

Unnamed July tropical storm

Hurricane Betty (Bravo)

An area of disturbed weather appeared on satellite imagery while forming within an old frontal zone on August 21. At 1200 UTC on the following day, a subtropical depression developed about 290 mi (470 km) north-northeast of Bermuda. The system strengthened slowly as it headed east-northeastward or eastward and by August 24, it became Subtropical Storm Bravo. During the next 24 hours, minimal intensification occurred. However, a deepening high-level trough and a building ridge enhanced outflow and deep convection on August 25. Additionally, reconnaissance aircraft flights began indicating a transition to a warm-core. Unfavorable northwesterly winds briefly halted further development, though by late on August 26, Bravo resumed acquiring tropical characteristics after another deepening trough accelerated the storm eastward.

After reconnaissance aircraft reported winds of 98 mph (158 km/h) and satellite imagery indicated a storm with a classic cyclonic appearance, Bravo was reclassified as Hurricane Betty while located about 920 mi (1,480 km) west of the Azores on August 27. After some further strengthening, Betty attained its peak intensity as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (169 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 976 mbar (28.8 inHg) early on August 28. The hurricane then moved rapidly east-northeastward before decelerating late on the following day. Around that time, northerly winds aloft caused Betty to weaken to a Category 1 hurricane. After briefly moving southward, the storm curved back to a general westward direction and fell to tropical storm intensity on August 31. Later that day, Betty turned northward ahead of a trough and became extratropical about 565 mi (909 km) northwest of Corvo Island in the Azores on September 1.

Tropical Storm Carrie

A complex system combining a tropical wave and an upper-level low led to the formation of a tropical depression east of Florida on August 29. It managed to become a tropical storm on August 31 and reached initial peak winds of 60 mph (97 km/h) later that day. However, upper-level winds increased, causing Carrie to weaken to a minimal tropical storm by September 2. Due to baroclinic processes, Carrie began to re-intensify. As a result, Carrie attained its peak winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) just prior to transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on September 3. The extratropical cyclone continued northeastward, and struck eastern Maine on September 4. By the following day, the extratropical cyclone dissipated over the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

Carrie had a minimal impact on the East Coast south of New England, limited to increased swells, gusty winds, and light rainfall. The worst conditions occurred over southeastern New England, where wind gusts reached 84 mph (135 km/h) and rainfall exceeded 1 ft (0.30 m). Damage was most severe along and slightly inland from the coast. Thousands of people became stranded on offshore islands of Massachusetts after dangerous conditions created by the storm prompted the suspension of steamship service. Overall, damage was generally light, with total monetary losses valued at $1.78 million. Four deaths were blamed on the storm.

Unnamed early September subtropical storm

Tropical Storm Dawn

A tropical wave, combined with an upper tropospheric trough, resulted in the development of a tropical depression near Cay Sal Bank, Bahamas, on September 5. Later that day, the depression struck Key Largo, Florida, before moving inland over the mainland of Florida. The storm brought very light rainfall to the state, peaking at 1.19 in (30 mm) in Tavernier. The system moved northeastward and soon re-emerged into the Atlantic. While located north of Grand Bahama on September 6, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Dawn. On September 7, a cold low pressure developed near Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, which would influence much of Dawn's movement. Dawn then curved west-northwestward on September 8 and peaked with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 997 mbar (29.4 inHg).

With Dawn appearing as a threat to the Mid-Atlantic, storm and gale warnings were issued from Chincoteague Inlet, Virginia, to Cape May, New Jersey, on September 8. However, the storm veered southeastward on September 9. By late on September 10, after the cold low pressure area relinquished influence over Dawn, the cyclone began moving westward, but continued to deteriorate. Dawn weakened to a tropical depression while well east of Georgia late on September 12. The system approached the Sea Islands on September 13, but curved northeastward and remained offshore. Dawn dissipated less than 15 mi (24 km) east of Isle of Palms, South Carolina, on September 14. The storm also produced very light rainfall in Georgia and South Carolina.

Subtropical Storm Charlie

A very small, circular subtropical depression developed about 460 mi (740 km) northeast of Bermuda on September 19. Initially, the storm moved north-northeastward and strengthened into Subtropical Storm Charlie early the following day. It then moved quickly northeastward and continued to strengthen. Later on September 20, Charlie peaked with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (105 km/h). The system soon lost tropical characteristics and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone about 630 mi (1,010 km) east of Cape Race, Newfoundland, early on September 21. However, the extratropical storm deepened significantly, reaching a barometric pressure of 944 mbar (27.9 inHg), a reading typical of a strong Category 3 hurricane. Early on September 22, the extratropical cyclone dissipated over the far north Atlantic.

Unnamed late September subtropical storm

Subtropical Storm Delta

A southwestward-moving cold-core low pressure area developed into a subtropical depression while located about 950 mi (1,530 km) west-southwest of Flores Island in the Azores on November 1. After forming, the system soon strengthened and was upgraded to Subtropical Storm Delta. Early on November 3, Delta attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (72 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1,001 mbar (29.6 inHg). Around that time, the subtropical storm briefly moved southward, before beginning a general eastward movement on November 4. Delta soon began to weaken and was reduced to a subtropical depression by the following day. It continued eastward until November 6, at which time the storm decelerated and curved northward. Delta dissipated while located about 790 mi (1,270 km) southwest of Flores Island.

Other systems

In addition to the named storms, there were several weak depressions during the season. As Agnes was moving over the southeastern United States, a tropical depression formed approximately 400 mi (640 km) southwest of Bermuda on June 19. It moved northeastward and headed toward the island. The depression dissipated later the following day. The next tropical Depression developed offshore North Florida on July 10. Moving generally northward, the system made landfall near Cape Fear in North Carolina on July 12. The depression dissipated over Virginia about two days later. Generally light rainfall was reported in several states, though 8 in (200 mm) of precipitation was recorded on Cedar Island, North Carolina. Another tropical depression originated about 430 mi (690 km) southwest of Flores Island in the Azores on July 16. It trekked slowly until July 19, at which time the system curved northeastward. Late the following day, the depression dissipated about 225 mi (362 km) west of Flores Island. On July 31, a tropical depression formed about 515 mi (829 km) southeast of Bermuda. The depression moved southwestward, toward the Bahamas and Lesser Antilles, but dissipated about 225 mi (362 km) northeast of Turks and Caicos Islands on August 3.

A tropical depression developed over Senegal on August 5. Tracking westward, the depression passed south of Cape Verde before dissipating southwest of the islands on August 8. Four days later, another tropical depression originated about 175 mi (282 km) east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. It moved slowly northeastward and intensified slightly, but dissipated about 210 mi (340 km) southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on August 15. The tenth tropical depression formed on August 16 while offshore Senegal. Moving generally westward, the cyclone crossed through Cape Verde and struck the islands of Fogo and Santiago. By August 18, the depression dissipated. Another tropical depression developed about 800 mi (1,300 km) east-southeast of Bermuda on September 3. The system moved northeastward toward the Azores, but degenerated about 750 mi (1,210 km) southwest of Flores Island on September 5. The next tropical depression formed on September 20 while located about 570 mi (920 km) west-southwest of Cape Verde. The storm tracked generally westward, but then began moving west-northwestward on September 21. Three days later, the depression dissipated about 890 mi (1,430 km) east-northeast of Barbados.

On October 1, a tropical depression originated about 700 mi (1,100 km) east-southeast of Bermuda. The depression tracked generally northward and dissipated about 505 mi (813 km) south-southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, on October 3. Another tropical depression formed about 120 mi (190 km) west of Bolama, Guinea-Bissau, on October 5. The depression moved generally westward, before curving to the northwest on October 8. Five days later, it turned northward while well northeast of the Lesser Antilles. By October 14, the system began moving north-northeast. The depression dissipated about 800 mi (1,300 km) east-northeast of Bermuda on the following day. Yet another tropical depression formed about 445 mi (716 km) southwest of Brava, Cape Verde, on October 16. Initially the depression moved generally west-northwestward and dissipated about halfway between Barbados and Cape Verde.

Storm names

The following list of names was used for named tropical storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1972. Storms were named Agnes, Betty and Dawn for the first (and only, in the case of Agnes) time in 1972.

The NATO phonetic alphabet (below) was used to designates subtropical cyclones that formed in the north Atlantic in 1972. Subtropical Storm Bravo became Betty after acquiring tropical characteristics.

Retirement

After the end of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season, the name Agnes was retired due to the amount of damage and loss of life.

Season effects

This is a table of all of the storms that formed in the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their name, duration, peak classification and intensities, areas affected, damage, 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 wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 1972 USD.