The 1971 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season overall, producing 14 named storms (including two nameable systems that went unnamed), of which 6 strengthened into hurricanes, and 2 further strengthened into major hurricanes. The season officially began on June1, 1971, and lasted until November 30, 1971. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. This season, the first storm, Arlene, developed on July4, while the last, Laura, dissipated on November22.
Activity was steady through most of the season. Hurricane Edith was its strongest system, becoming a strong Category4 on the Saffir–Simpson scale. It struck Nicaragua at peak intensity, killing dozens, and later hit southern Louisiana. Hurricane Ginger, the second of the season's two major hurricanes, was its longest-lived system, lasting 27days 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 11–13, there were five active Atlantic tropical cyclones at one time. Despite the activity, damage in the United States totaled about $235million (1971USD, 1.87billion2026USD), which National Hurricane Center forecaster Paul Hebert noted was "pretty small considering we had five storms in a row strike the U.S." 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.
The origins of Arlene were from a cold front that exited the East Coast of the United States on July2 and stalled offshore. A frontal wave developed the next day, steadily developing due to thermal instability. On July4, the system organized into Tropical Storm Arlene about 125mi (201km) southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina. While in its formative stages, it dropped rainfall along the coast of the Carolinas, peaking at 4.11in (104mm) in Pinopolis, South Carolina. Arlene tracked northeastward due to a ridge over New England, and the cyclone passed just southeast of the Outer Banks. In the post-season summary, meteorologist Neil Frank noted, "the surprising element in the development of Arlene was the rapidity of the transformation process."
Arlene continued northeastward, possessing a circular mass of convection with spiral rainbands. Late on July6, the storm attained peak winds of 60mph (95km/h), based on a ship report. It weakened thereafter, and Arlene transitioned into an extratropical cyclone early on July7 just south of Sable Island. The storm capsized a boat in the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, and the crew of 12 was rescued.
A hybrid-type depression formed east of Bermuda on July29. It moved rapidly southwestward before turning to a northwest drift. On August3, it was classified as a tropical depression, and the next day the system passed near Bermuda. The depression accelerated to the northeast, strengthening into a tropical storm on August5. It intensified further due to baroclinity, or enhanced instability through different levels of the atmosphere caused by temperature and moisture gradients. On August6, a drilling rig about 230mi (370km) southeast of Newfoundland recorded sustained winds of 90mph (140km/h) with gusts to 126mph (204km/h) at an altitude of 325ft (99m); this suggested the storm attained hurricane status at 44°North, which is the northernmost location for a tropical storm to intensify into a hurricane.
Despite the intensity, the cyclone was not purely tropical; although the radius of maximum winds was only 35mi (56km), the thermal structure did not resemble a tropical cyclone, and there was no precipitation or convection near the center. It continued northeastward as a strong extratropical cyclone and meandered across the far northern Atlantic. It was not named operationally, but it was later added to the Atlantic hurricane database.
On August 9, an upper-level low developed off the coast of Florida, and the next day spawned a tropical depression near Grand Bahama. After briefly moving southeastward across the island, the newly developed cyclone tracked slowly northeastward, eventually encountering conditions favorable for development. Late on August13, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Beth off the coast of North Carolina, and it quickly strengthened into a hurricane by August15. After reaching peak winds of 85mph (137km/h) off the coast of Cape Cod, Beth slightly weakened and later moved ashore near Copper Lake, Nova Scotia as a strong tropical storm. Shortly thereafter, Beth was swept up by a nearby cold front and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone.
The hurricane left extensive damage in its wake, especially to crops and infrastructure. Halifax International Airport reported 10.49in (266mm) of rainfall in a 30‑hour span, which caused widespread flooding. Several bridges in the region were washed out, while railways were covered by water, forcing trains to suspend their operation. Overall monetary damage from Beth is estimated up to $5.1 million (1971USD, 40.5million2026USD). One person was indirectly killed by the hurricane in a traffic accident induced by heavy rainfall.
On August12, a tropical depression developed off the coast of Florida. It quickly moved ashore after strengthening to a tropical storm, reaching Lake Okeechobee before looping to the northwest. While moving across the state, it dropped heavy rainfall of around 10in (250mm) along the west coast. In Pinellas Park, the heavy rains led to flash flooding that forced 200families from their house, including one that required evacuation from a helicopter. Damage in the region was estimated at $250,000 (1971USD, 1.99million2026USD).
The depression emerged into the Gulf of Mexico on August15 near Tampa, and later turned to the northeast ahead of an upper-level low. The depression remained weak as it meandered off the Southeast coast and dissipating on August17 near the Delmarva Peninsula. In South Carolina, it produced its heaviest rainfall, totaling 14.11in (358mm) in Sullivan's Island. In nearby Savannah, Georgia, the rainfall forced about 100families from their houses in low-lying areas. The remnants continued northeastward through the Mid-Atlantic States and New England, crossing into Canada on August20.
A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August13, moving westward for several days before organizing into a tropical depression on August18 about 400mi (640km) east of Barbados. It quickly moved through the Lesser Antilles, where it produced wind gusts up to 58mph (93km/h). The cyclone also dropped heavy rainfall up to 6in (150mm) on Barbados and Martinique. After entering the eastern Caribbean Sea, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Chloe on August20. About 18hours after attaining tropical storm status, Chloe quickly strengthened to peak winds of 60mph (97km/h) about 215mi (345km) south of the Mona Passage, as reported by reconnaissance aircraft.
After reaching peak intensity, Chloe began weakening as it turned to the west-southwest, and late on August22, it was downgraded to a tropical depression as a weakening ridge to its north cut off the low-level inflow. For several days it continued generally westward, gradually losing organization. While passing south of Jamaica, the storm prompted the evacuation of the SS Hope, a hospital ship, at Kingston. Late on August24, Chloe dissipated about 65mi (105km) east of San Pedro Town, Belize. The remnants of Chloe later spawned Hurricane Lily in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Tropical Storm Doria, the costliest storm of the season, developed from a tropical wave on August 23 to the east of the Lesser Antilles, and after about three days without development attained tropical storm status to the east of the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. Doria turned to the north, and reached peak winds of 70mph (110km/h) as it was making landfall near Morehead City, North Carolina. It turned to the northeast hugging the coast and holding its intensity as it passed the North Carolina and Virginia coasts (although it may have briefly become a hurricane - the data was inconclusive), and moved through the Mid-Atlantic and New England as a tropical storm before becoming an extratropical storm over Maine on August 28.
In North Carolina, Doria produced moderate rainfall, resulting in localized flooding and damage. The storm spawned a tornado near Norfolk, Virginia, damaging twelvehouses and downing hundreds of trees. Tropical Storm Doria dropped heavy precipitation in New Jersey, peaking at 10.29in (261mm) in Little Falls. The rainfall led to record-breaking river levels and flooding in several houses, resulting in damage to dozens of houses across the state. Moderate damage and rainfall continued along its path into New England and southeastern Canada. In all, Tropical Storm Doria caused seven deaths and $147.6million (1971USD, 1.17billion2026USD).
Hurricane Fern was the first of four tropical systems to develop in association with an extended surface trough across the Gulf of Mexico into the open Atlantic, along with Ginger, Heidi, and a strong tropical depression. Fern developed on September3 in the central Gulf of Mexico. It moved very close to southern Louisiana the next day, but due to increased ridging to the north the depression moved southwestward and remained over water. On September7, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Fern. Fern later turned to the northwest, intensifying into a hurricane on September10. It quickly reached peak winds of 85mph (137km/h), moving ashore early on September11 between Freeport and Matagorda, Texas as a tropical storm. Fern dissipated on September13 over northeastern Mexico.
The precursor of Fern dropped rainfall up to 5in (130mm) of rainfall across South Florida, while totals of up to 10in (250mm) were reported in southeastern Louisiana where it made its first landfall. As it struck Texas, Fern produced strong winds up to 86mph (138km/h), along with 5 to 6ft (1.5 to 1.8m)storm tides and heavy rainfall; the highest precipitation total was 26.0in (660mm) in Beeville. The heavy rainfall caused severe flash flooding that isolated numerous small towns in the southeastern portion of the state, damaging 7,500buildings. In all, Fern left two indirect deaths and moderate damage totaling $30.2million (1971USD, 232million2026USD).
Hurricane Edith, the strongest storm of the season, developed from a tropical wave on September5 to the east of the southern Lesser Antilles. It moved quickly across the southern Caribbean Sea, intensifying into a hurricane just off the north coast of South America. Edith rapidly intensified on September9 and made landfall on Cape Gracias a Dios as a strong Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. It quickly lost intensity over Central America and after briefly entering the Gulf of Honduras it crossed the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. After moving across the Gulf of Mexico, a trough turned the storm to the northeast and Edith, after having restrengthened while accelerating towards the coast, made landfall on Louisiana with winds of 90mph (150km/h) on September 16. Edith steadily weakened over land and dissipated over Georgia on September18.
The hurricane killed two people when it passed near Aruba. Striking northeastern Central America as a strong Category4 hurricane, Edith destroyed hundreds of homes and killed at least 35people. In Texas high tides caused coastal flooding but little damage. Edith caused moderate to heavy damage in portions of Louisiana due to flooding and a tornado outbreak from the storm. One tornado, rated F3 on the Fujita Scale, damaged several homes and injured multiple people in Baton Rouge. The tornado outbreak extended eastward into Florida. Damage in the United States totaled $25million (1971USD, 199million2026USD).
Hurricane Ginger was thought to be the longest lastingAtlantic hurricane on record until 2003, when the 1899 San Ciriaco hurricane was retroactively found to have lasted longer. The eighth tropical cyclone and fifth hurricane of the season, Ginger spent over 27days as a tropical cyclone, and lasted from September6 to October3. The storm developed in a large region of convection across the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic, and for the first nine days of its duration tracked generally east- or northeastward while gradually strengthening to peak winds of 115mph (185km/h). On September14 Ginger slowed and turned to a general westward track. The cyclone then fluctuated in intensity over the course of several days between hurricane status and tropical storm intensity. Ginger passed near Bermuda on September23; there, the storm produced gusty winds and high waves, but no damage.
While over the western Atlantic Ocean, Ginger became the last target of Project Stormfury, which sought to weaken hurricanes by depositing silver iodide into tropical cyclone rainbands. The plane dropped silver iodide into the center of Ginger, although there was no effect due to Ginger's large eye and diffuse nature; Ginger was the last seeding done by the project. Ginger ultimately struck North Carolina on September30 as strong tropical storm, lashing the coastline with gusty winds that caused power outages across the region. Heavy rainfall flooded towns and left heavy crop damage, with 3million bushels of corn and 1million bushels of soybean lost. Damage in the state was estimated at $10million (1971USD, 79.5million2026USD). Further north, moderate rainfall and winds spread through the Mid-Atlantic states, although no significant damage was reported outside of North Carolina. Early on October3, Ginger reemerged into the Atlantic from Virginia's Delmarva Peninsula as a tropical depression and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone several hours later.
Tropical Storm Heidi was the last of the four tropical systems to develop from the extended surface trough of low pressure, forming on September11 northeast of the Bahamas and intensifying into a tropical storm about six hours later. After initially moving to the northwest, Heidi curved northeastward and attained its peak intensity of 60mph (95km/h) on September14 off the coast of North Carolina. The storm failed to become a well-organized system, and it gradually weakened while accelerating north-northeastward. On September15, shortly after Heidi moved ashore in Maine, it was absorbed by a broad extratropical cyclone over the northern Appalachians.
Heidi did not directly cause any fatalities or severe damage. However, the larger extratropical storm drew in moisture from Heidi, producing rainfall from North Carolina through northern New England, including a peak of 9.38in (238mm) in southeastern Pennsylvania. The heavy rains triggered extensive flooding that caused over a dozen fatalities and left thousands of residents homeless in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In Chester, Pennsylvania, a stone dam collapsed, forcing hundreds of families to evacuate and damaging homes, businesses, roads, and bridges. Governor Milton Shapp declared a state of emergency in several Pennsylvania counties following the floods.
A tropical wave spawned a tropical depression on September11 about 800mi (1300km) east of the Windward Islands. The cyclone tracked nearly due westward at a low latitude, passing through the southern Windward Islands and later over northern South America. In the southwest Caribbean Sea, it intensified to a tropical storm on September17. Irene made landfall on southeastern Nicaragua on September19 as a minimal hurricane, and maintained its circulation while crossing the low-lying terrain of the country. Restrengthening after reaching the Pacific, Irene was renamed Hurricane Olivia, which ultimately attained peak winds of 115mph (185km/h) before weakening and dissipating over northwestern Mexico.
In the Atlantic, Irene produced moderate rainfall and winds along its path, although impact was greatest in Nicaragua where it moved ashore as a hurricane. A total of 96homes were destroyed, and 1,200people were left homeless. The rainfall resulted in widespread flooding, killing three people in Rivas. In neighboring Costa Rica, Hurricane Irene caused more than $1million (1971USD, 7.95million2026USD) in damage to the banana crop. The hurricane was the first actively tracked tropical cyclone that moved into the eastern Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean.
The origins of Janice were from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on September18. It developed into a tropical depression on September21 about 1050mi (1700km) west-southwest of Cape Verde, which was the easternmost formation of the named storms this season. The next day, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Janice, and quickly reached peak winds of 50mph (80km/h). The storm never became well-organized, with its peak winds located east of the broad center. Despite being in a climatologically favored region for further development, Janice weakened due to increased wind shear from Hurricane Ginger. The circulation became elongated and separated from the convection, and on September24 the storm weakened to a tropical depression. Later that day Janice dissipated just northeast of the Lesser Antilles as it was absorbed by Ginger. Around that time, it produced rainfall in the northeastern Caribbean, reaching 4in (100mm) on Saint Kitts; no damage or fatalities were reported.
The interaction between a tropical wave and an upper-level trough led to the development of a subtropical depression on October18, about 685mi (1100km) northeast of Puerto Rico. It moved quickly north-northeastward, followed by a curve to the northeast. On October20, a ship reported winds of 45mph (72km/h), indicating the depression intensified into Subtropical Storm Kristy. As it reached this strength, an approaching cold front produced cooler, drier air over the storm. Kristy intensified slightly further to peak winds of 70mph (110km/h) before becoming indistinguishable from the cold front. By October21 it transitioned into an extratropical cyclone before dissipating near the Azores.
A large area of convection persisted across the southwest Caribbean Sea in mid-November. On November 12, a tropical depression formed about 175 miles (282km) north of Panama. It moved northwestward, slowly organizing and becoming Tropical Storm Laura on November14. The storm continued to intensify as it turned northward toward western Cuba. Late on November15, Laura attained peak winds of 70mph (110km/h). A ridge over the southeastern United States caused Laura to drift and execute a clockwise loop off the west coast of Cuba. By early on November18, the storm was weakening and moving southwestward away from Cuba. The track shifted but continued generally to the southwest, as the intensity fluctuated from 50–70mph (80–110km/h), and due to the hints of an eye at times on radar, may have reached hurricane status during this period. On November21, Laura made landfall at peak intensity near Punta Gorda, Belize. It dissipated the next day over Guatemala.
When Tropical Storm Laura first passed the Cayman Islands, it produced 3 inches (76mm) of rainfall on Grand Cayman. As it was slowly moving off of the coast of Cuba, Laura dropped heavy rainfall, including nearly 20 inches (510mm) across most of the Isle of Youth. The highest total in the country was 32.5 inches (830mm), and overall the storm impacted four provinces, including Isle of Youth, Pinar del Río, La Habana, and the city of Havana. On the Isle of Youth, Laura produced winds of 70mph (110km/h), with gusts to 80mph (130km/h). On the mainland, the storm destroyed 20homes and several tobacco sheds, with damage also reported to the coffee, sugar, fruit, and vegetable crops. Due to the flooding, officials forced 26,000people from their homes in Pinar del Río, and one person in that province drowned while crossing a river. The storm's passage was believed to have diverted a flock of great black-backed gulls toward Central America and north-coastal South America; the species is usually found in the Mid-Atlantic states, and were migrating to the Gulf Coast or Cuba when they were affected by the storm. Heavy rainfall was reported across Central America. Laura was one of only four November storms to affect Belize. On Glover's Reef offshore, the storm stranded a group of about 20scientists affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution who required rescue. The storm damaged several buildings on the Belize mainland.
Other systems
Tracks of all depressions during 1971. Note: a reanalysis project revised or removed some of these systems from HURDAT in 2026
In addition to the named storms and otherwise notable cyclones, there were several weak depressions during the season. After a June devoid of activity, three tropical depressions developed within the first ten days of July. The first became Tropical Storm Arlene on July4. Another tropical depression formed in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico from a surface low-pressure area on July9, quickly moving ashore in southern Texas before dissipating on July11; it dropped light rainfall along its path.
Another non-developing tropical depression developed on September5 near Cape Verde. It moved west-northwestwar before dissipating on September7, although it may have briefly reached tropical storm intensity. The final non-developing tropical depression of the season formed on October6 in the western Caribbean Sea. It crossed the Yucatán Peninsula the next day, dropping heavy rainfall up to 9.09in (231mm). The depression turned to the northeast due to an approaching upper-level trough, and it transitioned into a frontal wave on October10. As the trough advanced ahead of the storm, a ridge built across the southeast United States, causing the cyclone to turn northward and parallel the west coast of Florida. It regained tropical characteristics before moving ashore near Apalachicola and dissipating on October14.
Five systems originally classified as tropical depressions were removed from the official Atlantic hurricane database in 2026, which were previously believed to have existed from July7 to July9, August6 to August9, August28 to September1, September8 to September11, and September10 to September14. The July system, formerly known as Tropical Depression Two, dropped 3.90in (99mm) of rain near Carrabelle, Florida, while the late August and early September storm, then known as Tropical Depression Ten, produced up to 6.82in (173mm) of precipitation at Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The following list of names was used for named tropical storms that formed in the North Atlantic in 1971. This is the same list used in the 1967 season, with the exception of Beth, which replaced Beulah. Storms were named Beth, Kristy, and Laura for the first time in 1971. No names were retired following the season; however, an overhaul of the naming system in 1979 to include male names resulted in this list being discarded.
This is a table of all of the storms that formed in the 1971 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 1971 USD.
↑Hurricanes reaching Category3 and higher—1-minute sustained winds higher than 110 miles per hour (178km/h)—on the Saffir–Simpson scale are described as major hurricanes.
↑Subtropical storms were not named prior to 2002; Kristy was operationally considered tropical but reanalyzed in 2026.
↑Staff Writer (August 23, 1971). "S.S. Hope a Shadow for Chloe". The Windsor Star. United Press International. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
123Delgado, Sandy; Cobb, Hugh; Landsea, Christopher W. (September 2026). "Metadata: 1971-1975 revisions"(PDF). Re-Analysis Project. Miami: Hurricane Research Division. Retrieved September 27, 2026– via Atlantic Meteorological and Oceanographic Laboratory.
↑David Roth & Hugh Cobb (2001). "Virginia Hurricane History". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
12Dirección General de Meteorología (July 7, 2008). "Huracán Irene (1971)" (in Spanish). Instituto Nicaragüense de Estudios Territoiales. Archived from the original on October 24, 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
↑National Hurricane Operations Plan(PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: NOAA Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. May 1971. p.96. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
↑National Hurricane Operations Plan(PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: NOAA Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. May 1967. p.61. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
↑"Chapter 12- Hurricane Hazards". Primer on Natural Hazard Management in Integrated Regional Development Planning (Report). Washington, D.C.: Department of Regional Development; Environment Executive Secretariat for Economic and Social Affairs Organization of American States. 1991. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
