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1981 Atlantic hurricane season

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1981 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formedMay 6, 1981
Last system dissipatedNovember 17, 1981
Strongest storm
NameHarvey
 • Maximum winds120 mph (195 km/h)
 • Lowest pressure946 mbar (hPa; 27.94 inHg)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions18
Total storms12
Hurricanes7
Major hurricanes
(Cat. 3+)		3
Total fatalities10
Total damage$45 million (1981 USD)
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983

The 1981 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1981, and lasted until November 30, 1981. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The 1981 season was high in activity with eighteen tropical depressions and twelve storms forming during the year. Nine of these systems made landfall.

Hurricane Dennis caused millions of dollars in damage in Dade County, Florida and produced the highest rainfall totals of any tropical cyclone this season. Tropical Depression Eight caused the most damage, due to flooding in Texas at the end of August, and led to most fatalities of any tropical cyclone this season (five). Tropical Depressions Two and Eight caused a majority of the damage and fatalities this season, with both affecting Louisiana and Texas. Katrina was the only named storm with associated fatalities.[1]

Seasonal activity

The 1981 season was high in activity with eighteen tropical depressions and twelve storms forming that year. The season began early, as Tropical Storm Arlene formed on May 6. Arlene made landfall in Cuba, being absorbed by a low later.[2] Tropical Depression Two moved out of the Gulf of Mexico into eastern Texas on June 5, producing localized rainfall amounts of 12 inches (300 mm) and numerous tornadoes over Louisiana before recurving across the Southeast United States.[3] Tropical Storm Bret formed as a subtropical low in the open Atlantic Ocean, and made landfall in the Delmarva Peninsula.[4]

Tropical Depression Four formed in the Gulf of Mexico on July 25, moving into Mexico the next day, and causing heavy rains in west Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas when its remnants moved into the United States.[5] Tropical Storm Cindy formed on August 2 in the open Atlantic and became an extratropical cyclone on August 5.[6] Hurricane Dennis formed on August 7 near South America. Dennis degenerated into a depression while making landfall in the Leeward Islands, but regained storm strength while over Cuba. Dennis moved near the southeast United States coastline from Florida to Virginia, briefly becoming a hurricane. Dennis weakened into a tropical storm and was declared an extratropical cyclone on August 22.[7]

Image of Emily, Floyd, Gert, and formative stage of Harvey from September 9, 1981. Emily and Floyd are in the northern part of the image, while Gert is near Hispaniola, and Harvey near the eastern side of the image. Another tropical disturbance is also visible east of the Caribbean Sea.

Tropical Depression Seven formed in mid-August and tracked through the Windward Islands before dissipating in the eastern Caribbean Sea.[8][9] Tropical Depression Eight led to a significant flooding event between San Antonio and Houston on August 30 and August 31 while recurving through Texas into Louisiana.[10] Hurricane Emily formed on September 1 southeast of Bermuda. Emily made a cyclonic loop as a tropical storm. Emily strengthened into a hurricane out in the North Atlantic Ocean and by September 12, was no longer identifiable.[11] Hurricane Floyd was a Category 3 hurricane that grazed Bermuda, but no damage was reported.[12] Hurricane Gert formed September 8, strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane, and followed the same track as Floyd, dissipating near the Azores.[13][14][15] Hurricane Harvey became the strongest storm of the season, reaching Category 4 strength. Harvey never affected land, but ships reported tropical storm-force winds.[16] Tropical Depression Thirteen brought gusts of tropical storm force to Bermuda in mid to late September.[17] Hurricane Irene also stayed out at sea, reaching Category 3 strength and was extratropical in early October. The extratropical Irene made landfall in France.[18]

Tropical Depression Fifteen was small and well-organized as it crossed the tropical Atlantic before weakening as it moved through the northeast Caribbean and southwest North Atlantic during late September and early October.[19][20] Tropical Storm Jose was a short-lived storm forming out in the open Atlantic in late October. Jose never affected land and dissipated on November 1 near the Azores.[21] Hurricane Katrina formed in the Caribbean Sea, and made landfall in Cuba after reaching hurricane strength. Katrina was the only named storm with fatalities.[1] The final storm of the season, Subtropical Storm Three, formed in the Atlantic Ocean on November 12 and moved north, making landfall in Nova Scotia and becoming extratropical soon after.[22]

Storms

Tropical Storm Arlene

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

Arlene combined several unusual features into one storm. It formed on May 6, well before the beginning of the normal hurricane season. It developed out of a disturbance that moved from the Pacific Ocean across Central America into the Caribbean Sea. As the disturbance tracked northeast across the western Caribbean, it became a tropical depression, then on May 7 reached tropical storm strength near the Cayman Islands.[2]


Arlene struck eastern Cuba on the night of May 7, and the passage over land weakened it to a depression. It restrengthened briefly over the southeastern Bahamas, but weakened again and was absorbed by another system. Reported damage was minimal.[2]

Since Arlene, two subtropical cyclones have formed in May in 1997 and 2007 respectively. After Arlene, the next tropical cyclone of tropical storm strength to form in May was Tropical Storm Arthur in 2008, the second within a span of 27 years.[23]

Tropical Depression Two

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

A tropical depression formed in the Bay of Campeche near Vera Cruz, Mexico on June 3. The system moved north-northwest, lured by a cyclone over the southern Plains. Tropical Depression Two made landfall along the upper Texas coast on June 5, spreading up to 15 inches (380 mm) of rainfall northeast of the point of landfall.[3] A total of nine tornadoes stuck the western Gulf coast, with eight touching down in Louisiana. Three people died; two due to flooding and one from an associated tornado.[24] The depression quickly recurved through the Mississippi Valley, and deepened as it moved off the coast of the Mid-Atlantic states into the western subtropical Atlantic on June 7.[25] At least US$4 million in damage was caused by this depression.[3]

Tropical Storm Bret

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

Bret formed out of a subtropical low roughly 150 miles (240 km) off the coast of North Carolina. The storm moved west-northwest, striking land in southern Maryland on July 1. Bret weakened significantly just before landfall, and reported winds were below gale force. No significant damage was reported.[4]

Tropical Depression Four

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

A tropical disturbance moved across the Caribbean sea between July 20 and July 24 before moving across the Yucatan peninsula.[26] After emerging into the south-central Gulf of Mexico, the disturbance organized into a tropical depression early on July 25. The depression moved west-northwest into northeast Mexico on July 26 before its surface circulation dissipated. Heavy rains fell across western Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas when the remains of this system interacted with a stationary front across the southern Plains between July 28 and July 30.[5]

Tropical Storm Cindy

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

A subtropical depression that developed along a cold front organized into Tropical Storm Cindy on August 2, in the open Atlantic midway between Bermuda and Nova Scotia. Cindy tracked east-northeast until it became extratropical on August 5 as it moved over colder water. The storm never affected land and caused no known damage.[6]

Hurricane Dennis

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;
Main article: Hurricane Dennis (1981)

Dennis began as Cape Verde-type hurricanes typically do. A tropical wave leaving the coast of Africa on August 5 developed into Tropical Storm Dennis on the 7th near Cape Verde. Unlike most such storms, Dennis degenerated to a tropical wave before reaching the Windward Islands on August 12.[27] This wave crossed the Caribbean, passing over Jamaica before reaching the southwestern coast of Cuba on August 15.[28]

Once near Cuba, the wave began rapid organization, restrengthening into a tropical storm. It crossed Cuba, then moved into southern Florida. Over Florida, steering currents weakened and the storm stalled. On August 19, Tropical Storm Dennis reemerged over water, skimming the coasts of the Carolinas before accelerating out to sea. Dennis reached hurricane strength before becoming extratropical on August 22.[28]

Most damage associated with Dennis was from the heavy rainfall caused by its slow passage over Florida, although two tornadoes were also reported within Florida.[28] The highest amount registered was near Homestead, Florida, where 25.56 inches (649 mm) of rain was measured.[7] Agriculture damage in Dade County, Florida was estimated at $15 million (1981 dollars). Coastal areas of the Carolinas were also affected by heavy rainfall, with spots seeing over 10 inches (250 mm), as well as minor beach erosion.

Tropical Depression Seven

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

This system developed across the tropical Atlantic ocean on August 18,[8] moving westward through the Windward islands into the eastern Caribbean Sea before dissipating on August 21.[9]

Tropical Depression Eight

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

This tropical depression formed in the Bay of Campeche on August 26 and moved slowly northwest, moving ashore northeast Mexico on August 29 and into the United States on August 30. As an ill-defined surface low, a large thunderstorm complex formed near its center that day, unleashing heavy rainfall in a band 50 miles (80 km) wide which stretched along a path 200 miles (320 km) long from Seguin, Texas to north of Houston, Texas. The highest rainfall amount reported was from Pine Springs in Fayette County, Texas, where 21 inches (530 mm) fell in the 24 hour period ending on the morning of August 31. Five died in the town of Shiner, Texas due to the flood.[29] Downtown Halletsville flooded to a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m). Significant flooding occurred along the Lavaca, Guadalupe, and Colorado rivers in Texas. The cyclone spawned 14 tornadoes as well, including one at Scholes Field in Galveston, Texas which produced winds as high as 92 miles per hour (148 km/h) at 7:15 pm on August 31.[30]

Its surface circulation remained ill-defined as it produced another round of heavy rainfall across northwest Louisiana on September 1. A large mesoscale convective system moved in from Oklahoma and northeast Texas, dissipating what was left of this tropical depression by September 2. Paid losses by FEMA totaled nearly US$21 million (1981 dollars), with total damages exceeding US$26 million (1981 dollars).[31][10]

Hurricane Emily

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

On September 1, a subtropical storm became Tropical Storm Emily southwest of Bermuda. Emily moved northeast, crossing the island the next day, but measured winds were below tropical storm force. The storm continued generally northeast and strengthened into a hurricane. Hurricane Emily weakened over the north Atlantic and was no longer identifiable as a weather system by September 12. Hurricane Emily caused beach erosion across the East Coast of the United States, but no other damage was reported.[11]

Hurricane Floyd

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

Floyd was first tracked as a tropical depression on September 3 when it organized east of the Leeward Islands. As the depression moved northwest, it caused heavy rain. The highest rainfall reported was 5.7 inches (14.5 cm) at Antigua. It strengthened into a tropical storm, then reached hurricane strength on the 7th.[12]

Floyd turned to the northeast, and passed just southeast of Bermuda as a weakening hurricane. As a tropical storm, Floyd moved east across the Atlantic until losing its identity on September 12.[12]

No damages are associated with Floyd. Although Bermuda was directly affected, the island experienced the weaker half of the storm.[12]

Hurricane Gert

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

A tropical depression became Tropical Storm Gert on September 8, roughly 115 miles (185 km) east of Guadeloupe. Gert passed through the eastern Leeward Islands during the next few hours, but no significant winds were recorded. The next day, Gert's center moved across eastern Puerto Rico where it caused moderate to heavy rainfall.[13]

Much of the storm's circulation moved over the Dominican Republic, causing weakening of the cyclone.[14] Gert reached the southeastern Bahamas before turning northward. Gert continued turning, and simultaneously strengthened. On September 12, Gert passed just north of Bermuda, but only light winds were recorded on the island. The storm was weakening, and accelerated on an east-northeast path. Its circulation dissipated on September 15 in the vicinity of the Azores.[15]

Hurricane Harvey

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

Harvey formed in the central Atlantic, reaching hurricane strength only a few hours after first becoming a named system on September 12. From its initial position several hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands, Harvey moved northwest. Its path began curving more to the north, and was considered a threat to Bermuda until the continuing curve took Harvey away from the island. Harvey's track became more easterly, and the storm weakened and became extratropical as it approached the Azores. Harvey caused no reported damage, although several ships reported experiencing tropical storm force winds.[16]

Tropical Depression Thirteen

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

This tropical depression initially formed 275 miles (443 km) southwest of Bermuda on September 22.[32] It brought Bermuda squalls of tropical storm force as it passed west of the island on September 23. Moving northward, the system merged with a developing extratropical cyclone south of Nova Scotia on September 24.[17]

Hurricane Irene

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

Irene became a named storm midway between the Windward Islands and Cape Verde on September 23, and its track mimicked that of Hurricane Harvey. The storm tracked northwest, becoming a hurricane on September 25. Its track then began curving to the east, eventually resulting in motion to the northeast.[18]

The storm weakened and became extratropical in early October. The remaining extratropical storm moved over France on October 3.[18]

Tropical Depression Fifteen

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

This tropical depression formed southwest of the Cape Verde Islands on September 27,[19] and tracked through the deep tropics before weakening as it moved over the Leeward Islands late on September 30. Heavy rains occurred at Guadeloupe as the system passed by the island.[20] The depression then recurved to the south and east of Bermuda late on October 3.

Tropical Storm Jose

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

Jose was a weak and short-lived tropical storm that formed far from land on October 29. It moved generally northeast before becoming subtropical and then dissipating on November 1 near the Azores.[21]

Hurricane Katrina

Main article: Hurricane Katrina (1981)
 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

A tropical depression formed on November 3 in the western Caribbean Sea about 150 miles (240 km) south of the Cayman Islands. The depression moved north, reaching tropical storm strength as it moved through the Caymans. Katrina continued to strengthen, reaching hurricane strength half a day before landfall in Cuba. A weakening Katrina moved across eastern Cuba on November 6. After emerging over water, the storm accelerated northeast through the Bahamas. Katrina's circulation fell apart, and the storm merged with a front on November 8.

Hurricane Katrina is reported to have killed two and caused widespread flood damage in Cuba's Camagüey province.[1] Katrina was the only named storm responsible for fatalities in 1981.

Subtropical Storm Three

 
DurationUnknown – Unknown
Peak intensityWinds not specified;

A frontal low over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream organized into an subtropical storm on November 12 while 400 miles (640 km) east of Jacksonville, Florida. After moving northeastward, it turned to the northwest, threatening the northeastern United States as an intensifying subtropical storm that was gradually developing tropical characteristics. A high pressure system turned it to the northeast, and after peaking at 70 mph (110 km/h) it became extratropical near Nova Scotia on the 17th. The storm produced significant beach erosion and coastal flooding.[22]

Season summary

Template:TC stats table start

|- style="background:#4DFFFF" ! align=left | Arlene | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="6 - 9 May" | 6 - 9 May | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="8"|Tropical storm | style="text-align:center;" | 60 | style="text-align:center;" | 999 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats first landfall Template:TC stats next landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#4DFFFF" ! align=left | Bert | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="29 June - 1 July" | 29 June - 1 July | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="8"|Tropical storm | style="text-align:center;" | 70 | style="text-align:center;" | 996 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats first landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#4DFFFF" ! align=left | Cindy | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="2 - 5 August" | 2 - 5 August | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="8"|Tropical storm | style="text-align:center;" | 60 | style="text-align:center;" | 1002 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats no landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#FFFFD9" ! align=left | Dennis | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="8 - 22 August" | 8 - 22 August | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="10"|Category 1 hurricane | style="text-align:center;" | 80 | style="text-align:center;" | 995 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats first landfall Template:TC stats next landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#FFFFD9" ! align=left | Emily | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="31 August - 12 September" | 31 August - 12 September | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="10"|Category 1 hurricane | style="text-align:center;" | 90 | style="text-align:center;" | 966 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats no landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#FF9E59" ! align=left | Floyd | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="3 September - 12 September" | 3 September - 12 September | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="30"|Category 3 hurricane | style="text-align:center;" | 115 | style="text-align:center;" | 975 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats no landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#FFD98C" ! align=left | Gert | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="7 September - 15 September" | 7 September - 15 September | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="20"|Category 2 hurricane | style="text-align:center;" | 105 | style="text-align:center;" | 988 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats first landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#FF738A" ! align=left | Harvey | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="11 September - 20 September" | 11 September - 20 September | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="40"|Category 4 hurricane | style="text-align:center;" | 135 | style="text-align:center;" | 946 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats no landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#FF9E59" ! align=left | Irene | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="21 September - 3 October" | 21 September - 3 October | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="30"|Category 3 hurricane | style="text-align:center;" | 120 | style="text-align:center;" | 959 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats no landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#4DFFFF" ! align=left | Jose | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="29 October - 2 November" | 29 October - 2 November | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="8"|Tropical storm | style="text-align:center;" | 50 | style="text-align:center;" | 998 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats no landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#FFFFD9" ! align=left | Katrina | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="3 November - 7 November" | 3 November - 7 November | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="10"|Category 1 hurricane | style="text-align:center;" | 85 | style="text-align:center;" | 980 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats first landfall Template:TC stats next landfall Template:TC stats impact

|- style="background:#4DFFFF" ! align=left | Three | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="12 - 17 November" | 12 - 17 November | style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="8"|Tropical storm | style="text-align:center;" | 70 | style="text-align:center;" | 978 | style="text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" | {{{areas}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{damage}}} | style="text-align:center;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value=""| {{{deaths}}} | style="text-align:right;background:#FFFFFF; color:black" data-sort-value="0"| Template:TC stats no landfall Template:TC stats impact Template:TC stats table end

Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) Rating

ACE (104kt2) – Storm: Source
1 22.2 Irene 7 4.19 Katrina
2 16.4 Harvey 8 1.62 Jose
3 14.9 Emily 9 1.52 Cindy
4 13.8 Floyd 10 1.33 Bret
5 10.1 Gert 12 0.735 Arlene
6 6.38 Dennis 13 0.000 Subtrop 3
Total= 93.2578 (93)

The table on the right shows the ACE for each storm in the season. The ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed for, so hurricanes that lasted a long time have higher ACEs.

Storm names

The following names were used for named storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1981. No names were retired, so it was used again in the 1987 season. It was the first use for all of these names since the post-1978 naming change, except for Arlene, Cindy and Irene which had been previously used in 1959, 1963, 1967, and 1971. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.

  • Arlene
  • Bret
  • Cindy
  • Dennis
  • Emily
  • Floyd
  • Gert
  • Harvey
  • Irene
  • Jose
  • Katrina
  • Lenny (unused)
  • Maria (unused)
  • Nate (unused)
  • Ophelia (unused)
  • Philippe (unused)
  • Rita (unused)
  • Stan (unused)
  • Tammy (unused)
  • Vince (unused)
  • Wilma (unused)

Retirement

See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names

Due to lack of major damage from the storms, the WMO did not retire any names in 1981. They were used again in 1987.

See also

Template:Tcportal

References

  1. ^ a b c Miles B. Lawrence. Preliminary Report Hurricane Katrina: 3 - 7 November 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  2. ^ a b c Joe Pellisier. Tropical Storm Arlene: May 6-9, 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  3. ^ a b c David M. Roth. Tropical Depression Two - June 4-7, 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.
  4. ^ a b Miles B. Lawrence. Preliminary Report Tropical Storm Bret: 29 June - 01 July 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  5. ^ a b David M. Roth. Tropical Depression Four - July 24-30, 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  6. ^ a b John Hope. Preliminary Report Tropical Storm Cindy: 2 - 5 August 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-17
  7. ^ a b David M. Roth. Hurricane Dennis - August 15-20, 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  8. ^ a b United Press International. Dennis Could Still Become a Hurricane. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.
  9. ^ a b United Press International. Tropical Depression Fizzles. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.
  10. ^ a b David M. Roth. Tropical Depression Eight - August 27-September 1, 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  11. ^ a b Gil Clark. Preliminary Report Hurricane Emily: 31 August - 11 September. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  12. ^ a b c d National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Floyd September 03-12, 1981 Preliminary Report. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  13. ^ a b David M. Roth. Tropical Storm Gert - September 7-9, 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  14. ^ a b Miles B. Lawrence. Preliminary Report Hurricane Gert: 07 - 15 September 1981. Page 1. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  15. ^ a b Miles B. Lawrence. Preliminary Report Hurricane Gert: 07 - 15 September 1981. Page 2. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  16. ^ a b John Hope. Preliminary Report Hurricane Harvey: 11 - 19 September 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  17. ^ a b Associated Press. Irene expected to become hurricane. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
  18. ^ a b c National Hurricane Center. Preliminary Report Hurricane Irene: 21 September - 3 October 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  19. ^ a b Associated Press. 110 MPH Winds Whip Up Atlantic. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.
  20. ^ a b United Press International. Hurricane, Depression Pack Little Punch. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.
  21. ^ a b Miles B. Lawrence. Preliminary Report Tropical Storm Jose: 29 October - 01 November 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  22. ^ a b Miles B. Lawrence. Preliminary Report Subtropical Storm (Number Two?). Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  23. ^ National Hurricane Center. Atlantic Hurricane Database. Retrieved on 2008-05-14.
  24. ^ United Press International. Thunderstorms Pound Gulf Coast. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
  25. ^ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Daily Weather Maps: June 1-7, 1981. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
  26. ^ National Climatic Data Center. July 24, 1981 18:00 UTC Channel: Visible (~0.65um) Satellite: GOES-4. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
  27. ^ National Hurricane Center. Preliminary Report Hurricane Dennis: 7 - 21 August 1981. Page 1. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  28. ^ a b c National Hurricane Center. Preliminary Report Hurricane Dennis: 7 - 21 August 1981. Page 2. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  29. ^ John Patton. Data and Descriptions of Selected Substantial Storms and Floods as Documented by John Patton. Retrieved on 2008-05-11.
  30. ^ The Galveston Daily News. Summary of Storm Activity. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
  31. ^ FEMA. Significant Flood Events: 1978 - March 31, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-11.
  32. ^ United Press International. Rivers pushed near flooding in Northeast. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.

Template:1980-1989 Atlantic hurricane seasons

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