"Chris" in 2012 was the last June hurricane in the Atlantic (Source: NOAA) |
Allison
(2001): While it was
only a tropical storm at peak intensity and when it made landfall in Texas,
Allison achieved a dubious honor. It was the first of only two Atlantic tropical storms to have had its name retired by the World
Meteorological Organization. Tropical
storm and hurricane names are retired for being damaging and/or deadly (a la
Katrina, Andrew or Michael). What made
Allison unique wasn’t its intensity, but its longevity. After making landfall in Texas, its remnants
lingered for days and caused devastating flooding. Not until Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 did
Texas residents see comparable flooding.
Agnes (1972): Agnes became a minimal hurricane over the eastern Gulf of Mexico on June 18, but isn’t remembered for that. As a weaker tropical storm, Agnes menaced much of the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States where its remnants caused widespread flooding. Multiple June rainfall records were set from Virginia to New York, including DC’s wettest June day overall (6.11” on June 21, 1972). Agnes subsequently had its name retired.
Agnes (1972): Agnes became a minimal hurricane over the eastern Gulf of Mexico on June 18, but isn’t remembered for that. As a weaker tropical storm, Agnes menaced much of the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States where its remnants caused widespread flooding. Multiple June rainfall records were set from Virginia to New York, including DC’s wettest June day overall (6.11” on June 21, 1972). Agnes subsequently had its name retired.
Alma
(1966): This was the
last major Category 3 hurricane that developed in the Atlantic Basin during the
month of June. At peak intensity, Alma
had sustained winds of 125 mph when it passed over the Florida Keys. It weakened, however, as it tracked north and
ultimately made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in the Florida panhandle. Had a similar storm occurred now, the impacts
would be much more significant since Florida’s population and coastal
development have both increased dramatically in the decades since Alma.
Audrey
(1957): Audrey
remains the only Category 4 hurricane to impact the United States in June. It made landfall near the Texas/Louisiana border
with sustained winds of 145 mph and had devastating impacts both in coastal
areas and well-inland. According to
NOAA, over 400 lives were lost, making it one of the deadlier US hurricanes on
record.
Hurricane intensity is ranked on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale, with a Category 1 being a “minimal” hurricane with sustained
winds speeds of 74 to 95 mph. A
hurricane becomes “major” when sustained winds reach 111/+ mph, making it a
Category 3. The strongest hurricanes are
Category 5’s, with sustained winds of at least 157 mph.
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