1972 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1972 Atlantic hurricane season was a significantly below average season, having only seven named storms, four fully tropical storms (the fewest since 1930) and three subtropical storms. It officially began on June 1, 1972, and lasted until November 30, 1972. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The first storm, Subtropical Storm Alpha, developed on May 23 off the Southeast United States and struck Florida, causing minor damage and two fatalities.
| 1972 Atlantic hurricane season | |
|---|---|
Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | May 23, 1972 |
| Last system dissipated | November 7, 1972 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Betty |
| • Maximum winds | 105 mph (165 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 976 mbar (hPa; 28.82 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total depressions | 19 |
| Total storms | 7 |
| Hurricanes | 3 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 0 |
| Total fatalities | 134 total |
| Total damage | $2.1 billion (1972 USD) |
| Related articles | |
| |
The most significant storm of the season was Hurricane Agnes, which at the time was the costliest United States hurricane, until Frederic in 1979. After brushing the western tip of Cuba, the hurricane made landfall on the Florida Panhandle. It caused at least $2.1 billion (1972 USD) in damage and 137 fatalities, mostly from inland flooding in Pennsylvania and New York. The strongest hurricane of the season was Betty, which reached peak winds of 105 mph (169 km/h) while west of the Azores. Tropical Storm Carrie passed just offshore of Massachusetts, causing heavy rainfall and resulting in four fatalities, but leaving only $1.78 million in damage. The remaining tropical systems caused no significant effects on land.
Due to a strong El Niño only three systems strengthening hurricanes, of which none intensified into a major hurricane. Only four other seasons since the start of the satellite era—1968, the 1986, 1994, and 2013—did not have a major hurricane. In addition, the season was the first to name subtropical storms, using the Phonetic Alphabet. Collectively, the storms of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season resulted in 137 deaths and over $2.1 billion in damage.