1965 Atlantic hurricane season
The
1965 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on
June 1,
1965, and lasted until
November 30,
1965. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most
tropical cyclones form in the
Atlantic basin.
As a whole the 1965 season was fairly inactive, with only six tropical storms forming. The most notable storm of the season, however, was
Hurricane Betsy. Betsy was one of the worst storms on record in the
United States, killing 76 and causing $1.42 billion in damage ($8.5 billion in 2005 USD) in south
Florida and
Louisiana.
Tropical Storm One
A cutoff upper level low over the
Gulf of Mexico helped bring an
East Pacific tropical depression northward. The depression formed on
June 11, and reached the Gulf on the 12th. The storm moved northeastward, hitting the
Florida Panhandle on the 4th as a 50 mph tropical storm. The storm became extratropical over
South Carolina, and dissipated on the 18th. The storm caused only minor damage and flooding.
Hurricane Anna
A tropical wave moving across the Atlantic became a tropical storm on
August 21 in the central Atlantic. Anna moved northeastward and became a hurricane on the 23rd. After reaching a peak of 90 mph Anna weakened due to cool waters and upper level shear, becoming extratropical on the 25th.
Hurricane Betsy
Hurricane Betsy moved across the Atlantic, executing 2 loops before moving across south
Florida and hitting
Louisiana on
September 9,
1965 as a Category 4 hurricane. The eye passed to the southwest of
New Orleans, though the eyewall covered much of southeast Louisiana for an 8 hour period. Betsy caused $10-$12 billion (2005
US dollars) in damage, as well as 76 deaths.
Hurricane Carol
Hurricane Carol developed on
September 16 in the eastern Atlantic from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa. The tropical depression moved quickly westward, becoming a tropical storm on the 17th. The fast motion impeded development for the next few days, but as it slowed down, it was able to become a hurricane on the 20th. Carol continued northward for the next 3 days, when it stalled west-southwest of the
Azores for 5 days, maintaining hurricane force winds throughout. After looping, Carol turned to the northeast, reaching a peak of 100 mph before weakening. It passed north of the Azores, turned to the southeast, and became extratropical west of
Spain on
October 1.
Tropical Storm Debbie
A northwestward-moving tropical disturbance through the
Caribbean Sea developed into a tropical depression on
September 24 north of
Honduras. It crossed over
Yucatan two days later. The depression did not organize much until it reached the
Gulf of Mexico, where it became a tropical storm on the 28th. Drier and cooler air was around Debbie, causing a minimal tropical storm to pass by
Louisiana. It dissipated on the 30th before hitting land, but it brought heavy rain to the
Mobile, Alabama area, causing $25 million in damage.
Hurricane Elena
A very weak circulation caused by a tropical wave moved across the tropical Atlantic. It became a tropical depression on
October 12, though it had little, if any, convection near the center. It slowed as it moved to the northwest, becoming a tropical storm on the 14th. Elena continued to organize, and reached hurricane force strength on the 16th while recurving out to sea. The hurricane reached a peak of 80 mph before becoming extratropical over the northern Atlantic on the 19th.
Other storms
Subtropical Low One persisted during
October 17 until the 19th. [
1][
2]
The following names were used for named storms (tropical storms and hurricanes) that formed in the North Atlantic in 1965. Names that were not assigned are marked in .
* Anna
* Betsy
* Carol
* Debbie
* Elena
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*>
Retirement
The name Betsy was later retired. The name Carol was also later retired after the modern naming system was instituded; however, it was not because of the 1965 storm but because of
Hurricane Carol in 1954.
*
List of notable Atlantic hurricanes*
List of Atlantic hurricane seasons*
Monthly Weather Review*[ftp://ftp.nhc.noaa.gov/pub/storm_archives/atlantic/prelimat/atl1965/ Detailed information on all storms from 1965]
