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1960 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1960 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1960, and lasted until November 15, 1960. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season had below-average activity, with only seven total storms.

The most notable storm of the season was Hurricane Donna, which reached Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale and was the longest-lasting major hurricane in the history of the Atlantic basin. It was the worst storm to strike Florida in ten years, causing six direct deaths, and causing $387 million in damage ($2.4 billion in 2000 dollars).

Also, Ethel reached Category 5 strength very briefly before falling apart prior to landfall in Mississippi. This marks the first of only four seasons that two or more Category 5 hurricanes were officially recorded (the others being the 1961, 2005 and 2007 seasons); it remains the only season with two consecutive Category 5 hurricanes.

Storms

Tropical Storm One

The southern portion of a strong westerly trough developed into a tropical depression in the Bay of Campeche on June 22. It moved northwestward, strengthening into a tropical storm the next day and hitting south of Corpus Christi, Texas as a storm. The storm looped over southern Texas, dumping heavy rain over the area. It moved slowly northward, and eventually dissipated over Illinois on the 29th. Though weak, the storm caused $3.6 million in damage (1960 dollars) and 15 deaths.

Hurricane Abby

The tropical depression that became Hurricane Abby developed east of the Lesser Antilles on July 10, likely from a tropical wave. As it crossed the islands, it rapidly strengthened into a hurricane that night. Abby remained disorganized while crossing the Caribbean Sea, and weakened back to a tropical storm on the 13th. It became better organized while approaching the coast of British Honduras, now known as Belize, and reached a peak of before hitting the country on the 15th. Abby dissipated the next day over Mexico, after causing around $600,000 (1960 USD) in damage, and killing six in St. Lucia. Abby's remnants crossed over into the Pacific and later become Hurricane Celeste.

Tropical Storm Brenda

A weak circulation in the eastern Gulf of Mexico developed into a tropical depression on July 28. It moved rapidly northeastward, becoming a tropical storm the next day while over southeastern Georgia. Brenda reached her peak of on the 30th while paralleling the eastern seaboard. It moved northward through New England, where it became extratropical on the 31st. Brenda caused an estimated $5 million (1960 dollars) in damage to western Florida. Brenda also destroyed many trees.

Hurricane Cleo

The precursor to Hurricane Cleo was a trough of low pressure that developed into a tropical cyclone on August 17. Cleo, a small storm, became a hurricane on the 18th as it moved northeastward. After reaching a peak of , cooler waters and upper-level winds weakened it steadily until its dissipation on the 21st.

Hurricane Donna

Hurricane Donna was the most destructive hurricane of the season. After reaching Category 5 strength in the open ocean in early September, it passed north of the Greater Antilles as a Category 4. Donna hit the Florida Keys, Fort Myers, Florida, the Outer Banks, and finally Long Island, New York, on September 12. Donna caused $400 million in damage (1950 dollars, $3.3 billion in 2005 dollars), and caused 364 deaths, of which 148 were directly caused by the storm.

Hurricane Ethel

Hurricane Ethel formed in the Gulf of Mexico on September 14 and intensified rapidly, reaching Category 5 strength that evening just south of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The storm weakened to a tropical storm the next morning after brushing lower Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana with hurricane-force winds. Ethel made landfall as a tropical storm on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, causing just $1 million US ($6 million adjusted for inflation) in damage.

Tropical Storm Florence

A large area of shower activity north of Puerto Rico developed into a tropical depression on September 17. It became a tropical storm the next day, but unfavorable conditions weakened Florence back to a depression. It looped over Cuba on the 22nd, and moved northeastwards over Florida. A ridge of high pressure forced Florence back westward where, after moving across the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, it dissipated over Mississippi on the 27th.

Storm names

The following names were used for named storms (tropical storms and hurricanes) that formed in the North Atlantic in 1960. Names that were not assigned are marked in .