page_title: 1964 Atlantic hurricane season
section_title: Season summary
hierarchical_section_title: 1964 Atlantic hurricane season / Season summary
caption_attribution_description: English: Enlarged track of Hurricane Dora (1964) as it approached the northeastern coast of Florida. The center was determined by the Weather Bureau radar in Daytona Beach and detailed three distinct cyclonic loops before the storm moved ashore.
context_page_description: The 1964 Atlantic hurricane season featured the highest number of U.S.-landfalling hurricanes since 1933. The season officially began on June 15, and lasted until November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season was above average, with thirteen named storms, seven hurricanes, and five major hurricanes. The first system, an unnamed tropical storm, developed on June 2, almost two weeks before the official start of the season. Striking Florida on June 6, the storm brought localized flooding to portions of Cuba and the Southeastern United States, leaving about $1 million in damage. The next storm, also unnamed, developed near the end of July; it did not impact land.
  The effects of Hurricanes Cleo, Dora, and Isbell combined were devastating to Florida. Cleo also brought destruction to portions of the Caribbean, especially Guadeloupe and Haiti. After moving inland, Cleo brought flooding to states such as Virginia. Overall, the storm caused 219 deaths and about $187.5 million in damage.
context_section_description: The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1964. It was a slightly above average season in which twelve tropical storms formed, compared with the 1950–2000 average of 9.6 named storms. Six of these reached hurricane status, which is near the 1950–2000 average of 5.9. All six of the hurricanes reached major hurricane status – well above the 1950–2000 mean of 2.3 per season. Prior to the season, National Hurricane Center Director Gordon Dunn noted that the probability of a hurricane striking the United States was "astronomical." Four hurricanes and three tropical storms made landfall during the season, causing at least 270 deaths and $629.63 million in damage. Tropical Storm Brenda and Hurricane Gladys also caused damage and fatalities, but neither struck land. The season officially ended on November 30, 1964.
  The first system, an unnamed tropical storm, developed on June 2, 13 days before the start of the season. It struck Florida as a tropical depression and then strengthened into a tropical storm while out at sea. The storm ceased to exist on June 11. Thereafter, the season went dormant for nearly seven weeks, as the next cyclone, another unnamed storm, did not form until July 28. Tropical cyclogenesis increased in August, which had four tropical cyclones, Abby, Brenda, Cleo, and Dora. Four additional storms originated in September, including Ethel, Florence, Gladys, and Hilda. The strongest storm of the season, Hilda, peaked with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 941 mbar (27.8 inHg). Hurricane Isbell was the sole tropical cyclone to form in the month of October. The final system, another unnamed storm, existed developed on November 5 and dissipated on November 10, about 20 days before the end of the season.
  The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 170. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. It is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 39 mph (63 km/h), which is tropical storm strength.
caption: Track of Hurricane Dora as it approached North Florida
exif: {}