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1975 Atlantic hurricane season facts for kids

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1975 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
First storm formed June 27, 1975
Last storm dissipated December 13, 1975
Strongest storm Gladys – 939 mbar (hPa) (27.74 inHg), 140 mph (220 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Total depressions 27
Total storms 9
Hurricanes 6
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) 3
Total fatalities 80
Total damage $490 million (1975 USD)
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977

The 1975 Atlantic hurricane season was a period when tropical storms and hurricanes formed in the Atlantic Ocean. It officially began on June 1, 1975, and ended on November 30, 1975. However, some storms can form outside these dates, like Subtropical Storm Two, which lasted into December.

One of the most famous storms from this year was Hurricane Eloise. It caused a lot of damage, nearly $500 million, when it hit the Florida Panhandle.

What is an Atlantic Hurricane Season?

An Atlantic hurricane season is a time each year when tropical cyclones are most likely to form in the Atlantic Ocean. These powerful storms include tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes. They get stronger as they move over warm ocean waters.

In 1975, there were 27 tropical depressions. From these, 9 became named tropical storms, and 6 of those became hurricanes. Three of the hurricanes grew into major hurricanes, meaning they reached Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Named Storms of 1975

During the 1975 season, several storms grew strong enough to be given names. Naming storms helps people track them and talk about them more easily.

Here are the storms that received names:

  • Tropical Storm Amy
  • Hurricane Blanche
  • Hurricane Caroline
  • Hurricane Doris
  • Hurricane Eloise
  • Hurricane Faye
  • Hurricane Gladys
  • Tropical Storm Hallie
  • Subtropical Storm Two

How Storms Get Their Names

Each year, a list of names is prepared for Atlantic tropical cyclones. When a tropical storm forms and its winds reach a certain speed, it gets the next name on the list. The names are used in alphabetical order.

Here are the names that were ready for the 1975 season. The names that were actually used are marked:

  • Amy
  • Blanche
  • Caroline
  • Doris
  • Eloise
  • Faye
  • Gladys
  • Hallie
  • Ingrid (unused)
  • Julia (unused)
  • Kitty (unused)
  • Lilly (unused)
  • Mabel (unused)
  • Niki (unused)
  • Opal (unused)
  • Peggy (unused)
  • Ruby (unused)
  • Sheila (unused)
  • Tilda (unused)
  • Vicky (unused)
  • Winnie (unused)

Retired Storm Names

Sometimes, if a hurricane causes a lot of damage or deaths, its name is "retired." This means the name will never be used again for another Atlantic hurricane. This is done to prevent confusion and to respect the victims of the storm.

The name Eloise was retired after the 1975 season because of the significant damage it caused. You can find more about retired names on the List of retired Atlantic hurricane names page.

Related Information


Tropical cyclones of the 1975 Atlantic hurricane season

C
G
Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale
TD TS C1 C2 C3 C4 C5

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Temporada de huracanes en el Atlántico de 1975 para niños

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