1980 Atlantic hurricane season facts for kids
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| Season summary map | |
| First storm formed | August 1, 1980 |
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| Last storm dissipated | November 27, 1980 |
| Strongest storm | Allen – 899 mbar (hPa) (26.56 inHg), 190 mph (305 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| Total depressions | 15 |
| Total storms | 11 |
| Hurricanes | 9 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 2 |
| Total fatalities | 256 |
| Total damage | $1 billion (1980 USD) |
| Atlantic hurricane seasons 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 |
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The 1980 Atlantic hurricane season was a period when tropical storms and hurricanes formed in the Atlantic Ocean. It officially started on June 1, 1980, and ended on November 30, 1980. During this season, there were 15 tropical storms in total. Out of these, 11 were strong enough to be given names. The most powerful storm of the year was Hurricane Allen.
Contents
What is a Hurricane Season?
A hurricane season is a specific time of year when tropical cyclones are most likely to form. In the Atlantic Ocean, this period usually runs from June 1 to November 30. During this time, the ocean waters are warm enough to create the conditions needed for these powerful storms to develop.
Storms of 1980
During the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season, several storms formed. These storms are given names once they reach a certain strength, which helps people track them. Here are the storms that occurred:
- Tropical Depression One
- Hurricane Allen
- Hurricane Bonnie
- Tropical Depression Four
- Hurricane Charley
- Tropical Depression Six
- Tropical Storm Danielle
- Hurricane Earl
- Hurricane Frances
- Hurricane Georges
- Tropical Storm Hermine
- Hurricane Ivan
- Hurricane Jeanne
- Tropical Depression Fourteen
- Hurricane Karl
Hurricane Allen: A Powerful Storm
Hurricane Allen was the strongest storm of the 1980 season. It was a very powerful hurricane that caused a lot of damage. Allen reached its peak strength with winds of 165 miles per hour (265 km/h). It also had a very low pressure of 899 millibars. This made it one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded at the time. Hurricane Allen caused 256 deaths and about $1 billion in damages.
Unused Storm Names
Each year, a list of names is prepared for tropical storms and hurricanes. If a storm becomes strong enough to be named, it gets the next name on the list. For the 1980 season, not all the names on the list were used. This means there were fewer named storms than available names. The names that were not used included:
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Retired Names
Sometimes, if a hurricane causes a lot of damage or deaths, its name is "retired." This means the name will not be used again for another hurricane. This is done to remember the serious impact of that particular storm. In the spring of 1981, the name "Allen" was retired because of the widespread destruction it caused. It was later replaced by the name "Andrew" for the 1986 list.
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Tropical cyclones of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Images for kids
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Hurricanes Earl, Frances, and Georges on September 8, 1980; the remnants of Tropical Storm Danielle are also visible over Texas
See also
In Spanish: Temporada de huracanes en el Atlántico de 1980 para niños
