The 1976 Atlantic hurricane season was a fairly average Atlantic hurricane season in which 21 tropical or subtropical cyclones formed. 10 of them became nameable storms. Six of those reached hurricane strength, with two of the six becoming major hurricanes, which are Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale. The season officially began on June 1 and lasted until November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, the first system, a subtropical storm, developed in the Gulf of Mexico on May 21, several days before the official start of the season. The system spawned nine tornadoes in Florida, resulting in about $628,000 (1976 USD) in damage, though impact was minor otherwise.
The season featured only one fully tropical storm throughout the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, a rare occurrence. The strongest hurricane of the season was Hurricane Belle, which reached Category 3 intensity east of North Carolina. Belle later struck Long Island, New York, as a Category 1 hurricane, causing $100 million in damage and a total of 12 deaths between the Carolinas and New England, as well as an additional $1 million in damage in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Tropical Storm Dottie and a subtropical storm in mid-September produced minor damage in the Southeastern United States; the former also caused four deaths in the Bahamas after a fishing boat capsized. Although Hurricane Emmy left little damage in the Azores, poor weather conditions resulted in a plane crash at Lajes Field, killing 68 people. Collectively, the tropical cyclones of this season resulted in 84 deaths and about $101.63 million in damage.
Seasonal summary
The hurricane season officially began on June 1, though the first tropical cyclone developed on May 21. A total of 21 tropical and subtropical cyclones formed, but just 10 of them intensified into nameable storm systems. This was about average compared to the 1950–2000 average of 9.6 named storms. Six of these reached hurricane status, around the 1950–2000 average of 5.9. Furthermore, two systems reached major hurricane status; close to the 1950–2000 average of 2.3. Collectively, the cyclones of this season caused at least 84 deaths and about $101.63 million in damage. The Atlantic hurricane season officially ended on November 30, with the final cyclone becoming extratropical on October 28.
The season was noted for a lack of activity in both the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Just one fully tropical storm, Dottie, developed in the Gulf of Mexico and none in the Caribbean Sea. Since 1900, only 1962 had fewer tropical storms (none) in those regions. Suppression of activity in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean was primarily attributed to early intrusions of cold air – with unusually cold air masses impacting much of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains during October – and a persistent area of above average vertical wind shear over the western Caribbean. Elsewhere, sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic basin were generally at or slightly above average during the middle of the season.
Tropical cyclogenesis began early, with the development of a subtropical storm on May 21. Two tropical depression formed in June, though neither reached tropical storm status. Another two depressions formed in July and also did not become tropical storms, followed by the development of Tropical Storm Anna on July 28. August featured five of the season's ten named storms, including Tropical Storm Dottie and hurricanes Belle, Candice, Emmy, and Frances. In September, six cyclones developed – a subtropical storm, Hurricane Gloria, and four tropical depressions that remained below tropical storm intensity. Two more non-intensifying depressions formed in October. Hurricane Holly, the final system, formed on October 22 and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 28.
The year's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 84, classifying it as a "near-normal" season. ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration will have high values of ACE. It is only calculated at six-hour increments in which specific tropical and subtropical systems are either at or above sustained wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity.
Systems
Subtropical Storm One
On May 19 an upper-level trough produced widespread thunderstorms over the Gulf of Mexico. Slowly, the system organized, first to a subtropical depression on May 21, then to a subtropical storm on May 23. The storm began to move faster, and on May 23, it hit the Florida Panhandle. After moving across Georgia at a forward motion of 25 mph (40 km/h) the storm reached its peak of maximum sustained winds reaching 50 mph (85 km/h) while southeast of the Carolinas on May 24. After transitioning into an extratropical cyclone, the system traveled generally northeast and ultimately dissipated on May 31 south of Iceland.
Heavy rainfall was associated with the system, but the precipitation was generally beneficial due to dry conditions. The storm spawned nine tornadoes in Florida, with one in Hillsborough County destroying 6 mobile homes and damaging 40 others; demolishing 6 large chicken houses; and severely damaging a paint plant in Hillsborough County. Overall, the tornadoes left about $628,000 in damage. A total of 3,364 household lost power in the Hillsborough County after three circuits were blown down. Some wind damage occurred in northeastern Palm Beach County, mostly limited to a few roofs damaged and downed trees, electrical poles, and power lines. The storm left about 15,000 people without electricity in Broward County, though most outages were restored quickly. Boat traffic along the New River was backed-up due to the storm causing the draw bridge to malfunction. Farther north, the storm dropped rainfall in a few other states, with a peak precipitation total of 7.57 in (192 mm) at Sullivan's Island, South Carolina.
Tropical Storm Anna
A non-tropical low pressure area developed over the central Atlantic in late July. After merging with a polar trough on July 28, a subtropical depression developed about 800 mi (1,300 km) east-southeast of Bermuda at 18:00 UTC. The subtropical depression moved eastward and strengthened into a subtropical storm early on July 30, based on reports from the ship M.S. Pointe Allegre, which observed a barometric pressure of 999 mbar (29.5 inHg) and wind gusts as high as 69 mph (111 km/h). The cyclone peaked with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) at 12:00 UTC on July 30. Curving east-northeastward, the system also acquired tropical characteristics, with a transition to Tropical Storm Anna becoming complete about six hours later. The surface ridge to the north and east caused Anna to begin curving northeastward on August 1. Anna soon lost tropical characteristics and became an extratropical cyclone while situated about 110 mi (180 km) east-southeast of the Azores. The remnants moved in a circular path and approached the Azores from the north, before dissipating on August 16. Gale-force winds were reported in the Azores after Anna became extratropical.
Hurricane Belle
In late July, a tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Africa. Traversing the Atlantic Ocean for more than a week, the system eventually consolidated into a tropical depression near the Bahamas on August 6. Remaining nearly stationary for a day, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Belle on August 7 and a hurricane later that day as it acquired a northwest motion. Formation of an eye accompanied quick intensification and Belle reached its peak the following day with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h). The hurricane subsequently turned north and accelerated, skirting the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Early on August 10, Belle made landfall in Long Island, New York, as a minimal hurricane before moving inland over southern New England as a tropical storm hours later. Thereafter, Belle transitioned into an extratropical cyclone before moving over Atlantic Canada. The system turned east while over the north Atlantic and ultimately dissipated on August 15 to the south of Iceland.
Threatening much of the East Coast of the United States, hurricane warnings were issued from Georgia to Maine. An estimated 500,000 people evacuated coastal areas accordingly. Five people lost their lives in a car accident on a rain-slicked highway near the North Carolina–Virginia state line; another person died due to a car accident in Norfolk, Virginia. In New York, damage on Long Island reached $8 million, of which $3 million stemmed from erosion at Rockaway Beach. One person was killed in New York when a branch snapped off a tree due to high winds and fell on her. Approximately 36,000 residents in the lower Hudson Valley lost electricity. In Connecticut, strong winds in Bridgeport downed trees, which fell on barns, porches, and homes. About 247,000 people lost electricity throughout the state. Three deaths occurred in Connecticut, one from an accident caused by slippery roads and the other two from carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator. Flooding was reported across New England and was especially severe in Vermont. The hardest hit town was Chester, where 35 of its 85 roads flooded and 5 bridges were washed out. Two people died in Huntington after the footbridge they were crossing collapsed into the Huntington River. A total of 12 people lost their lives and damage reached an estimated $100 million. In Canada, heavy rains fell across New Brunswick, amounting to 7 in (180 mm) in Edmundston, triggering flooding that damaged crops, homes, and roads. Damage estimates reached at least $1 million.
Tropical Storm Dottie
An area of low pressure in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico developed into a tropical depression early on August 18. The depression drifted east and northeastward over the next day, before beginning to accelerate on August 19. The cyclone further intensified into Tropical Storm Dottie by 12:00 UTC. Shortly thereafter, Dottie made landfall in Florida over mainland Monroe County. The cyclone quickly proceeded northeastward before re-emerging into the Atlantic near Palm Beach. Dottie moved northward and peaked with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) at 06:00 UTC on August 20, before subsequently weakening due to wind shear. By the time Dottie made landfall in Charleston, South Carolina, early on August 21, it was barely of tropical storm intensity. It deteriorated into a tropical depression on August 21 and dissipated shortly thereafter. The remnant low pressure system turned southward and once again entered the Atlantic before turning westward and crossing the Florida peninsula.
Dottie dropped heavy rainfall in South Florida, with a peak total of 10.86 in (276 mm). However, impact from the precipitation was mainly limited to street flooding in several cities, which delayed the commute of thousands of motorists during morning rush hour traffic, especially in Miami. Tropical storm force wind gusts damaged a roof in Marathon, downed some trees, and disrupted electricity in at least 20 neighborhoods, though wind damage overall was minor. In the Bahamas, a fishing boat capsized near Grand Bahama, drowning four of its occupants. Rainfall was generally light in the Carolinas, though 7.78 in (198 mm) of precipitation fell in Carolina Beach, North Carolina, flooding some areas of the city with up to 5 ft (1.5 m) of water. However, rainfall was mostly beneficial due to a severe drought. Beach erosion occurred due to tides reaching 3.5 ft (1.1 m) normal at Atlantic Beach.
Hurricane Candice
On August 11, a cold-core low was located south of Bermuda. Over the next week, the system warmed and moved toward the surface. Around 12:00 UTC on August 18, the low developed into a tropical depression about 200 mi (320 km) west-southwest of the island, after satellite imagery showed better organization and a ship reporting winds gusting to 46 mph (74 km/h). Moving fairly quickly to the north-northeast, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Candice about six hours later. Candice curved east-northeastward early on August 20 and weakened slightly, before re-strengthening later that day. By 06:00 UTC on August 20, the cyclone intensified into a hurricane. Becoming a hurricane at 41.2°N, Candice was one of few Atlantic tropical storms to intensify into a hurricane while situated north of 40°N. Around that time, Candice had decelerated and briefly turned to the southeast, before pivoting northeastward on August 21. Candice continued to intensify, peaking with sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 964 mbar (28.5 inHg) later on the following day. The hurricane then accelerated due to an approaching cold front, before merging with the front about 475 mi (765 km) east of Newfoundland at 12:00 UTC on August 24.