The 1951 Atlantic hurricane season was the first hurricane season in which tropical cyclones were officially named by the United States Weather Bureau. The season officially started on June 15, when the United States Weather Bureau began its daily monitoring for tropical cyclone activity; the season officially ended on November 15. It was the first year since 1937 in which no hurricanes made landfall on the United States; as Hurricane How was the only tropical storm to hit the nation, the season had the least tropical cyclone damage in the United States since the 1939 season. As in the 1950 season, names from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet were used to name storms this season.
The first hurricane of the season, Able, formed prior to the official start of the season; before reanalysis in 2015, it was once listed as the earliest major hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin. It formed on May 16 and executed a counterclockwise loop over the Bahamas; later it brushed the North Carolina coastline. Hurricane Charlie was a powerful Category 4 hurricane that struck Jamaica as a major hurricane, killing hundreds and becoming the worst disaster in over 50 years. The hurricane later struck Mexico twice as a major hurricane, producing deadly flooding outside of Tampico, Tamaulipas. The strongest hurricane, Easy, spent its duration over the open Atlantic Ocean, briefly threatening Bermuda, and was formerly listed as one of a relatively few Category 5 hurricanes on record over the Atlantic Ocean. It briefly neared Category 5 status and interacted with Hurricane Fox, marking the first known instance of a hurricane affecting another's path.
Systems
Tropical Storm One
As the calendar entered the new year, cyclogenesis occurred with an extratropical frontal wave over the western North Atlantic Ocean due to a closed low forming in a mid-level trough, which eventually produced a low-pressure center at the surface by January 2. Ships recorded moderate gales up to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) in connection with the new surface low, which formed several hundred miles east-southeast of Bermuda. While initially lacking tropical attributes, the cyclone headed southeast for two days before curving southwestward. As it did so, the temperature of the system warmed in its lower levels, causing the cyclone to evolve into a more barotropic system. Late on January 4, the system shrank in size and began developing an inner core; reanalysis determined that the system became a tropical storm at this time, though it would have likely been considered subtropical beginning in the early 1970s.
Hurricane Able
An active trough of low pressure exited the East Coast of the United States on May 12, and by the following day it passed near Bermuda. By May 14 a closed low pressure area developed in seclusion from the westerlies. Cold air from the trough, in conjunction with a water temperatures, resulted in large amounts of instability. This led to the formation of a subtropical depression on May 15, about 300 miles (480 km) south of Bermuda. The depression was located under an upper-level low, which steered the system to the northwest at first, and later to the southwest over the Gulf Stream. With a ridge to the northeast, the depression transitioned into a tropical cyclone, becoming a tropical storm on May 16, as evidenced by nearby ship reports. On May 17, the Navy reconnaissance squadron flew into the system and observed hurricane-force winds, leading to it being named Able. The small hurricane executed a cyclonic loop over the Bahama Banks, with an eye 20 miles (32 km) in diameter. On May 21 Reconnaissance Aircraft estimated the hurricane attained peak winds of 90 mph (140 km/h). Shortly thereafter Able passed about 70 miles (110 km) east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and early on May 22 Able weakened from its peak intensity after turning to the east. On May 23 it deteriorated into a tropical storm while passing over cooler waters, and that night Able became an extratropical cyclone while located about 520 miles (840 km) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The extratropical remnant turned to the northeast before losing its identity late on May 24.
The outer rainbands of Able produced light rainfall and high seas along the Florida coastline. While moving slowly near the Bahamas, Able produced strong winds reaching 90 to 95 mph (145 to 153 km/h) at Walker's Cay, and minimal hurricane force on Grand Bahama and Little Abaco Island. The hurricane produced high surf in Wilmington, North Carolina and abnormally high tides northward through New England.
Tropical Storm Baker
On August 2, an easterly wave spawned a tropical depression about 680 miles (1,090 km) northeast of Barbuda in the Lesser Antilles. It moved northwestward, quickly strengthening into Tropical Storm Baker. Early on August 3, the storm attained peak winds of 60 mph (97 km/h), and the next day passed about 275 mi (443 km) east of Bermuda. At its peak intensity, the gale-force winds extended 100 miles (160 km) to the north of the center. After attaining its peak, Baker quickly weakened on August 4 and turned to the northeast. Early the next day, it regained some of its former strength before losing its identity. Baker never affected land.
Hurricane Charlie
The third tropical cyclone of the season developed on August 12 from a tropical wave, 930 miles (1,500 km) east-southeast of Barbados. After a few days without further development, the system intensified into Tropical Storm Charlie on August 14, and subsequently crossed through the Lesser Antilles a day later with winds of 70 mph (113 km/h). Shortly after entering the Caribbean Sea, the storm intensified to hurricane status early on August 16. Passing south of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, Charlie then underwent rapid deepening beginning late that day, its winds increasing 35 mph (56 km/h) in 24 hours. As it neared the island of Jamaica early on August 18, Charlie became a major hurricane and shortly afterward struck just south of Kingston with winds of 125 mph (201 km/h)—equivalent to a strong Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, making Charlie, along with Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, the second strongest to hit the island until Hurricane Melissa in 2025. On the island, the hurricane dropped heavy rainfall up to 17 in (430 mm). The combination of strong winds and the rains left around $50 million (1951 USD, $380 million 2005 USD) in crop and property damage. Across the country there were 152 deaths, 2,000 injuries, and 25,000 people left homeless; as a result, it was considered the worst disaster in the country in the 20th century until Gilbert produced even costlier damage, though with fewer reported fatalities.
After making landfall, Charlie weakened in its passage over the mountainous center of Jamaica, and by the time it left the island, its winds had diminished to 85 mph (137 km/h). Charlie later passed south of the Cayman Islands, with Grand Cayman reporting peak wind gusts of 92 mph (148 km/h). As it did so, the storm began to undergo yet another period of rapid intensification beginning on August 19. It regained major hurricane status late that day, and early on August 20 Charlie peaked at 130 mph (210 km/h), equivalent to low-end Category 4 status. Maintaining its strength, the hurricane then made landfall on the southern tip of Cozumel and hit the Mexican mainland near Akumal on the Yucatán Peninsula. The strong winds destroyed 70% of the crops along its path, although no deaths were reported in the Yucatán Peninsula. Several homes were wrecked in the region. As it moved inland, Charlie weakened rapidly over land, reaching the Bay of Campeche as a minimal hurricane early on August 21. Once over water, it failed to re-intensify for a full day, but began doing so early on August 22. As it did so, it rapidly re-intensified for a third and final time, reaching peak winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) before striking near the city of Miramar, just north of Tampico. It dissipated on August 23. The hurricane dropped heavy rainfall in the region, flooding rivers and causing dams to burst. The hurricane killed 257 people in Mexico. Across Charlie's entire path, damage was estimated at over $75 million (1951 USD). The outer fringes of the storm increased surf along the Texas coast.
Hurricane Dog
A tropical wave spawned a tropical depression on August 27 southwest of Cape Verde. It moved westward, eventually intensifying into a tropical storm early on August 31. The next day, the storm was first observed by Hurricane Hunters, several hundred miles east of Barbados, and it was named "Dog". By that time, its winds were around 60 mph (97 km/h), and the storm continued intensifying as it approached the Lesser Antilles. On September 2, Dog attained hurricane status, reaching its peak of 90 mph (140 km/h) as it passed between the islands of Saint Lucia and Martinique. The storm, then quite small in diameter, produced strong wind gusts of up to 115 mph (185 km/h) at the airport in Fort-de-France on Martinique. However, this peak was short-lived, for upon entering the eastern Caribbean Sea Dog began a slow but steady weakening trend. On September 4, Dog weakened to tropical storm status to the south of Hispaniola, and the next day dissipated in the western Caribbean.
In northern Saint Lucia, the combination of flooding and high winds destroyed 70% of the banana crop. Two sailing vessels were destroyed, and another one damaged. Across the island, Hurricane Dog killed two people from drownings. Damage was heavier on Martinique, located on the north side of the storm. The hurricane's winds destroyed 1,000 homes and the roofs of several others. Downed trees blocked roads and disrupted power lines. The winds also destroyed 90% of the banana crop and 30% of the sugar cane. Throughout Martinique, Dog left $3 million in damage (1951 USD, $37.2 million 2026 USD) and killed five people from drownings. It was considered the "most violent storm" in Martinique in 20 years. Initially the hurricane was expected to strike Jamaica, prompting hurricane warnings for the country, as well as along the southern coast of Hispaniola. Jamaica was struck by Hurricane Charlie a few weeks prior, and the threat from Dog prompted coastal evacuations and the closure of an airport. Ultimately, Dog dissipated and produced only light rainfall on the island.
Hurricane Easy
Hurricane Easy, the strongest tropical cyclone of the season, was a powerful and long-lived Cape Verde-type hurricane that originated as a tropical depression on September 1 between the Lesser Antilles and Cape Verde. Moving generally west-northwestward, the depression deepened into a tropical storm late that day, and further to hurricane status by September 3. On September 5, the cyclone reached its first peak of 110 mph (177 km/h), but failed to continue strengthening. Its winds fluctuated through the early morning on September 6, but then resumed strengthening, reaching major hurricane status by that evening. During this period, Hurricane Hunters flew into the hurricane to monitor its progress, recording a minimum pressure of 957 millibars (28.26 inHg) on September 6 to the north of the Lesser Antilles. The next day, an aircraft was unable to penetrate the center, estimating winds of 160 mph (257 km/h) south of the eye. On this basis, Easy was once classified as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale; A reanalysis in 2015 lowered the peak winds to 150 mph (240 km/h) on September 8. This was based on the Hurricane Hunters reporting a pressure of 937 mb (27.67 inHg) on the previous day, and a ship reporting winds of 140 mph (230 km/h). By the time Easy attained peak intensity, it had turned to the north and northeast while beginning a steady weakening trend. It interacted with the small Hurricane Fox to the east; this was the first observed instance of a hurricane affecting another's path. Easy then turned to the northeast, passing a short distance southeast of Bermuda on September 9 with winds of 110 mph (177 km/h). Easy evolved into an extratropical cyclone late on September 11, while still maintaining hurricane-force winds. The remnants lost their hurricane-force winds on September 12, only to briefly regain them two days later. On September 14, Easy lost its identity over the northern Atlantic Ocean after it was absorbed by another extratropical storm to the north.
The Weather Bureau advised Bermuda to take precautionary measures in advance of the storm; tourists and residents "worked feverishly" to complete preparations, and the United States Air Force issued "a formal warning at noon". Numerous hotels and homes were shuttered. Heavy traffic snarled evacuations, and 100 tourists were stranded on the island without "roundtrip reservations". Air Force aircraft returned to the United States, and personnel secured various facilities at the island's base. On Bermuda, the hurricane produced winds of only 50 mph (80 km/h), which downed a few banana trees. In addition to affecting Bermuda, the strong winds of the hurricane damaged a few ships along its path.