1995 Atlantic Hurricane Season - Seasonal Activity

Seasonal Activity

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, and activity in 1995 began on the next day with the formation of Hurricane Allison on June 2. It was a well-above average season in which 21 tropical depressions formed. Nineteen of which tropical storm status, and 11 of these attained hurricane status. In addition, five tropical cyclones reached major hurricane status, which was well above the 1950–2005 average of two per season. Seven hurricane and five tropical storms made landfall, which caused a majority of the season's 158 deaths and $10.2 billion (1995 USD) in damage. Hurricane Felix also caused damage and fatalities, but never made landfall. The last storm of the season, Hurricane Tanya, became extratropical on November 1, over four weeks before the official end of the season on November 30.

Tropical cyclogenesis in the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season began with the development of Hurricane Allison on June 2. The month of July was very active, with four tropical cyclones forming. A total of seven storms formed in August — Felix, Gabrielle, Humberto, Iris, Jerry, Karen, and Luis — tying the 1933 record for most in the month; this record was broken in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season when eight named storms formed during August. Although September is the climatological peak of hurricane season, it was much less active with August, with four tropical cyclones developing in that month, and Marilyn, Noel, and Opal eventually strengthened into a hurricane. Four tropical cyclones also formed in October; notably, Hurricane Roxanne developed in that month. The last storm of the season, Hurricane Tanya, developed later in October, and eventually became extratropical on November 1, nearly a month before the official end of the season on November 30.

The season's activity was reflected with a high accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 228. 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. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength.