2021 Atlantic hurricane season (Cooper - New)

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season was a very active Atlantic hurricane season that featured pre-season activity. The season officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period in each year when most tropical cyclones tend to form in the Atlantic basin. However, as shown by Tropical Storm Ana in May, the formation of tropical cyclones is possible at any time of the year. The season featured 18 named storms, nine hurricanes, and five major hurricanes, a total above the 1981-2010 average.

The 2021 season proved to be costly and very deadly. Hurricane Henri in late August caused over 1,500 fatalities and $5.3 billion (2001 USD) in damages in Central America, with Mexico and Belize being the hardest-hit. Hurricane Mindy was the season's strongest and most destructive storm, causing over $6 billion in damages in Cuba as a Category 5 hurricane. Mindy then struck southern Florida, which had been devastated by Hurricane Irma in 2017, causing another $17 billion in damages. In mid-October, Hurricane Nicholas struck North Carolina, causing over $3 billion in damages as well as 22 fatalities.

Seasonal summary

Systems

Tropical Storm Ana

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	May 19 – May 22
Peak intensity	60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min) 995 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Bill

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	June 13 – June 17
Peak intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 1004 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Three

Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	June 25 – June 27
Peak intensity	35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min) 1006 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Claudette

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	July 2 – July 5
Peak intensity	45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min) 1002 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Danny

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	July 18 – July 23
Peak intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 1003 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Elsa

Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	August 6 – August 15
Peak intensity	105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min) 968 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Fred

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 10 – August 15
Peak intensity	65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min) 998 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Grace

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	August 20 – August 24
Peak intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 1004 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Henri

Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	August 23 – September 1
Peak intensity	145 mph (230 km/h) (1-min) 934 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Ten

Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	August 29 – August 30
Peak intensity	45 km/h (30 mph) (1-min) 1010 hPa (mbar)

Hurricane Ida

Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	September 1 – September 9
Peak intensity	115 mph (185 km/h) (1-min) 967 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Julian

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	September 9 – September 11
Peak intensity	40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min) 1008 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Kate

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	September 15 – September 18
Peak intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 1000 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Larry

Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	September 16 – September 29
Peak intensity	120 mph (195 km/h) (1-min) 958 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Mindy

Category 5 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	September 19 – October 1
Peak intensity	160 mph (260 km/h) (1-min) 921 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Nicholas

Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	September 26 – October 3
Peak intensity	85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min) 974 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Odette

Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	October 6 – October 15
Peak intensity	130 mph (215 km/h) (1-min) 947 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Peter

Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	October 13 – October 20
Peak intensity	85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min) 970 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Rose

Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	October 30 – November 5
Peak intensity	100 mph (155 km/h) (1-min) 966 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Sam

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	November 13 – November 15
Peak intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 1002 mbar (hPa)

Storm Names

The following names were used for systems that reached at least tropical storm intensity in the north Atlantic during 2021. This list is the same list that was used in the 2015 season with the exceptions of Elsa and Julian, which replaced Erika and Joaquin. Storms were named Elsa, Julian, Rose, and Sam for the first time in 2021.

Ana Bill Claudette Danny Elsa Fred Grace

Henri Ida Julian Kate Larry Mindy Nicholas

Odette Peter Rose Sam Teresa (unused) Victor (unused) Wanda (unused)

Retirement

In the spring of 2022, the World Meteorological Association retired the names Henri, Mindy, and Nicholas from its rotating name lists due to the large amount of damage and deaths they caused, and they will not be used again for another Atlantic hurricane. They were replaced by Horatio, Melanie, and Noah for the 2027 season.