All seasons · Atlantic
1971 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1971 Atlantic season has 17 storms in the best-track record; 14 reached tropical-storm strength and 6 became hurricanes, 3 of them major. Its accumulated cyclone energy of 111.3 is the 50th-highest of the 175 seasons in the Atlantic record since 1851. Edith was the strongest, peaking at 150 mph as a Category 4 hurricane. Landfall records exist for 8 of its storms, in Belize, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Nicaragua, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Texas and Virginia. The first record is dated July 4, the last November 22.
Storm by storm
More storms formed in September than in any other month of 1971: 7 of 17. Ginger both lasted longest, 27.8 days as a tropical or subtropical system, and contributed the most energy, 34% of the season's ACE. Strongest landfall of each storm: Beth reached Nova Scotia as a tropical storm on August 16; Storm 7 of 1971 reached Florida as a tropical storm on August 16; Doria reached Virginia as a tropical storm on August 28; Fern reached Texas as a Category 1 hurricane on September 11; Edith reached Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane on September 9; Ginger reached North Carolina as a tropical storm on October 1; Heidi reached Maine as a tropical storm on September 14; Irene reached Nicaragua as a Category 1 hurricane on September 19.
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Strength | Lowest | Landfalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlene | Jul 4–7 | 60 mph | Tropical storm | 1000 mb | – |
| Storm 3 of 1971 | Jul 10–11 | 30 mph | Depression | 1010 mb | – |
| Storm 4 of 1971 | Aug 3–6 | 80 mph | Category 1 | 998 mb | – |
| Beth | Aug 10–17 | 85 mph | Category 1 | 977 mb | Nova Scotia |
| Storm 7 of 1971 | Aug 13–17 | 45 mph | Tropical storm | 1002 mb | Florida |
| Chloe | Aug 18–24 | 60 mph | Tropical storm | 1002 mb | – |
| Doria | Aug 23–28 | 70 mph | Tropical storm | 989 mb | North Carolina, Virginia |
| Fern | Sep 3–13 | 85 mph | Category 1 | 978 mb | Texas |
| Storm 12 of 1971 | Sep 5–7 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Edith | Sep 5–18 | 150 mph | Category 4 | 943 mb | Nicaragua, Belize, Louisiana |
| Ginger | Sep 6 – Oct 3 | 115 mph | Category 3 | 959 mb | North Carolina |
| Heidi | Sep 11–14 | 60 mph | Tropical storm | 995 mb | Maine |
| Irene | Sep 11 – Oct 1 | 125 mph | Category 3 | 948 mb | Nicaragua |
| Janice | Sep 21–24 | 50 mph | Tropical storm | 1005 mb | – |
| Storm 20 of 1971 | Oct 6–10 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Kristy | Oct 18–20 | 70 mph | Tropical storm | 992 mb | – |
| Laura | Nov 12–22 | 70 mph | Tropical storm | 994 mb | – |
Against other Atlantic seasons
Accumulated cyclone energy of every season; the red bar is 1971.