All seasons · Atlantic
1979 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1979 Atlantic season has 20 storms in the best-track record; 9 reached tropical-storm strength and 5 became hurricanes, 2 of them major. Its accumulated cyclone energy of 91.3 is the 70th-highest of the 175 seasons in the Atlantic record since 1851. David was the strongest, peaking at 175 mph as a Category 5 hurricane. The best-track file carries no landfall records for the Atlantic seasons 1976 to 1982, this one included. The first record is dated June 11, the last November 10.
Storm by storm
More storms formed in July than in any other month of 1979: 6 of 20. Frederic lasted longest, 16.2 days as a tropical or subtropical system. David contributed the most energy, 48% of the season's ACE.
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Strength | Lowest | Landfalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storm 1 of 1979 | Jun 11–16 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Ana | Jun 19–24 | 60 mph | Tropical storm | 1005 mb | – |
| Storm 3 of 1979 | Jul 8–13 | 30 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Bob | Jul 9–16 | 75 mph | Category 1 | 986 mb | – |
| Storm 5 of 1979 | Jul 10–13 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Claudette | Jul 15–29 | 50 mph | Tropical storm | 997 mb | – |
| Storm 7 of 1979 | Jul 23–26 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Storm 8 of 1979 | Jul 31 – Aug 6 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| David | Aug 25 – Sep 6 | 175 mph | Category 5 | 924 mb | – |
| Storm 10 of 1979 | Aug 25–28 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Frederic | Aug 29 – Sep 14 | 130 mph | Category 4 | 943 mb | – |
| Elena | Aug 30 – Sep 2 | 40 mph | Tropical storm | 1004 mb | – |
| Storm 13 of 1979 | Sep 1–6 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Gloria | Sep 4–15 | 100 mph | Category 2 | 975 mb | – |
| Henri | Sep 15–24 | 85 mph | Category 1 | 983 mb | – |
| Storm 16 of 1979 | Sep 16–21 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Storm 17 of 1979 | Oct 12–20 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Storm 18 of 1979 | Oct 23–25 | 75 mph | Tropical storm | 980 mb | – |
| Storm 19 of 1979 | Oct 24–29 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
| Storm 20 of 1979 | Nov 7–10 | 35 mph | Depression | – | – |
Against other Atlantic seasons
Accumulated cyclone energy of every season; the red bar is 1979.