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1981 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1981 Atlantic hurricane season featured direct or indirect impacts from nearly all of its 12 tropical or subtropical storms. Overall, the season was fairly active, with 22 tropical depressions, 12 of which became named storms. 7 of those reached hurricane status and a further 3 intensified into major hurricanes. The season officially began on June 1, 1981, and lasted until November 30, 1981. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, tropical cyclogenesis can occur before these dates, as demonstrated with the development of two tropical depressions in April and Tropical Storm Arlene in May. At least one tropical cyclone formed in each month between April and November, with the final system, Subtropical Storm Three, becoming extratropical on November 17, 1981.

Seasonal summary
The 1981 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30. The season was high in activity, with 22 cyclones, 12 of which intensified into tropical or subtropical storms. Of those, seven intensified into a hurricane, while three strengthened into a major hurricane. This activity exceeded the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s 1950-2005 average of 11 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. Although most of the systems made landfall or otherwise impacted land, few caused extensive damage or fatalities. Collectively, the tropical cyclones of the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season caused about $88.7 million in damage and 14 deaths. Tropical cyclogenesis began early, with two tropical depression forming in April, the first of which developing on April 6. Both tropical depressions were operationally unnumbered. Tropical Storm Arlene formed on May 6. The storm made landfall in Cuba two days later, before being absorbed later by a low. Tropical Depression Two moved out of the Gulf of Mexico into eastern Texas on June 5, producing localized rainfall amounts of and numerous tornadoes over Louisiana before recurving across the Southeast United States. Another previously unnumbered tropical depression formed over the Bay of Campeche later that month on June 17. It made landfall in Mexico south of Tampico before dissipating about two days later. Tropical Storm Bret formed as a subtropical low in the open Atlantic Ocean north of Bermuda on June 29, and made landfall in the Delmarva Peninsula. The last of four previously unnumbered tropical depressions developed near Andros on July 2. It made landfall in southeast Florida and later in South Carolina before dissipating on July 4. Tropical Depression Four formed in the Gulf of Mexico on July 25, moving into Mexico the next day, and causing heavy rains in west Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas when its remnants moved into the United States. Tropical Storm Cindy formed on August 2 in the open Atlantic and became an extratropical cyclone on August 5. Hurricane Dennis formed on August 7 near South America. Dennis degenerated into a depression while making landfall in the Leeward Islands, but regained storm strength while over Cuba. Dennis moved near the southeast United States coastline from Florida to Virginia, briefly becoming a hurricane. Dennis weakened into a tropical storm and was declared an extratropical cyclone on August 22. Tropical Depression Seven formed in mid-August and tracked through the Windward Islands before dissipating near Trinidad and Tobago. Tropical Depression Eight led to a significant flooding event between San Antonio and Houston on August 30 and August 31 while recurving through Texas into Louisiana. Hurricane Emily formed on September 1 southeast of Bermuda. Emily made a cyclonic loop as a tropical storm. Emily strengthened into a hurricane out in the North Atlantic Ocean and by September 12, was no longer identifiable. Hurricane Floyd was a Category 3 hurricane that grazed Bermuda, but no damage was reported. Hurricane Gert formed September 8, strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane, and followed the same track as Floyd, dissipating near the Azores. Hurricane Harvey became the strongest storm of the season, reaching Category 4 strength. Harvey never affected land, but ships reported tropical storm-force winds. Tropical Depression Thirteen brought gusts of tropical storm force to Bermuda in mid-to-late September. Hurricane Irene also stayed out at sea, reaching Category 3 strength before becoming extratropical in early October. The extratropical remnants of Irene made landfall in France. Tropical Depression Fifteen was small and well-organized as it crossed the tropical Atlantic before weakening as it moved through the northeast Caribbean and southwest North Atlantic during late September and early October. Tropical Storm Jose was a short-lived storm forming out in the open Atlantic in late October. Jose never affected land and dissipated on November 1 near the Azores. Hurricane Katrina formed in the Caribbean Sea, and made landfall in Cuba after reaching hurricane strength. The final storm of the season, Subtropical Storm Three, formed in the Atlantic Ocean on November 12 and moved north, making landfall in Nova Scotia and becoming extratropical soon after. The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 100, which is classified as "near normal" by NOAA and is slightly higher than the 1951-2000 average of 93.2. ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. It is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding , which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. ==Systems==
Systems
Tropical Storm Arlene An area of thunderstorms in the eastern Pacific Ocean crossed Central America into the western Caribbean, developing a low-level circulation on May 5 offshore Honduras. Convection organized enough that a tropical depression formed on May 6 near the Cayman Islands. It was a rare example of an Atlantic depression forming from a disturbance that originated in the eastern Pacific. Spiral rainbands developed around the center, and the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Arlene on May 7 while moving generally northeastward, Arlene struck eastern Cuba early on May 8 with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). Strong wind shear and Arlene's passage over land weakened the storm to a tropical depression and caused its circulation to become ill-defined. After an area of convection reformed, Arlene re-intensified after exiting Cuba, There were no reports of damage or casualties from Cuba or the Bahamas, and therefore storm affects were judged to have been minimal. later, peak winds in the Bahamas reached around 35 mph (55 km/h). Arlene was the only May tropical storm on record to affect the Cuban province of Camagüey, although its passage was mostly noticed in its disruption of sugar cane production. Tropical Depression Two A tropical depression formed in the Bay of Campeche on June 3. Classified as Tropical Depression Two, the system moved north-northwest, lured by a closed upper-cyclone over the southern Great Plains. with at least 23 homes suffering water damage. Water also entered city hall. Some roads had roughly of standing water, stranding some motorists for hours. In Galveston, a tornado damaged forty homes and apartments, with severe damage to three homes and two apartment units. One business suffered major roof damage, while several cars were damaged at an auto dealership. Overall, the depression killed three people, two due to flooding and one from an associated tornado. At least $4 million in damage was caused by this depression. Locally heavy rains in western Pennsylvania caused some basement and street flooding. No significant damage was reported, Tropical Depression Four In association with a tropical wave, a tropical disturbance formed over the Caribbean south of Cuba. As a disturbance crossed the Yucatán Peninsula, it interacted with an upper-level low-pressure area centered to the west. After emerging into the south-central Gulf of Mexico, the disturbance organized into a tropical depression early on July 25. In the Caribbean, Dennis dropped heavy precipitation on some islands, including Martinique, Saint Lucia, the Virgin Islands, and the Greater Antilles. Flooding in Jamaica left at least 50 people homeless. In Florida, heavy rain fell in many areas to the east of the storm's path. Much of southeast Florida received at least of precipitation, while over of rain fell in Homestead. However, the worst damage was incurred to crops, which experienced a loss of over $17.26 million. One death and nearly $18.5 million in damage occurred in Florida. Farther north, Dennis also caused flooding in the Carolinas, inundating many streets and causing crop damage in both states. Twenty families in Columbus County, North Carolina, evacuated after the Waccamaw River overran its banks. Overall, Dennis left caused three deaths and about $28.5 million in damage. The subtropical depression intensified into a subtropical storm and then transitioned into Tropical Storm Emily on the following day. Emily moved northeast, passing close to Bermuda on September 2. A large high-pressure system caused the storm to executive a cyclone loop on September 3 and September 4, before resuming a northeast motion. After passing near or over several Leeward Islands in a northwestward trajectory, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Floyd late on September 4 and then reached hurricane status about 24 hours later. Because Emily eroded the western side of a high-pressure ridge, Floyd turned northward on September 6. Rains and winds up to 60 mph (95 km/h) impacted the island, but damage was minor. Gale warnings were issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands and later the southeastern Bahamas, and light rainfall occurred in the region, reaching on the island of San Salvador. Winds were light in Bermuda. The westerlies caused the cyclone to gradually turn eastward. and was initially expected to intensify into a tropical storm. Although it failed to further intensify, Tropical Depression Thirteen brought squalls to Bermuda with winds gusts of tropical storm-force as it passed west of the island later that day. Moving northward, the system merged with a developing extratropical cyclone south of Nova Scotia on September 24. although deep convection remained unconcentrated from the center for three more days. The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Irene on September 23. The storm tracked northwest under the influence of two high pressure areas to the northeast and northwest and an upper-level trough, becoming a hurricane on September 25. Irene then began to curve eastward as it gradually strengthened. Accelerating northeastward due to the upper-level trough, Irene then gradually weakened, falling below hurricane strength on October 1. while light precipitation fell on Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, peaking at near Peñuelas. The depression then recurved to the south and east of Bermuda late on October 4. Tropical Storm Jose On October 20, a mid-latitude low-pressure area was located well east of Atlantic Canada. The low moved southward for eight days. Convection increased around the center of circulation on October 29, Moving generally northeastward, Hurricane Katrina A tropical depression formed on November 3 in the western Caribbean Sea about south of the Cayman Islands. The depression moved north, reaching tropical storm strength as it moved through the Cayman Islands. Katrina continued to strengthen, reaching hurricane strength and peaking with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a minimum atmospheric pressure of on November 5. On the following day, the storm struck Camagüey Province in Cuba and quickly weakened to a tropical storm. After emerging over water near Ragged Island in the Bahamas, the storm accelerated northeast through the island chain. Katrina's circulation fell apart, and the storm merged with a front on November 8 while centered about south of Bermuda. Katrina also damagede approximately 80% of sugar cane crops. Two deaths also occurred in Cuba. Subtropical Storm Three A low-pressure area developed along a cold front over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. After moving northeastward, it turned to the northwest, threatening the northeastern United States as an intensifying subtropical storm that was gradually developing tropical characteristics. A high pressure system turned it to the northeast, Some sections of Maryland beaches lost up to of sand, threatening coastal homes. In Delaware, South Bethany lost thousands of tons of sand, while waves swept away about half of the dune at the Indian River Inlet, the latter costing an estimated $95,000 to replace. Other systems Four additional tropical depressions formed during the season which were operationally thought to have not developed and thus went unnumbered. The first such system developed northeast of the Lesser Antilles on April 6. Moving slowly southwestward, the depression dissipated over the Anegada Passage about 24 hours later. A small craft advisory and special marine warning were issued by the National Weather Service office in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On April 19, another tropical depression formed over the southwestward Caribbean. The depression moved northeastward through the following day, before doubling-back to the southwest and dissipating by April 21. Another previously unnumbered tropical depression formed over the Bay of Campeche on June 17. It made landfall in Mexico south of Tampico before dissipating about two days later. A fourth unnumbered tropical depression developed near Andros on July 2. It made landfall in southeast Florida and later in South Carolina before dissipating on July 4. The depression dropped up of rainfall in Broward County, Florida, causing localized flooding. A waterspout-turned-tornado at Port Everglades overturned a shed and downed some power lines. Heavy precipitation also fell in South Carolina, especially in Clarendon and Sumter counties, inundating crops and flooding some cars, homes, a school, and stores in the Mayesville area. ==Storm names==
Storm names
The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Atlantic in 1981. Most names were used for the first time, except for Arlene, Cindy, and Irene, which had been previously used under the old naming convention. No names were retired following the season, thus the same list was used again for the 1987 season. ==Season effects==
Season effects
This is a table of all of the storms that formed in the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their name, duration, peak classification and intensities, areas affected, damage, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 1981 USD. ==See also==
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