1993 Atlantic hurricane season
Jun 1, 1993 – Nov 30, 1993 · Season ended
The 1993 Atlantic hurricane season produced 8 named storms, 4 hurricanes and 1 major hurricane, against a 1991–2020 average of 14.4, 7.2 and 3.2. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 38, 31% of the average.
1993 season at a glance
- Named storms: 8 (1991–2020 average 14.4).
- Hurricanes (64 kt+): 4 (average 7.2).
- Major, 96 kt+: 1 (average 3.2).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 38.3, 31% of the 123 average.
- Named-storm days: 29.8, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Arlene, June 19.
- First hurricane: Emily, August 26.
- First major storm: Emily, August 31.
- Last storm to dissipate: Tropical Depression 10L, September 30.
- All systems tracked: 10, including 2 that stayed below tropical-storm strength.
Counts use 1-minute best-track winds: named storms reached 34 kt (39 mph), the next column 64 kt (74 mph) and major storms 96 kt (111 mph).
Every storm of the 1993 season
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Min pressure | Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD 1L | – | TD | 999 mb | San Nicolás de Bari, Cuba |
| Arlene | – | TS | 1000 mb | Kingsville, United States |
| Bret | – | TS | 1002 mb | Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Cindy | – | TS | 1007 mb | Rivière-Pilote, Martinique |
| Emily | – | C3 | 960 mb | — |
| Dennis | – | TS | 1000 mb | — |
| Floyd | – | C1 | 966 mb | — |
| Gert | – | C2 | 970 mb | Bluefields, Nicaragua |
| Harvey | – | C1 | 990 mb | — |
| TD 10L | – | TD | 1008 mb | — |
- TD 1L: This system formed in the Atlantic in May 1993 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 999 mb. It made landfall near San Nicolás de Bari, Cuba. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Arlene: Arlene formed in the Atlantic in June 1993 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1000 mb. It made landfall near Kingsville, United States. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Bret: Bret formed in the Atlantic in August 1993 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1002 mb. It made 4 landfalls, first near Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago and last near Nueva Guinea, Nicaragua. The system was tracked for 7 days.
- Cindy: Cindy formed in the Atlantic in August 1993 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1007 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Rivière-Pilote, Martinique and last near Santa Cruz de Barahona, Dominican Republic. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Emily: Emily formed in the Atlantic in August 1993 and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 960 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 15 days.
- Dennis: Dennis formed in the Atlantic in August 1993 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1000 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- Floyd: Floyd formed in the Atlantic in September 1993 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 966 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
- Gert: Gert formed in the Atlantic in September 1993 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 970 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Bluefields, Nicaragua and last near Tamiahua, Mexico. The system was tracked for 11 days.
- Harvey: Harvey formed in the Atlantic in September 1993 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 990 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- TD 10L: This system formed in the Atlantic in September 1993 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1008 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 1 day.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 1993
Hurricane Emily was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 115 mph (185 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 960 mb, on August 31. That is Category 3 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
111 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 22 matched it. It produced 58% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 1993
5 of the season’s 10 systems made landfall, 1 of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.
- May 31: TD 1L near San Nicolás de Bari, Cuba, 30 mph (tropical depression)
- June 20: Arlene near Kingsville, United States, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- August 7: Bret near Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago, 60 mph (tropical storm)
- August 7: Bret near Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, 60 mph (tropical storm)
- August 8: Bret near Chichiriviche, Venezuela, 45 mph (tropical storm)
- August 10: Bret near Nueva Guinea, Nicaragua, 45 mph (tropical storm)
- August 14: Cindy near Rivière-Pilote, Martinique, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- August 16: Cindy near Santa Cruz de Barahona, Dominican Republic, 35 mph (tropical depression)
- September 15: Gert near Bluefields, Nicaragua, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- September 18: Gert near Belize City, Belize, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- September 20: Gert near Tamiahua, Mexico, 100 mph (Category 2)
How 1993 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 37th of 47 Atlantic seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 3 other seasons), 34th for hurricanes (tied with 5 other seasons) and 39th for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 30 named storms, in 2020, and the highest ACE is 250, in 2005.
1993 storm names
The 1993 season used 8 names: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Emily, Dennis, Floyd, Gert, Harvey.
2 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.
Atlantic and East Pacific lists repeat every six years. See how storms are named.
1993 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 1993?
The 1993 Atlantic hurricane season had 8 named storms, 4 hurricanes and 1 major hurricane, from 10 systems tracked in all. The 1991–2020 average is 14.4 named storms, 7.2 at 64 kt or more and 3.2 major per season. The first to form was Arlene and the last was Harvey.
What was the strongest storm of 1993?
Hurricane Emily. It peaked at 115 mph (185 km/h, 100 kt) with a lowest pressure of 960 mb on August 31. That is Category 3 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 111 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 58% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 1993 season end?
The official season ended on November 30, 1993, as it does every year in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Central Pacific. The last system, Tropical Depression 10L, dissipated on September 30. Storms that form in December still count toward that year: 6 Atlantic storms since 1980 reached tropical-storm strength in December.