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HurriTracker

2021 Atlantic hurricane season

Jun 1, 2021 – Nov 30, 2021 · Season ended

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season produced 21 named storms, 7 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes, against a 1991–2020 average of 14.4, 7.2 and 3.2. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 145, 119% of the average.

2020 season2022 seasonAll Atlantic seasons
Named storms
21
Avg 14.4 (1991–2020)
Hurricanes
7
64 kt or stronger · avg 7.2
Major (Cat 3+)
4
Avg 3.2 per season
Accumulated energy
119% of normal
ACE 145 vs 1991–2020 avg 123
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Tracks colored by peak strengthTSC1C3C4

2021 season at a glance

  • Named storms: 21 (1991–2020 average 14.4).
  • Hurricanes (64 kt+): 7 (average 7.2).
  • Major, 96 kt+: 4 (average 3.2).
  • Accumulated cyclone energy: 145.3, 119% of the 123 average.
  • Named-storm days: 79.8, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
  • First named storm: Ana, May 22.
  • First hurricane: Elsa, July 2.
  • First major storm: Grace, August 21.
  • Last storm to dissipate: Wanda, November 8.
  • All systems tracked: 21, every one of which reached 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 2021 season

StormDatesPeakMin pressureLandfall
Ana – TS1004 mb—
Bill – TS992 mb—
Claudette – TS1003 mbHouma, United States
Danny – TS1009 mbPort Royal, United States
Elsa – C1991 mbJagüey Grande, Cuba
Fred – TS991 mbSan Cristóbal, Dominican Republic
Grace – C3967 mbEnriquillo, Dominican Republic
Henri – C1986 mbCharlestown, United States
Ida – C4929 mbNueva Gerona, Cuba
Kate – TS1004 mb—
Julian – TS993 mb—
Larry – C3953 mbMarystown, Canada
Mindy – TS1000 mbCallaway, United States
Nicholas – C1988 mbBay City, United States
Odette – TS989 mb—
Rose – TS1004 mb—
Peter – TS1005 mb—
Sam – C4927 mb—
Teresa – TS1008 mb—
Victor – TS997 mb—
Wanda – TS973 mb—
  • Ana: Ana formed in the Atlantic in May 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
  • Bill: Bill formed in the Atlantic in June 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 992 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 2 days.
  • Claudette: Claudette formed in the Atlantic in June 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1003 mb. It made landfall near Houma, United States. The system was tracked for 5 days.
  • Danny: Danny formed in the Atlantic in June 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1009 mb. It made landfall near Port Royal, United States. The system was tracked for 1 day.
  • Elsa: Elsa formed in the Atlantic in June 2021 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 991 mb. It made 4 landfalls, first near Jagüey Grande, Cuba and last near Charlestown, United States. The system was tracked for 10 days.
  • Fred: Fred formed in the Atlantic in August 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 991 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic and last near Callaway, United States. The system was tracked for 11 days.
  • Grace: Grace formed in the Atlantic in August 2021 and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 967 mb. It made 4 landfalls, first near Enriquillo, Dominican Republic and last near Gutiérrez Zamora, Mexico. The system was tracked for 8 days.
  • Henri: Henri formed in the Atlantic in August 2021 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 986 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Charlestown, United States and last near Westerly, United States. The system was tracked for 10 days.
  • Ida: Ida formed in the Atlantic in August 2021 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 929 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Nueva Gerona, Cuba and last near Galliano, United States. The system was tracked for 9 days.
  • Kate: Kate formed in the Atlantic in August 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
  • Julian: Julian formed in the Atlantic in August 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 993 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
  • Larry: Larry formed in the Atlantic in August 2021 and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 953 mb. It made landfall near Marystown, Canada. The system was tracked for 11 days.
  • Mindy: Mindy formed in the Atlantic in September 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1000 mb. It made landfall near Callaway, United States. The system was tracked for 2 days.
  • Nicholas: Nicholas formed in the Atlantic in September 2021 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 988 mb. It made landfall near Bay City, United States. The system was tracked for 5 days.
  • Odette: Odette formed in the Atlantic in September 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 989 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 11 days.
  • Rose: Rose formed in the Atlantic in September 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
  • Peter: Peter formed in the Atlantic in September 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1005 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
  • Sam: Sam formed in the Atlantic in September 2021 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 927 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 15 days.
  • Teresa: Teresa formed in the Atlantic in September 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1008 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 2 days.
  • Victor: Victor formed in the Atlantic in September 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 997 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
  • Wanda: Wanda formed in the Atlantic in October 2021 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 973 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 13 days.

Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.

Strongest storm of 2021

Hurricane Sam was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 155 mph (250 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 927 mb, on September 26. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

26 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 8 matched it. It produced 37% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.

Landfalls in 2021

10 of the season’s 21 systems made landfall, 4 of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.

  • June 19: Claudette near Houma, United States, 45 mph (tropical storm)
  • June 28: Danny near Port Royal, United States, 40 mph (tropical storm)
  • July 5: Elsa near Jagüey Grande, Cuba, 65 mph (tropical storm)
  • July 7: Elsa near Perry, United States, 65 mph (tropical storm)
  • July 9: Elsa near Hampton Bays, United States, 60 mph (tropical storm)
  • July 9: Elsa near Charlestown, United States, 60 mph (tropical storm)
  • August 11: Fred near San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, 45 mph (tropical storm)
  • August 16: Grace near Enriquillo, Dominican Republic, 40 mph (tropical storm)
  • August 16: Fred near Callaway, United States, 65 mph (tropical storm)
  • August 17: Grace near Port Antonio, Jamaica, 60 mph (tropical storm)
  • August 19: Grace near Tulum, Mexico, 85 mph (Category 1)
  • August 21: Grace near Gutiérrez Zamora, Mexico, 120 mph (Category 3)
  • August 22: Henri near Charlestown, United States, 65 mph (tropical storm)
  • August 22: Henri near Westerly, United States, 65 mph (tropical storm)
  • August 27: Ida near Nueva Gerona, Cuba, 80 mph (Category 1)
  • August 27: Ida near Los Palacios, Cuba, 80 mph (Category 1)
  • August 29: Ida near Galliano, United States, 150 mph (Category 4)
  • September 9: Mindy near Callaway, United States, 60 mph (tropical storm)
  • September 11: Larry near Marystown, Canada, 80 mph (Category 1)
  • September 14: Nicholas near Bay City, United States, 75 mph (Category 1)

How 2021 ranks since 1980

The season ranks 3rd of 47 Atlantic seasons since 1980 for named storms, 19th for hurricanes (tied with 7 other seasons) and 15th for accumulated cyclone energy.

The record since 1980 is 30 named storms, in 2020, and the highest ACE is 250, in 2005.

2021 storm names

The 2021 season used 21 names: Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Elsa, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Kate, Julian, Larry, Mindy, Nicholas, Odette, Rose, Peter, Sam, Teresa, Victor, Wanda.

Atlantic and East Pacific lists repeat every six years. See how storms are named.

The WMO later retired the name Ida, so it will not be used again.

2021 season FAQ

How many named storms were there in 2021?

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season had 21 named storms, 7 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes, from 21 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 Ana and the last was Wanda.

What was the strongest storm of 2021?

Hurricane Sam. It peaked at 155 mph (250 km/h, 135 kt) with a lowest pressure of 927 mb on September 26. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 26 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 37% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.

When did the 2021 season end?

The official season ended on November 30, 2021, as it does every year in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Central Pacific. The last system, Wanda, dissipated on November 8. Storms that form in December still count toward that year: 6 Atlantic storms since 1980 reached tropical-storm strength in December.