1968 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1968 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1968, and lasted until November 30, 1968. These dates are conventionally the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin.

1968 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
First storm formed June 1, 1968
Last storm dissipated October 21, 1968
Strongest storm Gladys – 965 mbar (hPa) (28.51 inHg), 85 mph (140 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Total depressions 10
Total storms 8
Hurricanes 5
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) 0
Total fatalities 10
Total damage $9.85 million (1968 USD)
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970

Three storms formed in June, making it one of the most active Junes on record. The early part of the season had the most activity, and the season ended quietly compared to the beginning. There were eight named storms, and no major hurricanes. This shows that early season activity has no indication on the entire season. Hurricane Gladys was the costliest storm of the season, causing more than $6 million (1968 USD) in damage as it moved northward through Florida, Cuba, and North Carolina.

Storm names

The following names were used for named storms (tropical storms and hurricanes) that formed in the North Atlantic in 1968.

The list is mostly the same as the 1964 season, save for Candy, Dolly, Edna, Frances, Hannah, and Ingrid, which replaced Cleo, Dora, Ethel, Florence, Hilda, and Isbell (although Ethel, Florence, and Isbell were not retired). A storm was named Candy for the first time in 1968. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.

  • Abby
  • Brenda
  • Candy
  • Dolly
  • Edna
  • Frances
  • Gladys
  • Hannah (unused)
  • Ingrid (unused)
  • Janet (unused)
  • Katy (unused)
  • Lila (unused)
  • Molly (unused)
  • Nita (unused)
  • Odette (unused)
  • Paula (unused)
  • Roxie (unused)
  • Stella (unused)
  • Trudy (unused)
  • Vesta (unused)
  • Wesley (unused)

Retirement

No names were retired this season. However, the name Edna was later retroactively retired because of the Hurricane Edna of the 1954 season, and has not been used since.

1968 Atlantic Hurricane Season Media

Related pages

Other websites

Tropical cyclones of the 1968 Atlantic hurricane season

Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale
TD TS C1 C2 C3 C4 C5