| 1991 Atlantic Hurricane Season |
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The 1991 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1 , 1991 , and lasted until November 30 , 1991 . These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most Tropical Cyclone s form in the Atlantic Basin . The season experienced relatively low activity with just eight named storms, likely as the result of a strong El Niño that lasted from 1991 to 1994. Only one 1991 storm caused any significant damage, Hurricane Bob . Bob travelled up the east coast of the United States , making landfall in Rhode Island . It was responsible for 17 deaths and an estimated $1.5 billion (1991 US Dollars ) in damage. The 1991 Halloween Nor'easter , which caused nearly $1 billion (1991 USD) in damages and killed 12 people, was closely tied to tropical activity, as it was fueled by the remnants of Hurricane Grace and lead to the genesis of Hurricane Eight. STORMS Tropical Storm Ana Tropical Storm Ana began life as a non-tropical low which formed off the east coast of Florida on June 25 and looped across the state over the next few days. It returned to the Atlantic and developed into a tropical depression some 100 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina on July 2 . The system accelerated to the northeast, running roughly parallel to the East Coast Of The United States , and strengthened into a tropical storm late on July 3 . It continued eastwards and lost tropical characteristics over the Atlantic on July 5 . There were no damage or casualties related to Ana. {Link without Title} Hurricane Bob An area of disturbed weather developed south of Bermuda on August 12 , drifting southwest and becoming a tropical depression on August 16 while 200 miles west of Nassau in the Bahamas . It strengthened into Tropical Storm Bob later the same day. It continued to strengthen as it moved northwest, and reached hurricane force on August 17 , 240 miles east of Daytona Beach , Florida . The storm reached Category 3 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale on August 19 while passing Norfolk , Virginia . The eye of the hurricane brushed the eastern tip of Long Island before making landfall in Rhode Island and passing over Newport . It weakened as it crossed Massachusetts , Maine , and New Brunswick , and the non-tropical remnant crossed the Atlantic and dissipated near Portugal on August 29 . Storm surges up to 6 ft, and up to 8 inches of rainfall, accompanied Bob's passage up the East Coast . 16 fatalities were reported from the USA and 2 in Canada , and the cost of damage was estimated at $1.5 billion (1991 USD ), mostly in Massachusetts. Hurricane Claudette A tropical depression formed out of a non-tropical system southeast of Bermuda on September 4 . It strengthened rapidly and was a Category 3 hurricane by September 6 ; the storm may have briefly reached Category 4 status. It curved around the central Atlantic passing 125 miles southeast of Bermuda on September 8 , continued eastwards and dissipated near the Azores on September 14 . No damage or casualties were reported. Tropical Storm Danny Danny formed from a tropical wave 300 miles south-southwest of Cape Verde on September 7 . It headed generally toward the Leeward Islands but dissipated on September 11 without approaching land. Tropical Storm Erika Erika formed from a Tropical Wave in the central Atlantic, becoming a tropical storm on September 9 . It interacted with Hurricane Claudette and headed northeast towards the Azores , which it passed over on September 12 as an Extratropical system. No damage or casualties were reported. Tropical Storm Fabian Fabian formed in the Gulf Of Honduras from the interaction of a cold front with a Tropical Wave . It became a tropical storm on October 15 southwest of the Isle Of Youth , and passed over that island and the west of mainland Cuba before losing its tropical characteristics between Florida and the Bahamas . The tropical storm reached its peak intensity of 45 mph winds before becoming Extratropical . Up to 6 inches of rain fell on Cuba, but no damage or casualties were reported. Rainfall on Florida was minimal {Link without Title} . Hurricane Grace Grace developed from a Subtropical system south of Bermuda , becoming a tropical storm on October 27 and a hurricane the next day. After drifting northwards for a while it was forced rapidly to the east by a powerful Extratropical Cyclone off New England . It passed 50 miles south of Bermuda on October 29 but winds on the island reached no more than 25 mph at that time. Later that day it merged with a frontal system, having never affected land. The remnants of Hurricane Grace, however, contributed to the formation of the destructive 1991 Halloween Nor'easter . Hurricane Eight The 1991 Halloween Nor’easter (commonly called "The Halloween Storm" or "The Perfect Storm"), an Extratropical Cyclone that had forced Hurricane Grace west, caused severe coastal damage and flooding in New England , and several fatalities. After passing its peak as an extratropical storm, the system drifted southwards over the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream , and the center acquired the characteristic convection features of a tropical storm on November 1 . A reconnaissance flight the next day discovered hurricane-force winds. It was decided not to assign a name to avoid confusion and undue public alarm, as the hurricane's radius was only about 30 miles and it continued to be surrounded by an extratropical gale vastly larger in size. It headed rapidly north-eastwards and weakened to a tropical storm before making landfall near Halifax, Nova Scotia . No damage or casualties were attributed to the tropical phase of the storm. The genesis of a hurricane within an extratropical cyclone is unusual but not unique - 1980's Hurricane Karl had a similar origin. 1991 STORM NAMES The following names were used for named storms that formed in the Atlantic Basin in 1991. The names not retired from this list were used again in the 1997 Season . This is the same list used for the 1985 Season except for Erika and Grace, which replaced Elena and Gloria . Storms were named Erika and Grace for the first time in 1991. Names that were not assigned are marked in . Retirement See Also: List of retired Atlantic hurricanes The World Meteorological Organization retired one name in the spring of 1992: Bob. It was replaced in the by Bill. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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