The 1972 Atlantic hurricane season (SDTWFC What Might Have Been) features storms that the SDTWFC thought real storms would do upon formation. The season was another above average year, with 19 tropical depressions forming, 18 of which were named.
Storms[]
| Tropical depression (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | May 23 – May 24 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 55 km/h (35 mph) (1-min) 1009 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Depression One[]
(Previously Subtropical Storm Alpha)
| Category 3 tropical cyclone (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | June 14 – June 18 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 185 km/h (115 mph) (1-min) 966 hPa (mbar) |
Hurricane Alice[]
(Previously Hurricane Agnes)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | June 19 – June 21 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 85 km/h (50 mph) (1-min) 999 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Brittany[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Three)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | July 10 – July 12 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 85 km/h (55 mph) (1-min) 997 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Carol[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Four)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | July 16 – July 18 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 75 km/h (45 mph) (1-min) 1002 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Dolly[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Five)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | July 31 – August 3 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 95 km/h (60 mph) (1-min) 994 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Esther[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Six)
| Category 4 tropical cyclone (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | August 5 – August 13 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 230 km/h (145 mph) (1-min) 944 hPa (mbar) |
Hurricane Francisco[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Seven)
| Category 1 tropical cyclone (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | August 12 – August 16 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 140 km/h (85 mph) (1-min) 987 hPa (mbar) |
Hurricane Gloria[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Eight)
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | August 16 – August 22 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 165 km/h (105 mph) (1-min) 979 hPa (mbar) |
Hurricane Hazel[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Nine)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | August 22 – August 26 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min) 996 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Irene[]
(Previously Hurricane Betty)
| Category 1 tropical cyclone (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | August 29 – September 3 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 120 km/h (75 mph) (1-min) 985 hPa (mbar) |
Hurricane Jewel[]
(Previously Tropical Storm Carrie)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 3 – September 5 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min) 1003 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Kayla[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Twelve)
| Category 1 tropical cyclone (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 5 – September 8 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 130 km/h (80 mph) (1-min) 988 hPa (mbar) |
Hurricane Lucy[]
(Previously Previously Hurricane Dawn)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 19 – September 20 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min) 1005 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Mabel[]
(Previously Subtropical Storm Charlie)
| Category 1 tropical cyclone (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 20 – September 26 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 150 km/h (90 mph) (1-min) 983 hPa (mbar) |
Hurricane Nancy[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Fifteen)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | October 1 – October 3 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 85 km/h (50 mph) (1-min) 998 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Orpha[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Sixteen)
| Category 5 tropical cyclone (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | October 5 – October 19 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 270 km/h (165 mph) (1-min) 924 hPa (mbar) |
Hurricane Patsy[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Seventeen)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | October 16 – October 18 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 75 km/h (45 mph) (1-min) 1000 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Rachel[]
(Previously Tropical Depression Eighteen)
| Tropical storm (NHC) | |
 | |
| Duration | November 1 – November 4 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 85 km/h (50 mph) (1-min) 1001 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Storm Susie[]
(Previously Subtropical Storm Delta)
Storm Names[]
This was the same list used in the 1966 season, with the exceptions of Francisco, Jewel, and Kayla, which replaced Floren, Jill, and Kathy. Names not retired will be used again in the 1978 season. Names not used are marked in italics.
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Retirement[]
The SDTWFC retired the names Alice and Patsy due to the deaths and damage they caused. They will be replaced with Anya and Parker for the 1978 season.
Season Effects[]
| Storm name |
Dates active | Storm category at peak intensity |
Max 1-min wind mph (km/h) |
Min. press. (mbar) |
Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One | May 23 - May 24 | Tropical depression | 35 (55) | 1009 | Florida Panhandle | none | 0 | |||
| Alice | June 14 - June 18 | Category 3 hurricane | 115 (185) | 966 | Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, Bahamas, Florida, United States Gulf Coast | 8,200 (2018 USD) | 24 (3) | |||
| Brittany | June 19 - June 21 | Tropical storm | 50 (85) | 999 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Carol | July 10 - July 12 | Tropical storm | 55 (85) | 997 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Dolly | July 16 - July 18 | Tropical storm | 45 (75) | 1002 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Esther | July 31 - August 3 | Tropical storm | 60 (95) | 994 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Francisco | August 5 - August 13 | Category 4 hurricane | 145 (230) | 994 | Senegal, Gambia | none | 0 | |||
| Gloria | August 12 - August 16 | Category 1 hurricane | 85 (140) | 987 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Hazel | August 16 - August 22 | Category 2 hurricane | 105 (965) | 979 | Cape Verde | none | 0 | |||
| Irene | August 22 - August 26 | Tropical storm | 65 (100) | 996 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Jewel | August 29 - September 3 | Category 1 hurricane | 75 (120) | 985 | Bermuda | none | 0 | |||
| Kayla | September 3- September 5 | Tropical storm | 40 (65) | 1003 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Lucy | September 5- September 8 | Category 1 hurricane | 80 (930) | 988 | Florida, Louisiana, Texas | Minimal | 0 | |||
| Mabel | September 19 - September 20 | Tropical storm | 40 (65) | 1005 | Newfoundland | none | 0 | |||
| Nancy | September 20 - September 26 | Category 1 hurricane | 90 (150) | 983 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Orpha | October 1 - October 3 | Tropical storm | 50 (85) | 998 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Patsy | October 5 - October 19 | Category 5 hurricane | 165 (270) | 924 | Cape Verde, Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Florida, Bahamas, United States East Coast | 38,500 (2018 USD) | 338 | |||
| Rachel | October 16 - October 18 | Tropical storm | 45 (75) | 100 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Susie | November 1- November 4 | Tropical storm | 55 (85) | 1001 | none | none | 0 | |||
| Season aggregates | ||||||||||
| 19 | May 23 - November 4 | 165 (270) | 924 | North Atlantic Ocean | 46,700 (2018 USD) | 362 (3) | ||||