For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Hattie.
Hurricane Hattie
Radar image of Hurricane Hattie on October 30
Meteorological history
Formed
October 27, 1961
Dissipated
November 1, 1961
Category 5 major hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds
165 mph (270 km/h)
Lowest pressure
914 mbar (hPa); 26.99 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities
319
Damage
$60.3 million (1961 USD)
Areas affected
British Honduras (Belize), Guatemala, Honduras
IBTrACS
Part of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Hattie was the strongest and deadliest tropical cyclone of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season, reaching peak intensity as a Category5 hurricane. The ninth tropical storm, seventh hurricane, fifth major hurricane, and second Category 5 of the season, Hattie originated from an area of low pressure that strengthened into a tropical storm over the southwestern Caribbean Sea on October 27. Moving generally northward, the storm quickly became a hurricane and later major hurricane the following day. Hattie then turned westward west of Jamaica and strengthened into a Category5 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (270 km/h). It weakened to Category4 before making landfall south of Belize City on October 31. The storm turned southwestward and weakened rapidly over the mountainous terrain of Central America, dissipating on November1.
Hattie first affected the southwestern Caribbean, where it produced hurricane-force winds and caused one death on San Andres Island. It was initially forecast to continue north and strike Cuba, prompting evacuations on the island. While turning west, Hattie dropped heavy rainfall of up to 11.5 in (290 mm) on Grand Cayman. The country of Belize, at the time known as British Honduras, sustained the worst damage from the hurricane.[nb 1] The former capital, Belize City, was buffeted by strong winds and flooded by a powerful storm surge. The territory governor estimated that 70% of the buildings in the city had been damaged, leaving more than 10,000 people homeless. The destruction was so severe that it prompted the government to relocate inland to a new city, Belmopan. Overall, Hattie caused about $60 million in losses[nb 2] and 307 deaths in the territory. Although damage from Hattie was heavier than a hurricane in 1931 that killed 2,000 people, the death toll from Hattie was considerably lower as a result of early warnings. Elsewhere in Central America, Hattie killed 12 people.
^"Belize country profile". BBC Country Profiles. BBC News. 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2013-01-13.
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HurricaneHattie was the strongest and deadliest tropical cyclone of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season, reaching peak intensity as a Category 5 hurricane...
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system. She served in the relief efforts of the 1931 hurricane, Hurricane Janet (1955) and HurricaneHattie (1961). She received a Victoria Medal in 1953 for...
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measurement in HurricaneHattie of 1961. Beulah was estimated to have achieved its peak intensity shortly thereafter, as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum...
since HurricaneHattie in 1961. High tides and heavy rainfall caused power outages across both Guatemala and Honduras. In the former, the hurricane's rainfall...
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The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year, from June 1 through November 30, when tropical or subtropical cyclones are most likely to form...
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