1966 Atlantic hurricane season

Following Inez, the other cyclones reaching at least tropical storm intensity, Judith, Kendra, Lois, and two unnamed systems in November did not result in significant impacts on land.

After strengthening into a Category 2 hurricane on June 8, Alma made two landfalls in Cuba, first on Isla de la Juventud with winds of 100 mph (160 km/h) and then near Guanimar, Artemisa Province, at a slightly stronger intensity.

The storm then peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 970 mbar (29 inHg) as it passed between Dry Tortugas and Key West, Florida.

[19] The storm re-intensified into a hurricane over the western Atlantic Ocean around 12:00 UTC on June 11,[12] and its outer rainbands dropped heavy precipitation in Wilmington, North Carolina.

[5] Alma encountered colder water temperatures and weakened back to tropical storm intensity late on the following day, shortly before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone east of the Outer Banks.

Around 14:00 UTC on June 29, the storm made landfall on Cuba's south coast just west of the modern-day border of Artemisa and Mayabeque provinces with winds of 40 mph (64 km/h).

Continuing northward, the storm passed just west of the Tampa Bay area on July 1 before striking Cedar Key at 22:00 UTC with winds of 45 mph (72 km/h).

[5] The storm reached hurricane status by midday on July 2, six hours before peaking with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (137 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 984 mbar (29.1 inHg).

[12] A cold low then caused the remnants of Becky to turn northwest toward Atlantic Canada,[5] before being absorbed by another extratropical system to the north several hours later.

However, because satellite imagery showed only a weak swirl with convection sheared well to the southeast, Celia degenerated back to a tropical wave early on July 14 north of Puerto Rico while moving westward.

Six hours later, Celia transitioned into an extratropical cyclone, which struck eastern Nova Scotia late on July 21 and then dissipated over Labrador on the following day.

Early on July 24, the cyclone strengthened into Tropical Storm Ella and peaked with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (64 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1,008 mbar (29.8 inHg).

Ella remained poorly organized throughout its duration and weakened back to a tropical depression at 06:00 UTC on July 28,[12] due to outflow from Hurricane Dorothy.

However, Faith weakened back to a tropical storm early on August 26 while approaching the Lesser Antilles, before re-gaining hurricane status about 24 hours later.

[22] After curving north-northwestward near the Bahamas, Faith briefly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane on August 28, reaching an initial peak intensity with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h).

[6] Re-intensifying into a Category 3 hurricane early on September 3, Faith then attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 950 mbar (28 inHg).

[23] The storm resumed a northeastward motion and weakened to a Category 2 hurricane early on September 4, before becoming extratropical about 480 mi (770 km) east-southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

Thereafter, the system meandered over the Soviet Union and the Arctic Ocean for the next several days, until finally becoming unidentifiable near Franz Josef Land on September 15.

The wave developed into a tropical depression about 745 mi (1,199 km) east of Barbados at 12:00 UTC on September 1, based on Nimbus 2 satellite imagery showing that a circulation formed within the cloud mass.

Based on reconnaissance data, ship reports, and the pressure-wind relationship, Greta is estimated to have peaked with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1,004 mbar (29.6 inHg) several hours later.

Around 18:00 UTC that day, Greta degenerated into an open trough, which turned northward over the western Atlantic before being absorbed by a frontal system on September 8.

[12] Satellite imagery from ESSA 2 indicated that a large area of disturbed weather began merging with a frontal band in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.

Although post-season analysis indicated that Hallie soon made landfall near Nautla, Veracruz, the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project concluded that the cyclone remained offshore and dissipated just after 18:00 UTC.

After entering the Caribbean, Inez briefly weakened before a rapid intensification trend ensued, attaining peak sustained winds of 165 mph (270 km/h) on September 28.

While centered north of Barbados the next day, Judith attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1,007 mbar (29.7 inHg),[6] both of which were observed by a reconnaissance aircraft flight.

Moving over colder ocean waters,[5] at 18:00 UTC on November 10 Lois transitioned from a hurricane into an extratropical storm while located about 640 mi (1,030 km) north of São Miguel Island.

[6] On November 13, an area of low pressure developed in the eastern Atlantic at the tail-end of a cold front connected to the extratropical remnants of Lois.

The small system developed organized banding features, and ship observations support it reaching winds of at least 65 mph (105 km/h), although the sparsity of data suggests it could have become a hurricane.

The storm began curving poleward and passed west of the Azores on November 17, where it intercepted cold, dry air and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone around 18:00 UTC that day.

An intensifying non-tropical low progressing across the western Atlantic increased shear over the system, causing it to open up into a trough around 00:00 UTC on November 26.