These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most tropical systems form.

Despite its relative inactivity, the 1972 season resulted in one of the worst natural disasters in American history, Hurricane Agnes.

Agnes was a weak but large storm that initially made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving up the eastern United States.

The hurricane killed 122 people and caused $2.1 billion (1972 USD) in damage, mostly due to flooding in Pennsylvania and New York.

[2] This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season.