[3] Despite the activity, damage in the United States totaled about $235 million (1971 USD$, 1.77 billion 2025 USD), which National Hurricane Center forecaster Paul Hebert noted was "pretty small considering we had five storms in a row strike the U.S."[2] Most of the damage came from Tropical Storm Doria, which affected much of the East Coast of the United States.

After reaching peak winds of 85 mph (137 km/h) off the coast of Cape Cod, Beth slightly weakened and later moved ashore near Copper Lake, Nova Scotia.

[4][12] In Pinellas Park, the heavy rains led to flash flooding that forced 200 families from their house, including one that required evacuation from a helicopter.

The depression dissipated on August 17 over South Carolina, although in that state it produced its heaviest rainfall, totaling 14.11 in (358 mm) in Sullivan's Island.

About 18 hours after attaining tropical storm status, Chloe quickly strengthened to peak winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) about 215 mi (345 km) south of the Mona Passage, as reported by reconnaissance aircraft.

[15] On August 25, Chloe moved ashore in Belize as a weak tropical depression, and dissipated shortly thereafter without ever having caused significant damage or deaths.

It quickly reached peak winds of 90 mph (140 km/h), but later weakened as it curved to the southwest, moving ashore on September 10 between Freeport and Matagorda, Texas as a tropical storm.

As it struck Texas, Fern produced strong winds up to 86 mph (138 km/h), along with 5 to 6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m) storm tides and heavy rainfall; the highest precipitation total was 26.0 in (660 mm) in Beeville.

The heavy rainfall caused severe flash flooding that isolated numerous small towns in the southeastern portion of the state, damaging 7,500 buildings.

[4][22][23] Hurricane Edith, the strongest storm of the season, developed from a tropical wave on September 5 to the east of the southern Lesser Antilles.

It quickly lost intensity over Central America and after briefly entering the Gulf of Honduras it crossed the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.

After moving across the Gulf of Mexico, a trough turned the storm to the northeast and Edith, after having restrengthened while accelerating towards the coast, made landfall on Louisiana with winds of 105 mph (170 km/h) on September 16.

[4] Striking northeastern Central America as a Category 5 hurricane, Edith destroyed hundreds of homes and killed at least 35 people.

[25] Edith caused moderate to heavy damage in portions of Louisiana due to flooding and a tornado outbreak from the storm.

[6] The storm developed in a large region of convection across the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic, and for the first nine days of its duration tracked generally east- or northeastward while gradually strengthening to peak winds of 110 mph (175 km/h).

[28][29] While over the western Atlantic Ocean, Ginger became the last target of Project Stormfury, which sought to weaken hurricanes by depositing silver iodide into tropical cyclone rainbands.

[30] Ginger ultimately struck North Carolina on September 30 as a minimal hurricane,[4] lashing the coastline with gusty winds that caused power outages across the region.

After initially moving to the northwest, Heidi curved northeastward and attained its peak intensity of 65 mph (100 km/h) on September 14 off the coast of Virginia.

[4] However, the larger extratropical storm drew in moisture from Heidi, producing rainfall from North Carolina through northern New England, including a peak of 9.38 in (238 mm) in southeastern Pennsylvania.

[34] The heavy rains triggered extensive flooding that caused over a dozen fatalities and left thousands of residents homeless in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

[35] In Chester, Pennsylvania a stone dam collapsed, forcing hundreds of families to evacuate and damaging homes, businesses, roads, and bridges.

The cyclone tracked nearly due westward at a low latitude, passing through the southern Windward Islands and later over northern South America.

Restrengthening after reaching the Pacific, Irene was renamed Hurricane Olivia, which ultimately attained peak winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) before weakening and dissipating over northwestern Mexico.

[4][6][37][38] In the Atlantic, Irene produced moderate rainfall and winds along its path, although impact was greatest in Nicaragua where it moved ashore as a hurricane.

It developed into a tropical depression on September 21 about 1050 mi (1700 km) west-southwest of Cape Verde, which was the easternmost formation of the named storms this season.

[44] Initially, Laura was forecast to move across the island and impact the southern United States, but it executed a small loop and turned to the southwest.

[4] Tropical Depression Two moved westward due to a ridge to its northeast, and it struck just west of the Texas-Louisiana border before dissipating on July 8.

[46] Just two days later, another tropical depression formed in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, quickly moving ashore in southern Texas before dissipating on July 11; it dropped light rainfall along its path.

It initially moved northward before curving to the west, making landfall near the Georgia-South Carolina border on September 11 before dissipating the following day.

As the trough advanced ahead of the storm, a ridge built across the southeast United States, causing the cyclone to turn northward and parallel the west coast of Florida.