Storm history › Atlantic › 1956 season
Hurricane Betsy (1956)
Betsy was a Category 3 hurricane of the 1956 Atlantic season. It was tracked from August 9, 1956 to August 21, 1956, about 12 days, and covered 5,243 miles.
At its peak it had winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a lowest pressure of 954 mb.
Its closest pass to a major city was 25 miles from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Peak wind
- 120 mph
- Lowest pressure
- 954 mb
- Strongest
- Category 3 hurricane
- Landfalls
- None recorded
- Duration
- 12 days
- Track length
- 5,243 mi
- Energy (ACE)
- 28.4
DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5
Closest pass to major cities
| City | Closest pass |
|---|---|
| San Juan, Puerto Rico | 25 mi (40 km) |
| Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic | 105 mi (168 km) |
| Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic | 118 mi (189 km) |
| Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 120 mi (194 km) |
| Santo Domingo Oeste, Dominican Republic | 124 mi (199 km) |
How it compares
- Peak winds: 221st highest of 2,017 Atlantic storms on record, tied with Hurricane Isaias (2026), Hurricane Rafael (2024), Hurricane Grace (2021) and 21 more.
- Lowest pressure: 215th lowest of 1,294 Atlantic storms with a recorded pressure, tied with Hurricane Rafael (2024), Hurricane Bonnie (1998), Hurricane Kate (1985).
- Energy: 50% of the 1956 Atlantic season's ACE.