Storm history › Atlantic › 1961 season
Hurricane Frances (1961)
Frances was a Category 4 hurricane of the 1961 Atlantic season. It was tracked from September 30, 1961 to October 10, 1961, about 10 days, and covered 3,133 miles.
At its peak it had winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a lowest pressure of 948 mb.
It made 2 landfalls, the first near Les Abymes, Guadeloupe.
Its closest pass to a major city was 20 miles from Halifax, Canada.
- Peak wind
- 130 mph
- Lowest pressure
- 948 mb
- Strongest
- Category 4 hurricane
- Landfalls
- 2
- Duration
- 10 days
- Track length
- 3,133 mi
- Energy (ACE)
- 19.7
DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5
Landfalls
| # | Date (UTC) | Near | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 1, 1961 | Les Abymes, Guadeloupe | 60 mph (95 km/h) |
| 2 | October 3, 1961 | Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | 50 mph (85 km/h) |
Closest pass to major cities
| City | Closest pass |
|---|---|
| Halifax, Canada | 20 mi (31 km) |
| Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic | 69 mi (111 km) |
| Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 72 mi (115 km) |
| Santo Domingo Oeste, Dominican Republic | 77 mi (124 km) |
| Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic | 91 mi (146 km) |
| San Juan, Puerto Rico | 114 mi (184 km) |
How it compares
- Peak winds: 146th highest of 2,017 Atlantic storms on record, tied with Hurricane Idalia (2023), Hurricane Harvey (2017), Hurricane Danielle (2010) and 17 more.
- Lowest pressure: 165th lowest of 1,294 Atlantic storms with a recorded pressure, tied with Hurricane Earl (2022), Hurricane Julia (2010), Hurricane Iris (2001) and 3 more.
- Energy: 10% of the 1961 Atlantic season's ACE.