Hurricane Alice

Caribbean Sea, December 30, 1954–January 6, 1955 

The first North Atlantic tropical cyclone identified with a name taken from the female list of hurricane identifiers, preseason Tropical Storm Alice carved a bizarre trajectory through the southwestern Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico between May 25 and June 6, 1953. A powerful tropical storm whose central barometric pressure of 29.44 inches (997 mb) produced sustained winds of 69 MPH (111 km/h), 

Alice affected Central America and northwestern Cuba before bounding ashore in the Florida Panhandle on June 6. No deaths or significant property losses were recorded. The 1954 North Atlantic hurricane season also opened with a tropical cyclone named Alice—one of hurricane intensity. An early season system, Hurricane Alice delivered 81-MPH (130-km/h) winds and torrential rains to northern Mexico and southern Texas between June 24 and 26, 1954. No deaths or injuries were tallied.

Ironically, the second Hurricane Alice of 1954, commonly known as Alice 2, became one of the few tropical cyclones to originate outside of the standard North Atlantic hurricane season, which extends from June 1 to November 30 of each year. Originating on December 30, 1954, from an extratropical cyclone that had acquired tropical characteristics, and lasting until January 6, 1955, Alice rang in the New Year by delivering a central barometric pressure of 29.73 inches (1,007 mb) and sustained 81-MPH (131-km/h) winds to the island of Grenada, in the Leeward Islands.

Although Hurricane Alice caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of property damage to the Leeward Islands, it also delivered much needed precipitation to the island chain, including Puerto Rico. The last Hurricane Alice observed in the North Atlantic basin occurred between July 1 and 7, 1973. A strong Category 2 system, 1973’s Alice produced a pressure reading of 29.11 inches (986 mb) and sustained, 92-MPH (148-km/h) winds as it tracked along the U.S. eastern seaboard. It remained an offshore system until July 6, when it ground ashore in eastern Newfoundland, Canada, as a powerful tropical storm. A pressure reading of 29.26 inches (991 mb) produced 69-MPH (111-km/h) winds, but caused no deaths or significant damage in the province.

Alice has also been used as an identifier for tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific Ocean. Between May 17 and 21, 1961, four people died as Typhoon Alice twirled ashore at Hong Kong. The name Alice has been retired from the list of North Atlantic tropical cyclone names.