Storm history › Atlantic › 1953 season
Hurricane Barbara (1953)
Barbara was a Category 1 hurricane of the 1953 Atlantic season. It was tracked from August 11, 1953 to August 16, 1953, about 6 days, and covered 2,565 miles.
At its peak it had winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) and a lowest pressure of 973 mb.
It made 3 landfalls, the first near Swanquarter, United States.
Its closest pass to a major city was 22 miles from Virginia Beach, United States.
- Peak wind
- 90 mph
- Lowest pressure
- 973 mb
- Strongest
- Category 1 hurricane
- Landfalls
- 3
- Duration
- 6 days
- Track length
- 2,565 mi
- Energy (ACE)
- 7.4
DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5
Landfalls
| # | Date (UTC) | Near | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 14, 1953 | Swanquarter, United States | 90 mph (150 km/h) |
| 2 | August 14, 1953 | Swanquarter, United States | 85 mph (140 km/h) |
| 3 | August 14, 1953 | Elizabeth City, United States | 80 mph (130 km/h) |
Closest pass to major cities
| City | Closest pass |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, United States | 22 mi (36 km) |
| Halifax, Canada | 49 mi (79 km) |
| Queens, United States | 136 mi (219 km) |
| Brooklyn, United States | 138 mi (222 km) |
| Philadelphia, United States | 138 mi (222 km) |
| Staten Island, United States | 139 mi (224 km) |
| South Boston, United States | 143 mi (230 km) |
How it compares
- Peak winds: 601st highest of 2,017 Atlantic storms on record, tied with Hurricane Imelda (2025), Hurricane Margot (2023), Hurricane Lisa (2022) and 34 more.
- Lowest pressure: 417th lowest of 1,294 Atlantic storms with a recorded pressure, tied with Tropical Storm Wanda (2021), Hurricane Hanna (2020), Hurricane Arthur (2014) and 9 more.
- Energy: 7% of the 1953 Atlantic season's ACE.