Storm Agnes, also known as Hurricane Agnes, was a significant tropical storm that caused devastating floods across the Mid-Atlantic region in the United States in late June of 1972. It was the second tropical cyclone and the first named storm of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. Agnes originated in the Caribbean Sea region and made landfall over the Florida Panhandle before moving across Pennsylvania and dropping heavy rainfall, resulting in extensive flooding and significant damage. The storm caused over $3 billion in damages nationwide, with over $2 billion in losses occurring in the Susquehanna River basin, and it was responsible for 122 deaths nationwide, with 50 in the state of Pennsylvania. The storm was the costliest natural disaster in the history of the United States at that time.
The storm regained tropical storm strength over North Carolina and moved offshore Norfolk, Virginia, before becoming a strong tropical storm again while offshore New Jersey. It looped inland along the Pennsylvania–New York border, dumping heavy rains on various river basins before finally disappearing into Canada.
Storm Agnes was named because of Agnes Mary Clerke, an Irish astronomer and science writer, and it was the first named storm of the year in the UK in 2023, bringing winds of up to 80mph and heavy rain.
In summary, Storm Agnes, also known as Hurricane Agnes, was a significant tropical storm that caused devastating floods and extensive damage in the United States in 1972, and it was also the first named storm of the year in the UK in 2023.
