The 1987 Atlantic hurricane season was an event in the annual Atlantic hurricane season in the north Atlantic Ocean. It was a below-average season, having fewer named storms than in a normal year, that resulted in little impact throughout the Atlantic basin; the United States recorded no hurricane-related fatalities, making the 1987 season the fourth to do so since 1976. The season officially began on June 1, 1987 and ended November 30, 1987. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most systems form. Even so, a pre-season storm, Tropical Depression One, led to the season's starting on May 25. Storm activity ended several weeks early; the final storm of the season, Tropical Depression Fourteen, dissipated on November 4.
The season had fourteen tropical depressions, of which seven intensified into tropical storms—an average season has ten tropical storms—three became hurricanes and one, Emily, became a major hurricane. The inactivity throughout the basin was linked to persistent, strong vertical wind shear; most of the season's storms were unable to intensify due to the shear, resulting in a low number of named storms and hurricanes. The two most notable storms of the season were Hurricanes Arlene and Emily. Hurricane Arlene spent roughly 14.5 days as a tropical storm before intensifying into a hurricane, the longest span between these intensities on record. Hurricane Emily was the only major hurricane of the season; its wind speeds peaked at before impacting the Dominican Republic. Three fatalities occurred in the Dominican Republic because of the storm and damages were estimated up to $80.3 million (1987 USD).
This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It includes information that was not released throughout the season, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not initially warned upon, has been included.
By convention, meteorologists one time zone when issuing forecasts and making observations: Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), and also use the 24-hour clock (where 00:00 = midnight UTC). In this time line, all information is listed by UTC first with the respective local time included in parentheses.
Timeline
May
May 24
8:00 am EDT (1200 UTC) – Tropical Depression One forms 170 miles (275 kilometers) east-southeast of Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos Islands.
May 30
8:00 am EDT (1200 UTC) – Tropical Depression One makes landfall on Great Abaco Island in the northern Bahamas with winds of . 2:00 pm EDT (1800 UTC) – Tropical Depression One passes over the Berry Islands with winds of .
May 31
8:00 am EDT (1200 UTC) – Tropical Depression One makes its closest approach to the Florida Keys, tracking within of Lower Matecumbe Key with winds of . 8:00 pm EDT (0000 UTC June 1) – Tropical Depression One dissipates in the Florida Strait.
June
June 1
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins.
July
There was no tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic basin during July 1987.
August
August 9
7:00 am CDT (1200 UTC) – Tropical Depression Two forms about southeast of Houston, Texas. 1:00 pm CDT (1800 UTC) – Tropical Depression Two intensifies into a Tropical Storm but is not assigned a name.
August 10
1:00 am CDT (0600 UTC) – Tropical Storm Two makes landfall near Galveston, Texas with winds of . 1:00 am CDT (0600 UTC) – Tropical Storm Two weakens into a tropical depression. 2:00 pm EDT (1800 UTC) – Tropical Depression Three forms over Andros Island in The Bahamas. 8:00 pm EDT (0000 UTC August 11) – Tropical Depression Three tracks over the Berry Islands with winds of . Exact time unknown – Tropical Depression Three makes landfall near Freeport on Grand Bahama Island.
August 11
2:00 pm EDT (1800 UTC) – Tropical Depression Three intensifies into Tropical Storm Arlene roughly northeast of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas.
August 13
11:00 am AST (1500 UTC) – Tropical Storm Arlene makes its closest approach to Bermuda, tracking roughly to the north with winds of . 8:00 pm AST (0000 UTC August 14) – Tropical Depression Four forms about 840 mi (1,350 km) east-southeast of Barbados.
August 14
8:00 pm EDT (0000 UTC August 15) – Tropical Depression Two re-emerges into the Gulf of Mexico.
August 15
8:00 am AST (1200 UTC) – Tropical Depression Four dissipates roughly northeast of the British Virgin Islands. 2:00 pm EDT (1800 UTC) – Tropical Depression Two makes landfall in Gulf County, Florida with winds of .