Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy
Name	Hurricane Sandy
Type	Hurricane
Year	2012
Basin	Atl
Formed	October 22, 2012
Dissipated	November 2, 2012
1-min winds	100
Pressure	940
Fatalities	233 total
Damages	68.7
Areas	Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, most of the eastern United States, Bermuda, eastern Canada
Hurricane season	2012 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Sandy was an extremely destructive and deadly Atlantic hurricane that severely impacted the Caribbean and the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States in late October 2012. The storm inflicted catastrophic damage, particularly in New Jersey and New York City, where its unprecedented storm surge caused widespread flooding and power outages. It was the deadliest hurricane to hit the Northeastern United States since Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and the second-costliest in U.S. history at the time, behind only Hurricane Katrina. The unusual merger with a mid-latitude weather system led some media outlets to dub it "Superstorm Sandy."

Meteorological history

The origins of the cyclone can be traced to a tropical wave that emerged off the west coast of Africa on October 11, developing into a tropical depression near the southern Windward Islands on October 22. The system strengthened into Tropical Storm Sandy as it moved across the Caribbean Sea, and further intensified into a hurricane before making landfall in Jamaica on October 24. After crossing Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, it traversed the Bahamas while fluctuating in intensity. As it turned northward, Sandy began an extratropical transition, interacting with a blocking high-pressure system over Greenland and a deep trough over the eastern United States. This interaction caused the storm to take an unprecedented westward turn into the New Jersey coast, making landfall near Brigantine on October 29 as a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds.

Preparations

Extensive preparations were undertaken across the Caribbean and the U.S. East Coast. In the Caribbean, governments in Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas issued hurricane warnings and coordinated large-scale evacuations. In the United States, the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service issued frequent warnings, with states of emergency declared by governors from Florida to New England. The Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-positioned response teams, and mandatory evacuations were ordered for low-lying areas of New York City, including Zone A in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority shut down the entire New York City Subway system in advance, a move last taken during Hurricane Irene.

Impact

The storm caused devastating impacts across a vast area. In the Caribbean, severe damage occurred in Haiti, where flooding triggered a cholera outbreak, and in Cuba, where the city of Santiago de Cuba was heavily damaged. In the United States, the most severe effects were from storm surge, which inundated parts of the New York City metro area, flooding tunnels like the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and subway stations. Widespread power outages affected over 8 million customers, with severe damage to the electrical grid on Long Island. The New Jersey coast was ravaged, with iconic boardwalks in Atlantic City and Seaside Heights destroyed. Significant snowfall fell in the Appalachian Mountains, and coastal flooding affected areas as far south as Florida and as far north as Maine.

Aftermath and recovery

The aftermath prompted a massive and prolonged recovery effort. President Barack Obama signed emergency declarations for multiple states, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency deployed thousands of personnel. The U.S. Congress passed the Hurricane Sandy relief bill, appropriating over $50 billion in aid. In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg oversaw rebuilding initiatives like the Build It Back program. The storm spurred major infrastructure debates, leading to projects like the Big U flood protection system in Manhattan and hardened electrical systems by Con Edison. The name "Sandy" was retired from the Atlantic hurricane naming lists by the World Meteorological Organization.

See also

* 2012 Atlantic hurricane season * Hurricane Katrina * Hurricane Irene * Nor'easter * Storm surge

Notes

References

External links

Category:2012 Atlantic hurricane season Category:Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes Category:Retired Atlantic hurricanes Category:2012 in New York City Category:2012 in New Jersey Category:2012 in Cuba Category:2012 in Haiti Category:Natural disasters in New York City Category:Natural disasters in New Jersey