Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy (unofficially known as "Superstorm Sandy") was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the second-costliest hurricane in United States history. Classified as the eighteenth named storm, tenth hurricane and second major hurricane of the year, Sandy was a Category 3 storm at its peak intensity when it made landfall in Cuba.^[1] While it was a Category 2 storm off the coast of the Northeastern United States, the storm became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record (as measured by diameter, with winds spanning 1,100 miles (1,800 km)).^[2][3] Estimates as of March 2014 assess damage to have been over $68 billion (2013 USD), a total surpassed only by Hurricane Katrina.^[4] At least 286 people were killed along the path of the storm in seven countries.^[5]

Sandy developed from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on October 22, quickly strengthened, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Sandy six hours later. Sandy moved slowly northward toward the Greater Antilles and gradually intensified. On October 24, Sandy became a hurricane, made landfall near Kingston, Jamaica, re-emerged a few hours later into the Caribbean Sea and strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane. On October 25, Sandy hit Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, then weakened to a Category 1 hurricane. Early on October 26, Sandy moved through the Bahamas.^[6] On October 27, Sandy briefly weakened to a tropical storm and then restrengthened to a Category 1 hurricane. Early on October 29, Sandy curved north-northwest and then^[7] moved ashore near Brigantine, New Jersey, just to the northeast of Atlantic City, as a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds.^[1][8]

In Jamaica, winds left 70% of residents without electricity, blew roofs off buildings, killed one, and caused about $100 million (2012 USD) in damage. Sandy's outer bands brought flooding to Haiti, killing at least 54, causing food shortages, and leaving about 200,000 homeless; the hurricane also caused two deaths in the Dominican Republic. In Puerto Rico, one man was swept away by a swollen river. In Cuba, there was extensive coastal flooding and wind damage inland, destroying some 15,000 homes, killing 11, and causing $2 billion (2012 USD) in damage. Sandy caused two deaths and damage estimated at $700 million (2012 USD) in The Bahamas. In Canada, two were killed in Ontario and an estimated $100 million (2012 CAD) in damage was caused throughout Ontario and Quebec.^[9]

In the United States, Hurricane Sandy affected 24 states, including the entire eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine and west across the Appalachian Mountains to Michigan and Wisconsin, with particularly severe damage in New Jersey and New York. Its storm surgehit New York City on October 29, flooding streets, tunnels and subway lines and cutting power in and around the city.^[10][11] Damage in the United States amounted to $65 billion (2013 USD).^[12]

Hurricane Sandy began as a low pressure system which developed sufficient organized convection to be classified as Tropical Depression Eighteen on October 22 south of Kingston, Jamaica.^[13] It moved slowly at first due to a ridge to the north. Low wind shear and warm watersallowed for strengthening,^[13] and the system was named Tropical Storm Sandy late on October 22.^[14] Early on October 24, an eye began developing, and it was moving steadily northward due to an approaching trough.^[15] Later that day, the National Hurricane Center (NHC)upgraded Sandy to hurricane status about 65 mi (105 km) south of Kingston, Jamaica.^[16] At about 1900 UTC that day, Sandy madelandfall near Kingston with winds of about 85 mph (140 km/h).^[17] Just offshore Cuba, Sandy rapidly intensified to winds of 115 mph (185 km/h),^[1] and at that intensity it made landfall just west of Santiago de Cuba at 0525 UTC on October 25.^[18]

After Sandy exited Cuba, the structure became disorganized,^[19] and it turned to the north-northwest over the Bahamas.^[20] By October 27, Sandy was no longer fully tropical, and despite strong shear, it maintained convection due to influence from an approaching trough; the same trough turned the hurricane to the northeast.^[21] After briefly weakening to a tropical storm,^[22] Sandy re-intensified into a hurricane,^[23] and on October 28 an eye began redeveloping.^[24] The storm moved around an upper-level low over the eastern United States and also to the southwest of a ridge over Atlantic Canada, turning it to the northwest.^[25] Sandy briefly re-intensified to Category 2 intensity on the morning of October 29, around which time it had a wind diameter of over 1,150 miles (1,850 km).^[26] The convection diminished while the hurricane accelerated toward the New Jersey coast,^[27] and the hurricane was no longer tropical by 2100 UTC on October 29.^[28] About 2 1/2 hours later, Sandy made landfall near Brigantine, New Jersey,^[29] with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h).^[30] The remnants weakened over western Pennsylvania, degenerating into a remnant trough on October 31.^[31]

References

1.  Blake, Eric S; Kimberlain, Todd B; Berg, Robert J; Cangialosi, John P; Beven II, John L; National Hurricane Center (February 12, 2013) (PDF). Hurricane Sandy: October 22 – 29, 2012 (Tropical Cyclone Report). United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service.Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
2. Jump up^ "Sandy Brings Hurricane-Force Gusts After New Jersey Landfall". Washington Post. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
3. Jump up^ "Hurricane Sandy Grows To Largest Atlantic Tropical Storm Ever". WBZ-TV. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
4. Jump up^ Hurricane/Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy, October 22–29, 2012 (Service Assessment). United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service. May 2013. p. 10. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
5. Jump up^ Cumulative total of death toll by country; see chart.
6. Jump up^ "Hurricane Sandy storms through Bahamas, Central Florida on alert". Central Florida News 13. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
7. Jump up^ "Post-Tropical Cyclone SANDY Update Statement". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
8. Jump up^ "Sandy wreaks havoc across Northeast; at least 11 dead". CNN. 2012-10-30.
9. Jump up^ "Sandy caused $100M in Canadian insurance claims". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2012-11-28.
10. Jump up^ "Superstorm Sandy causes at least 9 U.S. deaths as it slams East Coast", CNN
11. Jump up^ "Eli Manning deals with Superstorm Sandy flooding". National Football League. 2012-10-31. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
12. ^ Jump up to:^a b "Billion-Dollar Weather/Climate Disasters". National Climatic Data Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
13. ^ Jump up to:^a b Robbie Berg; Lixion Avila (2012-10-22). Tropical Depression Eighteen Discussion Number 1 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-23.
14. Jump up^ Richard Pasch (2012-10-22). Tropical Storm Sandy Discussion Number 2 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-23.
15. Jump up^ Jack Beven (2012-10-24). Tropical Storm Sandy Discussion Number 7 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
16. Jump up^ Michael Brennan (2012-10-24). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 9 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
17. Jump up^ Todd Kimberlain; James Franklin (2002-10-24). Hurricane Sandy Tropical Cyclone Update (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
18. Jump up^ Stacy Stewart; Dave Roberts (October 25, 2012). Hurricane Sandy Tropical Cyclone Update (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
19. Jump up^ Michael Brennan (2012-10-25). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 14 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
20. Jump up^ Jack Beven (2012-10-26). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 15 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
21. Jump up^ Jack Beven (2012-10-27). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 19 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
22. Jump up^ Jack Beven (2012-10-27). Tropical Storm Sandy Discussion Number 20 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
23. Jump up^ Daniel Brown (2012-10-27). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 21 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
24. Jump up^ Stacy Stewart (2012-10-29). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 25 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
25. Jump up^ Richard Pasch; John Cangialosi (2012-10-29). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 28 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
26. Jump up^ Stacy Stewart (2012-10-29). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 29 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
27. Jump up^ Richard Knabb; James Franklin (2012-10-29). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 30 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
28. Jump up^ Daniel Brown; Dave Roberts (2012-10-29). Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy Tropical Cyclone Update (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
29. Jump up^ Daniel Brown; Dave Roberts (2012-10-30). Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy Tropical Cyclone Update (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
30. Jump up^ Daniel Brown (2012-10-30). Hurricane Sandy Discussion Number 31 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
31. Jump up^ Daniel Petersen; Andrew Orrison; Bruce Terry (2012-10-31). Remnants of Sandy Advisory Number 36 (Report). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
32. Jump up^ Vergano, Dan. "U.S. forecast's late arrival stirs weather tempest". USA Today. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
33. Jump up^ Trenberth, Kevin (March 2012). "Framing the way to relate climate extremes to climate change". Climatic Change 115 (2): 283. doi:10.1007/s10584-012-0441-5.
34. ^ Jump up to:^a b Andrew C., Revkin (2012-10-28). "The #Frankenstorm in Climate Context". The New York Times; Dot Earth.