Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy, also called Superstorm Sandy, was one of the biggest and most damaging storms ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. It hit parts of the Caribbean and the eastern United States in late October 2012. At its biggest, the storm’s winds stretched over 1,150 miles across—the widest Atlantic hurricane ever measured.

The storm began as a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea and grew quickly into a powerful hurricane. It struck Jamaica, Cuba, and several other islands before moving toward the United States. Near New Jersey, it merged with another weather system, becoming a large extratropical cyclone. This made its impacts even stronger along the U.S. East Coast, especially in New Jersey and New York. Heavy rains, strong winds, and a big storm surge caused severe flooding and damage.

Hurricane Sandy caused a lot of damage and sadly took many lives across eight countries, from the Caribbean all the way to Canada. It left many people without power, damaged homes, and disrupted daily life for millions. The storm showed how powerful nature can be and reminded everyone of the importance of preparing for big weather events.

Meteorological history

Main article: Meteorological history of Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy began as a low pressure system. It became Tropical Depression Eighteen on October 22 near Kingston, Jamaica. Later that day, it was named Tropical Storm Sandy. By October 24, it became a hurricane and moved over Kingston, Jamaica with strong winds. After leaving Cuba, Sandy turned northward and grew very large, with wind effects stretching over 1,150 miles (1,850 km). It hit the coast near Brigantine, New Jersey, on October 29 with 80 mph (130 km/h) winds. Sandy then moved north and merged with another weather system on November 2.

Forecasts

On October 23, 2012, a weather model from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts correctly predicted Sandy's path nearly eight days before it hit the American East Coast. The National Weather Service later confirmed this path. Improvements made after 2012 have helped weather forecasts become more accurate.

Relation to global warming

See also: Tropical cyclones and climate change

Some scientists believe that global warming made Hurricane Sandy stronger and its rainfall heavier. Warmer ocean temperatures and changes in atmospheric patterns may have played a role in the storm's unusual path and impacts. Rising sea levels also worsened the flooding along the coast.

Preparations

Caribbean and Bermuda

When Hurricane Sandy formed on October 22, Jamaica prepared by issuing warnings and making sure people had supplies. Schools and airports closed, and curfews helped keep everyone safe. Haiti and Cuba also got ready with their own warnings.

Bermuda issued a warning on October 26 because of the storm’s huge size.

United States

Across the East Coast of the United States, people got ready for Sandy by canceling flights, closing schools, and preparing for power outages. Governments and power companies made plans to fix any damage quickly. President Obama helped states get ready by signing emergency declarations.

Southeast

Florida

Schools closed early in some areas like the Treasure Coast.

Carolinas

In North Carolina, a state of emergency was declared, and some areas prepared for snow. Parks like the Blue Ridge Parkway closed.

Mid-Atlantic

Virginia

Virginia declared a state of emergency, and ships moved out to sea for safety. Campaign events were canceled because of the storm.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., also declared an emergency, and federal offices closed. Public transport stopped to keep people safe.

Maryland

Maryland prepared by evacuating some areas and closing schools and bridges. Shelters opened, and pharmacies helped people get needed medicines.

Delaware

Delaware evacuated coastal areas and closed roads. Public transport stopped during the storm.

New Jersey

New Jersey started evacuations early, especially on barrier islands. Tolls were stopped on some roads, and schools closed.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania declared an emergency, and people in flood-prone areas were asked to leave. Airports and public transport closed.

New York

New York declared an emergency and closed major airports and train services. Schools closed, and people in low-lying areas were told to leave. Hospitals prepared for the storm, and stock trading stopped.

New England

Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine all declared emergencies and prepared by closing schools and offices. Shelters opened, and transport services stopped.

Appalachia and the Midwest

States around the Great Lakes prepared for big waves and flooding. Schools closed because of power outages. In West Virginia, people got ready for snow. In the Great Smoky Mountains, roads closed because of snow.

Canada

Canada issued warnings for heavy rain and strong winds. Areas around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Valley got ready for storm surges and heavy rain.

Impact

Many people sadly lost their lives because of the storm across the United States, the Caribbean, and Canada.

Caribbean

Jamaica

Jamaica was the first country hit by Sandy. Winds and heavy rain knocked down trees and power lines and damaged some houses. More than 100 fishermen were stuck off the coast. One man died when stones from a hillside fell on him. Most of the country lost power, and many people went to shelters. Airports closed, and curfews were set to keep people safe.

Hispaniola

In Haiti, which was still recovering from past earthquakes, heavy rain from Hurricane Sandy left many people without homes. Flooding happened in Port-au-Prince, and crops were destroyed. In the Dominican Republic, some streets flooded, and a few people had to leave their homes.

Cuba

About 55,000 people were moved before Hurricane Sandy arrived. The storm caused big waves and flooding. Many homes were damaged, and some people lost power and water. Sadly, some people died in Cuba.

Bahamas

Some people died, and a few homes were badly damaged. Some islands lost power.

Bermuda

High winds and heavy rains hit Bermuda. A small tornado caused some damage. The storm brought almost an inch of rain over three days.

United States

Sandy affected 24 U.S. states. The storm caused a lot of damage and left many people without power. Sadly, many people died because of the storm.

Trains and flights were canceled across the U.S. Many people were still without power days later. Important places like the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq closed for a short time.

Southeast

Florida

In South Florida, Sandy brought rough surf, strong winds, and heavy rain. Some roads closed, and a few houses had water damage. Schools closed for a short time.

North Carolina

North Carolina had some flooding near the coast. A ship sank off the coast, and some people were rescued, but sadly, one person died.

Mid-Atlantic

Virginia

Snow fell in parts of Virginia, and a park closed because of the weather. Many people lost power. Sadly, some people died because of the storm.

Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Schools and government offices closed for two days. A fishing pier was badly damaged. Many people lost power.

Delaware

Heavy rain caused power outages. A bridge closed because of wind. The president declared the whole state a disaster area to help with recovery.

New Jersey

A big piece of the Atlantic City Boardwalk washed away. Flooding happened in some towns. Many people lost power. Sadly, some people died in New Jersey.

Pennsylvania

Many highways closed during the storm. A lot of people lost power. Sadly, some people died.

New York

New York City schools closed for several days. Important places like the New York Stock Exchange closed for two days. Flooding happened, and the subway system had a lot of damage. Sadly, some people died in New York.

New England

Strong winds were recorded on Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay. Many people lost power in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Most damage was along the coastline.

Appalachia and Midwest

West Virginia

Sandy’s rain turned to snow in the mountains, causing blizzard conditions. Many roads closed because of fallen trees and power lines. Sadly, some people died.

Ohio

Wind gusts were very strong. Hundreds of schools closed, and many homes and businesses lost power. Snow was reported in some parts of the state.

Michigan

Many people lost power. Big waves were reported on southern Lake Huron.

Kentucky

More than a foot of snow fell in eastern Kentucky.

Tennessee

A mountain got a lot of snow, a record for October.

Canada

High winds hit areas around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Sadly, one woman died after being hit by flying debris in Toronto. Many people lost power. Hundreds of flights were canceled. Damage in Canada was very high.

Aftermath

Relief efforts

Many groups helped after the storm. Disney–ABC Television Group held a special day of giving on November 5, raising money for the American Red Cross. NBC also raised money during a special show the same day. News Corporation gave a million dollars to help the area around New York City. A big concert called “12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief” happened at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with famous singers like Bon Jovi and Billy Joel. The United States government worked quickly to help places that were hurt the most. Military teams and National Guard members helped clean up and fix things.

Political impact

The storm caused many people to talk about climate change. Some leaders said that warmer oceans and rising sea levels made storms worse. The storm happened just before an important election in the United States, and it affected some of the campaigning. President Barack Obama talked about how climate change is real and that we need to do something about it.

Financial markets impact

The storm caused problems for money markets. The New York Stock Exchange closed for two days because of weather, the first time that happened in many years. When it opened again, things were mostly okay.

Infrastructure impact

The storm hurt many important systems. Power went out for millions of people, and it was hard to get gas for cars. Many cell towers stopped working, so people couldn’t call or text. Public buses and subways in New York City stopped for a few days, making it very hard for people to get to work. Hospitals and schools also had to close because of flood damage.

Baby boom

Some hospitals in New Jersey noticed more babies being born about nine months after the storm, which made people think there was a “baby boom” after the hurricane.

Retirement

Because Hurricane Sandy caused so much damage, the name “Sandy” was retired and will never be used again for a hurricane. It was replaced with the name “Sara.”

Media coverage

As Hurricane Sandy moved toward the United States, weather experts and news reporters gave it many different unofficial names. At first, they focused on how it might bring snow, calling it names like "Snowicane Sandy" and "Snor'eastercane Sandy". Later, because it happened close to Halloween, people started calling it "Frankenstorm", a name created by Jim Cisco, a weather forecaster at the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Some news channels, like CNN, stopped using this name because they thought it made the storm seem less serious.

Because Hurricane Sandy caused so much damage across the United States and mixed with another weather system in a strange way, many people, including government officials, began calling it "Superstorm Sandy". This name stayed popular for a long time, even into 2013. Some people who worry about climate change used this name to talk about new kinds of storms that might be linked to a warming planet, while others said it was too early to know if climate change caused the storm. A magazine called Popular Science said the term was just meant to grab attention.