The 2012 Hurricane Season Draws To A Close

The 2012 Hurricane season not only is one for the record books, but a season that many of us do not want to encounter again. Since 1851, record have been documented for each Hurricane Season which runs from June 1st though November 30th. It is possible for storms to form outside of that six month window, but are very rare. Nonetheless, 2012 has tied for the third most active season on record. With 19 named storms, there were only two names remaining at the end of the season.

The only two names that have not been used are Valerie and William. Every other name was coined with three of these storms making landfall on U.S. soil. Beryl pounded onto the first coast of Florida early in the season, giving Jacksonville its first tropical storm in a while. Also, Isaac hugged Louisiana and Mississippi, drenching many locations with nearly 20" of rain. Finally, the big blow came from Sandy, a storm that many along the east coast will remember forever.

Some say Sandy is a once in a lifetime type of storm. Not only due to fury and destruction, but meteorologically speaking, took an unparalleled hard left (west) turn which has never been observed before.

A perfect set up steered Sandy from the Atlantic Ocean into the south New Jersey coastline within a matter of hours. Coastal erosion, 70mph+ winds extending over 100 miles from the center, major inland flooding, several feet of snow in the mountains, 25ft+ waves in Lake Erie, NYC subway shutdowns, and extensive, long lived power outages. In total, estimates close in on $62 Billion. Sandy ranks second to Katrina in 2005 which caused over $100 Billion in damage.

Additionally, despite 2012 being the third most active Hurricane Season, only one storm eclipsed Major Hurricane status (Category 3 or higher with sustained winds of 111mph+). Furthermore this lone Major Hurricane did not make landfall. Therefore, 2012 marks the seventh straight year without a Major Hurricane making landfall on U.S soil, which is a new record.

Nonetheless, whether there are 20 names storms or 3, it only takes 1 major storm to make landfall in order for a season to be considered active. We shall wait for the 2013 season, but for now we can rest easy. With the science of meteorology elevating higher, forecasting will continually improve and give you the most advanced notice so you can always stay ahead of the storm and prepare for what Mother Nature has ahead.

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