Question: Stephen Farrell reported on the most destructive hurricane of what season, when it hit the northeastern United States?

Context paragraphs:
Hurricane Andrew: Hurricane Andrew was a Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas and Florida in mid-August 1992, the most destructive hurricane to ever hit the state.  It was the strongest in decades and the costliest hurricane to make landfall anywhere in the United States until it was surpassed by Katrina in 2005.  Andrew caused major damage in the Bahamas and Louisiana, but the greatest impact was felt in South Florida, with sustained wind speeds as high as 165 mph (270 km/h).  Passing directly through the city of Homestead in Dade County (now known as Miami-Dade County), it stripped many homes of all but their concrete foundations.  In total, it destroyed more than 63,500 houses, damaged more than 124,000 others, caused $26.5 billion in damage, and left 65 people dead.

Hurricane Diane: Hurricane Diane was the costliest Atlantic hurricane of its time.  One of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season, it formed on August 7 from a tropical wave between the Lesser Antilles and Cape Verde.  Diane initially moved west-northwestward with little change in its intensity, but began to strengthen rapidly after turning to the north-northeast.  On August 12, the hurricane reached peak sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h), making it a Category 3 hurricane.  Gradually weakening after veering back west, Diane made landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina, as a strong tropical storm on August 17, just five days after Hurricane Connie struck near the same area.  Diane weakened further after moving inland, at which point the United States Weather Bureau noted a decreased threat of further destruction.  The storm turned to the northeast, and warm waters from the Atlantic Ocean helped produce record rainfall across the northeastern United States.  On August 19, Diane emerged into the Atlantic Ocean southeast of New York City, becoming extratropical two days later and completely dissipating by August 23.

Hurricane Sandy: Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as "Superstorm Sandy") was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, and 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.  While it was a Category 2 hurricane off the coast of the Northeastern United States, the storm became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record (as measured by diameter, with winds spanning 1100 mi ).  Estimates as of 2015 assessed damage to have been about $75 billion (2012 USD), a total surpassed only by Hurricane Katrina.  At least 233 people were killed along the path of the storm in eight countries.

Hurricane Hermine: Hurricane Hermine was the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Hurricane Wilma in 2005, and the first to develop in the Gulf of Mexico since Hurricane Ingrid in 2013.  The ninth tropical depression, eighth named storm, and fourth hurricane of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season, Hermine developed in the Florida Straits on August 28 from a long-tracked tropical wave.  The precursor system dropped heavy rainfall in portions of the Caribbean, especially the Dominican Republic and Cuba.  In the former, the storm damaged more than 200 homes and displaced over 1,000 people.  Although some areas of Cuba recorded more than 12 in of rain, the precipitation was generally beneficial due to a severe drought.  After being designated on August 29, Hermine shifted northeastwards due to a trough over Georgia and steadily intensified into an 80 mph (130 km/h) Category 1 hurricane just before making landfall in the Florida Panhandle during September 2.  After moving inland, Hermine quickly weakened and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 3 near the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  The remnant system meandered offshore the Northeastern United States before dissipating over southeastern Massachusetts on September 8.

Stephen Farrell (journalist): Stephen Farrell is a journalist who holds both Irish and British citizenship.  Farrell began his career in the United Kingdom and worked for the "The Times" from 1995 to 2007 for whom he reported from Kosovo, India, Afghanistan and the Middle East, including Iraq.  In 2007, he joined "The New York Times", and reported from the Middle East, Afghanistan and Libya.  Since 2012, Farrell has been based in New York and has reported on domestic US news stories such as Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Gustav: Hurricane Gustav ( ) was the second most destructive hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season.  The seventh tropical cyclone, third hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, Gustav caused serious damage and casualties in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Cuba and the United States.  Gustav caused at least $6.6 billion (2008 USD) in damages.

Hurricane Matthew: Hurricane Matthew was a powerful and devastating tropical cyclone which became the first Category 5 Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Felix in 2007.  The thirteenth named storm, fifth hurricane and second major hurricane of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season, Matthew brought widespread destruction and catastrophic loss of life during its journey across the Western Atlantic, including parts of Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic, the Lucayan Archipelago, the southeastern United States, and the Canadian Maritimes.  A total of 603 deaths have been attributed to the storm, including 546 in Haiti, 47 in the United States, 4 in Cuba, 4 in the Dominican Republic, 1 in Colombia, and 1 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, making it the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Stan in 2005, which killed 1,668 in Central America.  With the storm causing damages estimated in excess of US $15 billion, it was also the most destructive Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, as well as the ninth-costliest Atlantic hurricane in recorded history.

2011 Super Outbreak: The 2011 Super Outbreak was the largest, costliest, and one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks ever recorded, affecting the Southern, Midwestern, and Northeastern United States and leaving catastrophic destruction in its wake.  The event affected Alabama and Mississippi the most severely, but it also produced destructive tornadoes in Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, and affected many other areas throughout the Southern and Eastern United States.  In total, 362 tornadoes were confirmed by NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) and Government of Canada's Environment Canada in 21 states from Texas to New York to southern Canada.  Widespread and destructive tornadoes occurred on each day of the outbreak, with April 27 being the most active day with a record of 218 tornadoes touching down that day from midnight to midnight CDT (0500 – 0500 UTC).  Four of the tornadoes were destructive enough to be rated EF5, which is the highest ranking possible on the Enhanced Fujita scale; typically these tornadoes are only recorded about once each year or less.

2016 Atlantic hurricane season: The 2016 Atlantic hurricane season featured the highest amount of tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic basin since 2012, producing a total of 15 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes.  It was also the most destructive season since 2012, and was the deadliest since at least 2008.  The season officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, though the first storm, Hurricane Alex which formed in the Northeastern Atlantic, developed on January 12, being the first hurricane to develop in January since 1938.  The final storm, Otto, crossed into the Eastern Pacific on November 25, a few days before the official end.  Following Alex, Tropical Storm Bonnie brought flooding to South Carolina and portions of North Carolina.  Tropical Storm Colin in early June brought minor flooding and wind damage to parts of the Southeastern United States, especially Florida.  Hurricane Earl left 94 fatalities in the Dominican Republic and Mexico, 81 of which occurred in the latter.  In early September, Hurricane Hermine, the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Hurricane Wilma in 2005, brought extensive coastal flooding damage especially to the Forgotten and Nature coasts of Florida.  Hermine was responsible for five fatalities and about $550 million (2016 USD) in damage.

Hurricane Gloria: Hurricane Gloria was the first significant system to strike the northeastern United States since Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and the first major storm to affect New York and Long Island directly since Hurricane Donna in 1960.  It was also the most intense Category 4 hurricane that did not attain Category 5 status until surpassed by Hurricane Opal in the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season.  It was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed during the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season, originating from a tropical wave on September 16 in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.  After remaining a weak tropical cyclone for several days, Gloria intensified into a hurricane on September 22 north of the Lesser Antilles.  During that time, the storm had moved generally westward, although it turned to the northwest due to a weakening of the ridge.  Gloria quickly intensified on September 24, and the next day reached peak winds of 145 mph (230 km/h).  The hurricane weakened before striking the Outer Banks of North Carolina on September 27.  Later that day, Gloria made two subsequent landfalls on Long Island and later western Connecticut, before becoming extratropical on September 28 over New England.  The remnants moved through Atlantic Canada, eventually dissipating on October 2.

Supporting paragraphs: Stephen Farrell (journalist) Hurricane Sandy
Answer: 2012