Hurricane Sandy (2012)

**Hurricane Sandy** was an Atlantic tropical cyclone which affected parts of the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States in late October 2012, and became the largest Atlantic hurricane in diameter, with winds spanning 1,100&nbsp;miles (1,800&nbsp;km). It made landfall on the East Coast of the United States and Eastern Canada (Nova Scotia). Sandy was the eighteenth tropical cyclone, eighteenth named storm, and tenth hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm developed from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on October 22. It quickly got bigger and stronger after becoming a tropical depression. It was then  to a tropical storm six hours later. Sandy moved slowly northward toward the Greater Antilles and got stronger. On October 24, Sandy made landfall in Jamaica and was upgraded to a hurricane. Sandy made a second landfall in Cuba, where it became a Category 3 hurricane.

At least 43 people were killed: 40 in the Caribbean and three in the Bahamas. On October 25, Sandy got weaker and became a Category 1 hurricane. On October 27, Sandy became a tropical storm for a few hours. It then became a Category 1 hurricane again that morning. On October 26, Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray declared a state of emergency for the nation's capital. That same day the governors of Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia also declared a state of emergency. Landfall in New Jersey came on October 29. Damage was extensive there and in New York. It was the 2nd costliest hurricane behind Hurricane Katrina (2005), Hurricane Harvey (2017), Hurricane Maria (2017) and Hurricane Irma (2017) the name Sandy was later retired.

## Sandy's tracking history 
On October&nbsp;19, a tropical wave was moving westward through the eastern Caribbean Sea. It had an  low pressure area. It was expected to become better organized. On October&nbsp;20, the system became better organized as expected. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that it had a high  for it to become a tropical cyclone within 48 hours. The next day, thunderstorms were small. Although, barometric pressure in the area remained low. Because of this, the system had potential for development. The thunderstorms got bigger, while the system slowed and eventually stopped moving. At 1500&nbsp;UTC on October&nbsp;22, the NHC gave out advisories on Tropical Depression Eighteen. The NHC reported that the storm was 320&nbsp;mi (515&nbsp;km) south of Kingston, Jamaica.

When the tropical depression formed, it was in an area of weak steering currents. This was located south of a ridge extending eastward from the Gulf of Mexico. Because of the moist atmosphere, the storm got better organized. Early on October&nbsp;24, an eye began to develop. By that time, Sandy was moving slowly northward. At 11:00 am EDT (1500&nbsp;UTC) on October&nbsp;24, the NHC upgraded Sandy to hurricane status. This was because the Hurricane Hunters found winds of . At the time, Sandy was located about  south of Kingston, Jamaica.

Sandy made landfall near Kingston at 3:00 p.m EDT (1900&nbsp;UTC) on October&nbsp;24. It had winds of about . Before making its second landfall, Sandy got stronger and became a Category&nbsp;2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale with 110&nbsp;mph (175&nbsp;km/h). At 1:25 am EDT (0525&nbsp;UTC), Sandy made landfall in Cuba just west of Santiago de Cuba. When it made landfall in Cuba, Sandy had a visible eye of over  in diameter. At the time, winds reached 135&nbsp;mph (216&nbsp;km/h). While over land, the storm weakened and the eye was no longer visible. After Sandy left Cuba, dry air and increasing shear caused the storm to be disorganized. A mid-level low over Florida turned the hurricane toward the north-northwest. By early on October&nbsp;26, most of the storm was to the north of the center. This caused the storm to get larger. By the next day, the NHC reported that Sandy was starting to become more of a hybrid cyclone. On October&nbsp;27, Sandy weakened to a tropical storm. A few hours later, it got stronger and became a Category 1 hurricane again.

## Preparation 
### Caribbean 
After Sandy developed into a tropical cyclone on October&nbsp;22, the Government of Jamaica issued a tropical storm watch. Early on October&nbsp;23, the watch became a tropical storm warning. That same day, a hurricane watch was issued for Jamaica. On that same day at 1500 UTC, the hurricane watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning.

The Government of Haiti issued a tropical storm watch for Haiti. By late October&nbsp;23, it was upgraded to a tropical storm warning. There was a hurricane watch issued for the Cuban Provinces of Camagüey, Granma, Guantánamo, Holguín, Las Tunas, and Santiago de Cuba at 1500&nbsp;UTC on October&nbsp;23. Only three hours later, the hurricane watch was switched to a hurricane warning.

### Bermuda 
At 11:15&nbsp;a.m. EDT (1515&nbsp;UTC) on October&nbsp;26, the Bermuda Weather Service issued a tropical storm watch for Bermuda. This was because of the size of the storm and its possible effect on the island.

### United States 
, shown from Manhattan's East River Park, had already swollen to its bank by 11:00 a.m. on October 29th]]
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Many public schools on the Treasure Coast and in Palm Beach County, Florida were closed for Friday October&nbsp;26. FEMA announced that they will monitor Sandy and help those in need.

Government weather forecasters said there is a 90% chance that the East Coast of the United States get "slammed".  Utilities and governments along the East Coast prepared for long-term power failures.  In New Jersey, where the storm was expected to come ashore, utilities told employees to be prepared for longer shifts.

On October&nbsp;26, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue declared a state of emergency for 38 counties. The emergency took effect on October&nbsp;27. GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney cancelled a campaign in Virginia Beach because of Sandy. Joe Biden also cancelled his campaign because of Sandy. The US Navy sent more than two dozen ships to sea from Norfolk Naval Base, for their protection.

In Cape May County, New Jersey, officials ordered residents on barrier islands to 

Philadelphia's Mayor Michael Nutter asked residents in low lying areas to leave their home by 2 p.m October&nbsp;28.

In New York City, officials activated the city's coastal emergency plan. The subways closed. There were also evacuations for residents in areas where Hurricane Irene made landfall in August 2011. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that some residents should prepare to evacuate. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for every county in the state. On Long Island, Suffolk County officials ordered a mandatory evacuation of Fire Island residents.  Cuomo went on to declared that Hurricane Sandy had been “more impactful” than Hurricane Katrina.

Connecticut's Governor Dan Malloy opened the state's Emergency Operations Center on October 26. Malloy signed a Declaration of Emergency the next day.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency.

### Canada 
The Canadian Hurricane Centre issued its first statement of Sandy on October&nbsp;25, 2012. One model suggested that Sandy would make a landfall in the East Coast of the United States, possibly affecting Southern Ontario.

## Impact 
At least 253 people were confirmed killed across the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, and the Bahamas, as a result of the storm. The New York City Subway was shut down for days, and parts of it for months. Large areas lost electric power distribution for days. Thousands of houses were damaged by wind and flood, and hundreds burned because firefighters could not reach them. 

## References