2012 Atlantic hurricane season

2012 Atlantic Hurricane season
Summary map of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season
First storm formed	May 19, 2012
Last storm dissipated	October 29, 2012
Strongest Storm	Sandy 940 mbar, 115 mph winds
Damages	$68.48 Billion (2012 USD)
Fatalities	316 direct, 12 indirect

The 2012 Atlantic hurricane season was the third costliest Atlantic hurricane season on record. The season began almost two weeks early on May 19, when Tropical Storm Alberto formed just off the United States eastern seaboard. The hurricane season was very destructive and active, having 19 tropical depressions, 19 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 1 major hurricane, Michael. Two hurricanes were exceptionally notable this season, Isaac and Sandy. Isaac made landfall in New Orleans, causing nearly $2 billion in damage, and Sandy hit the eastern seaboard with an unprecedented track, causing around $68 billion in damage. Sandy was the third costliest Atlantic hurricane on record, behind only Katrina, from 2005 and Harvey from 2017.

Storms

Tropical Storm Alberto

Tropical Storm Alberto
Formed	May 19, 2012
Dissipated	May 21, 2012
Peak winds (1-min)
Lowest Pressure

Main article: Tropical Storm Alberto (2012)

Tropical Storm Alberto originated from an area of low pressure about 100 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The system was forecasted ahead of time by multiple computer models. On the morning of May 19, the system quickly developed, and after organizing enough, the low pressure system was classified as Tropical Storm Alberto. Alberto became a moderate tropical storm before weakening. After wandering southwest and then northeast, Alberto became a tropical depression in the evening hours of May 21.

Tropical Storm Beryl

Tropical Storm Beryl
Formed	May 19, 2012
Dissipated	May 21, 2012
Peak winds (1-min)
Lowest Pressure

Main article: Tropical Storm Beryl (2012)

Tropical Storm Beryl formed from a large area of distrurbed weather that had moved from the Caribbean into the Atlantic a few hundred miles east of the US Eastern Seaboard on May 26. However, because of its hybrid characteristics, it was classified as a subtropical system. During the day the storm moved generally to the southwest. In the afternoon the next day, the storm completed its tropical conversion and became a fully tropical system. It made landfall near Jacksonville Beach at 0410 UTC on May 28 and slowly weakened to a tropical depression after that. Bringing heavy rainfall to Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, Beryl began moving to the northeast and emerged over sea again. Despite this, the depression turned extratropical at 2100 UTC on May 30 and the last advisory was issued.

Hurricane Chris

Hurricane Chris
Chris at peak intensity
Formed	May 19, 2012
Dissipated	May 21, 2012
Peak winds (1-min)
Lowest Pressure

On June 17, a non-tropical area of low pressure formed in the Bermuda area and the National Hurricane Center began to issue products on the system. The next day, as it interacted with mid and upper-level lows, it became more organized and began to break away from its frontal system. After gaining sufficient organization and maintain convection for a few hours, the system was classified as Tropical Storm Chris on June 19. After two or three days of strengthening while heading west, Chris became a Category 1 hurricane on June 21st and was steadily moving somewhat northeast. Later the same day it weakened and became a Tropical Storm once again, a day later weakening to a Tropical Depression. The final advisory on Chris was issued on June 22nd. The Ocean Prediction Center continued to track the remnants of Chris until it merged with a larger extratropical cyclone early on June 24. When it formed, Hurricane Chris was the third earliest forming third storm in recorded history, behind storms in 1887 and 1959.

Tropical Storm Debby

Tropical Storm Debby
Formed	May 19, 2012
Dissipated	May 21, 2012
Peak winds (1-min)
Lowest Pressure

Main article:Tropical Storm Debby (2012)

On June 19th a large area of cloudiness, showers, and few thunderstorms over the Carribean sea that was associated with a surface trough was observed by the National Hurricane Center. Over the next five days the system began to become more organized and began to strengthen. On June 23, this system became Tropical Storm Debby. Slowly moving to the north and east, Debby eventually made landfall on Steinhatchee, Florida, on June 26 as a minimal tropical storm. Debby quickly weakened into a tropical depression, and after leaving inland Florida, Debby quickly lost its tropical characteristics and became post tropical on June 27. When it formed, Debby was the earliest 4th storm to form on record in the Atlantic Basin, surpassing Hurricane Dennis in 2005. The storm's post-tropical remnants continued to be monitored for redevelopment by the National Hurricane Center until June 30, while 490 miles south of Nova Scotia.

Hurricane Ernesto

Hurricane Ernesto
Formed	May 19, 2012
Dissipated	May 21, 2012
Peak winds (1-min)
Lowest Pressure

Main Article: Hurricane Ernesto (2012)

On July 30, the National Hurricane Center monitored a tropical wave that was developing to the east of the Windward Islands. The tropical wave was accompanied by an area of low pressure on August 1 and the NHC designated it as Tropical Depression Five the same day. Even though the system was classified as a tropical depression, the system was being severely sheared and was possible to degenerate into a remnant low on August 2 aswell. On August 2, a Hurricane Hunters Flight observed tropical storm force winds near the center and the system was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ernesto. By August 3, Ernesto entered the Caribbean Sea and was anticipated to develop further, and develop into a hurricane in the next several days. On August 4, Jamaica issued a tropical storm warning due to possible tropical storm effects to the island within that next 48 hours. The next day, as Ernesto neared the Yucatan, tropical storm watches were issued along the coasts of Honduras and the Cayman Islands due to possible effects within the coming days; by that time, Jamaica was beginning to feel some effects from Ernesto. Due to moderate winds shear, Ernesto, instead of becoming a hurricane as forecasted, it began to lose shear and began to weaken on August 6. On August 7, Ernesto regained some convection and had the appearance of a hurricane, and by that time Ernesto was classified as a category 1 hurricane. On August 8, Ernesto made landfall as a category 1 hurricane on the Yucatan Peninsula with 85 mph winds. After landfall, Ernesto weakened into a tropical storm as it moved inland over Mexico. Ernesto then moved over the Bay of Campeche and soon began to strengthen. On August 9, Ernesto moved inland once again in Southern Mexico and rapidly weakened into a tropical depression and then completely dissipated off the west coast of Mexico. The remnants of Ernesto that moved over the Pacific Ocean developed into tropical storm Hector on August 11.

Tropical Storm Florence

Tropical Storm Florence
File:Placeholder
Formed	May 19, 2012
Dissipated	May 21, 2012
Peak winds (1-min)	40-65mph
Lowest Pressure

Tropical Storm Florence was a relatively weak Cape Verde Tropical Storm. At its peak the storm attained a minimum central pressure of 1002mbar and maximum wind speed of 65 miles per hour.

Hurricane Gordon

Hurricane Gordon
Formed	August 15, 2012
Dissipated	August 20, 2012
Peak winds (1-min)	110 mph
Lowest Pressure

Hurricane Gordon was a Category 2 that affected the Azores Islands.

Invests and Other Storms

Invest 90L

Invest 90L was an area of low pressure that formed on February 5 in the Florida Straits region. During the day the storm became better organized and the storm was given a 30% chance of formation. However, as the storm moved northeast, it weakened and its circulation became loose. By the next morning, the storm had already fragmented apart. Nonetheless, Invest 90L brought heavy rains of up to 4 inches in the Florida Keys region.

Invest 91L

Invest 91L formed from an extratropical system that cut off from the jet stream and slowly acquired tropical characteristics a few hundred miles east of Bermuda on April 17. The storm was soon designated as an invest even though the National Hurricane Center did not operationally issue products for it. 91L dissipated the next day.

Invest 92L

Main article: Invest 92L (May 2012)

Invest 92L was an area of low pressure that formed on May 12 at an unusually high latitude near the Azores Islands. The hybrid system quickly developed intense thunderstorm activity near its center and a small eye like feature. The National Hurricane Center placed a 40% formation probability. 92L lost most of its convection during diurnal minimum but began to strengthen the next day. However, entering cool waters, the invest weakened and dissipated by May 15.

Invest 97L

On June 26 a convective area moved off the ITCZ and began to gain organization. Later that day the National Hurricane Center assessed the system with a 10% chance of organization. However, the structure was disorganized with limited shower activity. On June 29 the tropical wave began to become more concentrated and the system was designated as Invest 97L. However, shower activity quickly began to diminish and the next day the NHC stopped issuing products for 97L.

Storm names

The following names were used to name tropical and subtropical cyclones in the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. This list is the same one used in the 2006 season. Retired names, were announced by the World Meteorological Organization in the spring of 2013.

Alberto Beryl Chris Debby Ernesto Florence Gordon

Helene Isaac Joyce Kirk Leslie Michael Nadine

Oscar Patty Rafeal Sandy Tony Valerie (unused) William (unused)

Retirement of Sandy

The name Sandy was retired and replaced with Sara.