The 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season – By the Numbers
The 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season was an above-average and memorable one that thankfully ended quietly on Friday, November 30th. The 2012 season had an above-average number of named storms (19) and hurricanes (10). There were only two major hurricanes, which were slightly below average (2.7).
In addition, there were no hurricanes of Category Four strength or higher for the first time since 2006. The season would be remembered for Hurricane Sandy, the strongest storm of the season. Sandy would weaken from its peak as a Category Three storm in the Caribbean, but its size and low barometric pressure combined to produce a devastating storm surge along the Mid-Atlantic coastline from the Jersey Shore to New York City.
The last month of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season was tranquil. Tropical Storm Tony was the last named storm of the season, but Superstorm Sandy outlasted it and dissipated on October 31st. There were no named storms after that. Despite all the activity, there was only one landfalling hurricane along the United States coastline.
Let’s take a look at the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane season by the numbers.
| Total Depressions/PTCs | 19 |
| Total Storms | 19 |
| Named Storm Days | 101.25 |
| Month with Most Named Storms | August – 8 |
| Total Hurricanes | 10 |
| Hurricane Days | 28.5 |
| Month with Most Hurricanes | August – 4 |
| Total Major Hurricanes | 2 |
| Major Hurricane Days | 0.5 |
| Month with Most Major Hurricanes | September and October – 1 |
| Category Five Hurricanes | 0 |
| Category Five Days | 0 |
| U.S. Landfalling Hurricanes | 1* |
| Strongest Storm | Hurricane Sandy |
| Max Sustained Winds (mph) | 115 |
| Lowest Pressure (mb) | 940 |
| ACE | 132.6 |
| Damage Costs | $72.34 billion |
| Deaths | 304 |
*Sandy made landfall as an extratropical storm.
Sources: Colorado State University, National Hurricane Center, and Wikipedia