Hurricane Sandy (2012)
October 22 – October 31, 2012
Fast Facts
- Active
- October 22 – 31, 2012 (10 days)
- Peak category
- Category 3
- Peak wind
- 115 mph (near Cuba)
- Minimum pressure
- 940 mb
- NJ landfall wind
- 80 mph (post-tropical)
- Storm diameter at landfall
- ~1,150 miles tropical-storm-force winds
- Deaths
- 233 (159 in US)
- Damage
- $70 billion (2012 USD)
- Surge at Battery, NYC
- 13.88 ft (highest on record)
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center; HURDAT2 best-track database.
Path Map
Hover or tap any point for advisory details15 best-track points from NOAA HURDAT2. Segment color shows Saffir-Simpson intensity at the starting advisory.
Landfalls
| Location | Date | Category | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, Jamaica | 2012-10-24 | Cat 1 | 85 mph |
| Santiago de Cuba, Cuba | 2012-10-25 | Cat 3 | 115 mph |
| Brigantine, NJ | 2012-10-29 | Cat 1 | 80 mph |
A late-season Caribbean storm
Landfall and the surge
Recovery and the rebuild
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey?
Hurricane Sandy made landfall near Brigantine, New Jersey at 7:30 p.m. EDT on October 29, 2012, with sustained winds of 80 mph. At the moment of landfall the NHC had officially designated the storm "Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy" — it had merged with a mid-latitude trough — but the impacts were comparable to a Category 1 hurricane making landfall over the densest population center in the United States.
How big was Hurricane Sandy?
At its New Jersey landfall, Sandy's tropical-storm-force wind field extended approximately 1,150 miles in diameter — the largest Atlantic hurricane wind field ever measured. The combination of this enormous size, the storm's perpendicular approach to the New Jersey coast, and the timing of landfall near astronomical high tide and a full moon drove a record storm surge into New York Harbor.
How much damage did Hurricane Sandy cause?
Sandy caused approximately $70 billion in damage in 2012 dollars (about $95 billion adjusted to 2024). The figure includes residential and commercial losses across the Mid-Atlantic, New York City subway system flooding repair, regional power-grid damage, beach and barrier-island erosion, and direct losses in New Jersey beach communities including Seaside Heights and the Atlantic City area.
Why was Hurricane Sandy so destructive?
Sandy combined three unusual factors: an unprecedented wind-field diameter that pushed water across the entire Mid-Atlantic Bight, an almost perpendicular approach into the New York–New Jersey coastline (most hurricanes track parallel to the coast), and landfall during a full-moon astronomical high tide. The resulting surge reached 13.88 feet at the Battery in New York City — the highest ever recorded — and inundated subway tunnels, the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, and the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel.
Was Hurricane Sandy a hurricane when it hit New York?
Sandy was officially redesignated "Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy" by the NHC at 7:00 p.m. EDT on October 29, 2012 — 30 minutes before New Jersey landfall — because the storm had merged with a non-tropical trough and lost its warm-core structure. The 80 mph sustained winds, central pressure, and impacts were comparable to a Category 1 hurricane. The semantic shift was controversial, and the NHC has since changed its operating procedures to issue tropical-cyclone advisories even for post-tropical systems that retain hurricane impacts.