Atlantic Has Above-Average Hurricane Season for Three Years Running

November 30,2012; 7:31PM,EST

The end of the 2012 hurricane season left an impression, as historic Sandy wreaked immense damage in the Northeast.

Photos: 2012 Hurricane Season
Link: 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season Wallpaper

2012 tied 1887, 1995, 2010 and 2011 as the third most-active year on record in the Atlantic, with a total of 19 named storms in the Atlantic Basin. A normal hurricane season has around 12 storms, with around six hurricanes and close to three major hurricanes. The most active hurricane season was 2005, with 28 named storms, including Hurricane Katrina.
Category 5 = 0
Category 4 = 0
Category 3 = 1
Category 2 = 3
Category 1 = 6
Tropical storm = 9
Number of land-falling storms on the U.S.: 4

Highest category: Michael, Category 3
No major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) has hit U.S. since 2005.
Lowest pressure in a hurricane: Sandy, 940 mb
Highest wind: Michael, 115mph
Earliest storm: Alberto, May 19
Latest storm: Sandy, Oct. 29
Costliest storm: Sandy, according to The New York Times
Longest duration: Nadine, 24 days
Shortest duration: Joyce, 3 days

2012 Hurricane Stats

Name	Dates	Max Wind (MPH)	Pressure (mb)
T.S. Alberto	May 19-22	60	995
T.S. Beryl	May 26-30	70	992
H. Chris	June 19-22	75	987
T.S. Debby	June 23-27	60	990
H. Ernesto	Aug. 1-10	95	980
T.S. Florence	Aug. 3-6	60	1002
H. Gordon	Aug. 15-20	110	1004
T.S. Helene	Aug. 9-18	45	965
H. Isaac	Aug. 21- Sept. 1	80	968
T.S. Joyce	Aug. 22-24	40	1006
H. Kirk	Aug. 28-Sept. 2	105	970
H. Leslie	Aug. 30- Sept. 11	75	968
H. Michael	Sept. 3-11	115	964
H. Nadine	Sept. 11-Oct 4	90	978
T.S. Oscar	Oct. 3-5	50	997
TS Patty	Oct 11-13	45	1005
H. Rafael	Oct. 12-17	90	969
H. Sandy	Oct. 22-29	110	940
T.S. Tony	Oct. 22-25	50	1000

Storm Cost

Storm	Deaths	Cost
T.S. Beryl	4	$148 million
T.S. Debby	7	$308 million
H. Ernesto	12	$117 million
H. Isaac	41	$2 billion
H. Rafael	1	$2 million
H. Sandy	253	more than $70 billion, according to the New York Times

The statistics come from the National Hurricane Center.