Meteorological history of Hurricane Sandy
| Category 3 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
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| Formed | October 22, 2012 |
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| Dissipated | November 2, 2012 |
| (Extratropical after October 29) | |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 115 mph (185 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 940 mbar (hPa); 27.76 inHg |
| Areas affected | Greater Antilles, Bahamas, most of the eastern United States (especially the coastal Mid-Atlantic States and New England), Bermuda, eastern Canada |
| Part of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season | |
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Hurricane Sandy was the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane on record. It lasted for over a week in late October–early November 2012. Classified as the eighteenth named storm, tenth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Sandy originated from a tropical wave on October 22. Performing a small loop over the central Caribbean Sea, the system intensified into a tropical storm a day later and became the final hurricane of the season before briefly coming ashore the coast of Jamaica on October 24. After emerging between Jamaica and Cuba, Sandy began a period of rapid intensification into a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). It made landfall at this intensity near Santiago de Cuba on October 25.
An approaching trough over the central United States induced high wind shear over Sandy as it traversed the Bahamas, causing the hurricane to weaken to a tropical storm while turning more northeastward. The southern part of the trough detached, causing the shear to decrease late on October 28 and allowing Sandy to regain strength. It attained a secondary peak of Category 2 strength the following day, and later turned toward the west. During this change in direction, Sandy began to transition into an extratropical cyclone, a process it completed before making landfall near Brigantine, New Jersey, late on October 29. The extratropical remnants weakened gradually overland, and the center of circulation was declared indistinguishable over western Pennsylvania two days later. In addition to becoming the largest Atlantic hurricane, Sandy broke records for the lowest pressures ever observed in many cities across the Northeastern United States.
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