Skip to content
HurriTracker

Storms named Sandy (retired)

Sandy is a retired Atlantic hurricane name. The World Meteorological Organization took it off the lists after the 2012 storm, so no future Atlantic storm will be called Sandy. Its place on the list now belongs to Sara, on the 2030 list. Since 1985, two storms have been named Sandy; the strongest, in 1985, peaked as a Category 4 cyclone.

Times used
2
1985–2012
Strongest
1985 · Cat 4
953 mb
Most recent
2012
Atlantic
Retired
After 2012
Slot now: Sara (2030 list)
Loading map…
20121985Tracks: IBTrACS / NHC

Has the name Sandy been retired?

Yes. Sandy is on NHC’s list of retired Atlantic names because of the 2012 storm. It is one of 100 names retired there since 1954 (Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names).

A name is retired when a storm was so deadly or costly that using the name again would be insensitive; the World Meteorological Organization then picks a new name with the same first letter at its annual meeting.

When will Sandy be used again?

It won’t be. Retired names are not used again on the Atlantic lists. Its place on the list, the S slot, now belongs to Sara, on the 2030 Atlantic list, which is next used in 2030.

Every storm named Sandy, newest first

Hurricane Sandy (2012)

C3
Dates
October 21, 2012 to October 31, 2012 (10 days)
Peak wind
115 mph / 185 km/h · Category 3
Lowest pressure
940 mb
Ocean
Atlantic
Order in season
18th name of 2012

Sandy formed in the Atlantic in October 2012 and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 940 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Yallahs, Jamaica and last near Atlantic City, United States. The system was tracked for 10 days.

Hurricane Sandy (2012): track and history

Cyclone Sandy (1985)

C4
Dates
March 19, 1985 to April 3, 1985 (16 days)
Peak wind
140 mph / 220 km/h · Category 4
Lowest pressure
953 mb
Ocean
Southern Hemisphere
ACE
15.2

Sandy formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 1985 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 953 mb. The system was tracked for 16 days.

Cyclone Sandy (1985): track and history

Where storms named Sandy made landfall

StormLandfall nearDate (UTC)Wind
Sandy 2012Yallahs, Jamaica2012-10-24 19:0085 mph / 140 km/h
Sandy 2012Santiago de Cuba, Cuba2012-10-25 05:25115 mph / 185 km/h
Sandy 2012Atlantic City, United States2012-10-29 23:3080 mph / 130 km/h
Sandy 198514.7°S 135.2°E1985-03-24 21:0075 mph / 120 km/h

Why was the storm named Sandy?

Names go in alphabetical order, one per storm, as each storm reaches tropical-storm strength (39 mph, 34 knots), so a storm’s place in its season decides its name.

In 2012, Sandy was the 18th name used in the Atlantic season.

Sandy in other oceans

Storms named Sandy appear in more than one ocean in our archive:

  • Atlantic: 2012
  • Southern Hemisphere: 1985

Each ocean region keeps its own name lists, drawn up by its own WMO regional committee (Tropical cyclone naming), so the same name can be given to unrelated storms in different oceans.

Questions about the name Sandy

When was the last time a storm was named Sandy?

The most recent was Hurricane Sandy in 2012, in the Atlantic. It formed on October 21, peaked at 115 mph (185 km/h) and lasted 10 days. It made landfall near Yallahs, Jamaica. It was the 18th name used in that Atlantic season. Before that, the name was used in 1985.

What was the strongest storm named Sandy?

Cyclone Sandy in 1985 was the strongest, peaking as a Category 4 cyclone with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 953 mb. It formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March. The weakest of the two, in 2012, peaked at 115 mph (185 km/h).