2002 Atlantic hurricane season
Jun 1, 2002 – Nov 30, 2002 · Season ended
The 2002 Atlantic hurricane season produced 12 named storms, 4 hurricanes and 2 major hurricanes, against a 1991–2020 average of 14.4, 7.2 and 3.2. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 67, 55% of the average.
2002 season at a glance
- Named storms: 12 (1991–2020 average 14.4).
- Hurricanes (64 kt+): 4 (average 7.2).
- Major, 96 kt+: 2 (average 3.2).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 67.3, 55% of the 123 average.
- Named-storm days: 57.0, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Arthur, July 15.
- First hurricane: Gustav, September 11.
- First major storm: Isidore, September 21.
- Last storm to dissipate: Tropical Depression 14L, October 16.
- All systems tracked: 14, including 2 that stayed below tropical-storm strength.
Counts use 1-minute best-track winds: named storms reached 34 kt (39 mph), the next column 64 kt (74 mph) and major storms 96 kt (111 mph).
Every storm of the 2002 season
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Min pressure | Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur | – | TS | 992 mb | — |
| Bertha | – | TS | 1007 mb | Belle Chasse, United States |
| Cristobal | – | TS | 999 mb | — |
| Dolly | – | TS | 997 mb | — |
| Edouard | – | TS | 1002 mb | Ormond-by-the-Sea, United States |
| Fay | – | TS | 998 mb | Port Lavaca, United States |
| TD 7L | – | TD | 1013 mb | — |
| Gustav | – | C2 | 960 mb | Sydney, Canada |
| Hanna | – | TS | 1001 mb | Moss Point, United States |
| Isidore | – | C3 | 934 mb | Guane, Cuba |
| Josephine | – | TS | 1004 mb | — |
| Kyle | – | C1 | 980 mb | Mount Pleasant, United States |
| Lili | – | C4 | 938 mb | Nueva Gerona, Cuba |
| TD 14L | – | TD | 1002 mb | Cienfuegos, Cuba |
- Arthur: Arthur formed in the Atlantic in July 2002 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 992 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- Bertha: Bertha formed in the Atlantic in August 2002 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1007 mb. It made landfall near Belle Chasse, United States. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- Cristobal: Cristobal formed in the Atlantic in August 2002 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 999 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Dolly: Dolly formed in the Atlantic in August 2002 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 997 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
- Edouard: Edouard formed in the Atlantic in September 2002 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1002 mb. It made landfall near Ormond-by-the-Sea, United States. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- Fay: Fay formed in the Atlantic in September 2002 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 998 mb. It made landfall near Port Lavaca, United States. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- TD 7L: This system formed in the Atlantic in September 2002 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1013 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 1 day.
- Gustav: Gustav formed in the Atlantic in September 2002 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 960 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Sydney, Canada and last near Stephenville, Canada. The system was tracked for 7 days.
- Hanna: Hanna formed in the Atlantic in September 2002 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1001 mb. It made landfall near Moss Point, United States. The system was tracked for 4 days.
- Isidore: Isidore formed in the Atlantic in September 2002 and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 934 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Guane, Cuba and last near Galliano, United States. The system was tracked for 13 days.
- Josephine: Josephine formed in the Atlantic in September 2002 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 2 days.
- Kyle: Kyle formed in the Atlantic in September 2002 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 980 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Mount Pleasant, United States and last near Little River, United States. The system was tracked for 22 days.
- Lili: Lili formed in the Atlantic in September 2002 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 938 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Nueva Gerona, Cuba and last near Abbeville, United States. The system was tracked for 13 days.
- TD 14L: This system formed in the Atlantic in October 2002 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1002 mb. It made landfall near Cienfuegos, Cuba. The system was tracked for 2 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 2002
Hurricane Lili was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 145 mph (230 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 938 mb, on October 3. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
46 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 14 matched it. It produced 25% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 2002
9 of the season’s 14 systems made landfall, 3 of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.
- August 5: Bertha near Belle Chasse, United States, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- September 5: Edouard near Ormond-by-the-Sea, United States, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- September 7: Fay near Port Lavaca, United States, 60 mph (tropical storm)
- September 12: Gustav near Sydney, Canada, 90 mph (Category 1)
- September 12: Gustav near Stephenville, Canada, 75 mph (Category 1)
- September 14: Hanna, 60 mph (tropical storm)
- September 14: Hanna near Moss Point, United States, 60 mph (tropical storm)
- September 20: Isidore near Guane, Cuba, 85 mph (Category 1)
- September 22: Isidore near Motul, Mexico, 125 mph (Category 3)
- September 26: Isidore near Galliano, United States, 65 mph (tropical storm)
- September 30: Lili, 75 mph (Category 1)
- October 1: Lili near Nueva Gerona, Cuba, 105 mph (Category 2)
- October 1: Lili near Guane, Cuba, 105 mph (Category 2)
- October 3: Lili near Abbeville, United States, 90 mph (Category 1)
- October 11: Kyle near Mount Pleasant, United States, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- October 11: Kyle near Little River, United States, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- October 16: TD 14L near Cienfuegos, Cuba, 30 mph (tropical depression)
How 2002 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 27th of 47 Atlantic seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 3 other seasons), 34th for hurricanes (tied with 5 other seasons) and 34th for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 30 named storms, in 2020, and the highest ACE is 250, in 2005.
2002 storm names
The 2002 season used 12 names: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Isidore, Josephine, Kyle, Lili.
2 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.
Atlantic and East Pacific lists repeat every six years. See how storms are named.
The WMO later retired the names Isidore and Lili, so they will not be used again.
2002 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 2002?
The 2002 Atlantic hurricane season had 12 named storms, 4 hurricanes and 2 major hurricanes, from 14 systems tracked in all. The 1991–2020 average is 14.4 named storms, 7.2 at 64 kt or more and 3.2 major per season. The first to form was Arthur and the last was Lili.
What was the strongest storm of 2002?
Hurricane Lili. It peaked at 145 mph (230 km/h, 125 kt) with a lowest pressure of 938 mb on October 3. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 46 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 25% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 2002 season end?
The official season ended on November 30, 2002, as it does every year in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Central Pacific. The last system, Tropical Depression 14L, dissipated on October 16. Storms that form in December still count toward that year: 6 Atlantic storms since 1980 reached tropical-storm strength in December.