During 2012, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year, a total of 120 tropical cyclones had formed this year to date. 86 tropical cyclones had been named by either a Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) or a Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC).
The most active basin in the year was the Western Pacific, which documented 25 named systems, while the North Atlantic saw its fifth-most-active season on record, tied with 1887, 1995, 2010, and 2011. Conversely, the Eastern Pacific hurricane season experienced an average number of cyclones reaching tropical storm intensity, numbering 17 respectively. The least-active basin of the year was the North Indian Ocean, which had a late start with its first system forming in October. Activity across the southern hemisphere's three basins—South-West Indian, Australian, and South Pacific—was spread evenly, with each region recording seven named storms apiece. So far, twenty-four Category 3 tropical cyclones formed, including three Category 5 tropical cyclones in the year. The accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index for the 2012 (seven basins combined), as calculated by Colorado State University was 740.5 units.
The strongest tropical cyclone was Typhoon Sanba, which strengthened to a minimum barometric pressure of 900 mbar (hPa; 26.58 inHg) before striking South Korea. The costliest tropical cyclone of the year was Hurricane Sandy, which caused $68.7 billion (2012 USD) in damages after striking the Caribbean and United States. The deadliest tropical cyclone of the year was Typhoon Bopha which caused widespread destruction on Mindanao, leaving thousands of people homeless and killing 1,901 people.
Global atmospheric and hydrological conditions The Atlantic Ocean began an organization favorable to the sea surface temperatures, while the Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean began on unfavorable conditions due to dissipation of the 2010–12 La Niña event in April 2012. During the month of May to November along the Pacific hurricane season a favorable organization began due to the sea surface temperatures and the formation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation.
Summary
Nineteen tropical cyclones formed in the Atlantic hurricane season, the third-most active in history with previous 1887, 1995, 2010 and 2011 seasons. On East Pacific and Central Pacific, a total of 17 named storms formed during the season.
Systems A total of 132 systems formed globally in the year with 52 of them causing significant damage, deaths, and/or setting records for their basin.
January
January was the most active month of the year with 21 tropical cyclones forming, However, only six were named by specific tropical cyclone naming agencies. Intense Tropical Cyclone Funso produced flooding rains as it looped in the Mozambique Channel, killing at least 21 people, soon after Subtropical Depression Dando killed 10 people across southern Africa. + Tropical cyclones formed in January 2012 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths Refs06UJanuary 5UnspecifiedUnspecifiedTimorNoneNoneChandaJanuary 5–1075 (45)992MadagascarNone103FJanuary 7–8Unspecified1001TongaNoneNone04FJanuary 8–9Unspecified1000French PolynesiaNoneNone06FJanuary 8–10Unspecified1000NiueNoneNoneHeidiJanuary 9–13150 (90)960Western AustraliaNoneNoneDandoJanuary 10–1885 (50)992Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, SwazilandNone1008UJanuary 13UnspecifiedUnspecifiedNoneNoneNoneTDJanuary 13–14Unspecified1006MalaysiaNoneNoneEthelJanuary 17–22100 (65)972RodriguesNone1FunsoJanuary 17–28205 (125)925Mozambique, MalawiNone3606FJanuary 20–24Unspecified1001Fiji$17.2 million809UJanuary 21UnspecifiedUnspecifiedNoneNoneNone10UJanuary 22–2955 (35)993Northern Territory, QueenslandNoneNoneIggyJanuary 22–February 3110 (70)970Indonesia, Western AustraliaNone1607FJanuary 25–February 255 (35)994Vanuatu, Fiji, New CaledoniaNoneNone08FJanuary 26–28Unspecified1001FijiNoneNone09FJanuary 30–3155 (35)998Vanuatu, FijiNoneNone
February
A total of nine tropical systems of all intensities were monitored during February 2012, of which five developed further and were named by the various warning centres. Intense Tropical Cyclone Giovanna was a powerful tropical cyclone that affected Madagascar. Giovanna is still blamed for 33 deaths along the Madagascar coast, and it is the first intense tropical cyclone to impact Madagascar, since Cyclone Bingiza in February 2011. + Tropical cyclones formed in February 2012 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsJasmineFebruary 1–19195 (120)937Northern Territory, Queensland, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, TongaNoneNone10FFebruary 2–635 (25)991Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, TongaNoneNoneCyrilFebruary 5–895 (60)985Fiji, TongaNoneNoneHilwaFebruary 5–2275 (45)993Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, RodrigesNoneNoneGiovannaFebruary 7–22195 (125)935Mauritius, Réunion, MadagascarNone3510FFebruary 13–17Unspecified1005New Caledonia, VanuatuNoneNone01WFebruary 17–2155 (35)1004PhilippinesNoneNoneIrinaFebruary 25–March 1295 (60)978Madagascar, Mozambique, Swaziland, South AfricaNone7712February 29–March 355 (35)996NoneNoneNone
March
A total of twelve tropical systems of all intensities were monitored during March 2012, of which four developed further and were named by the various warning centres. Cyclone Lua affected a sparsely populated region of Western Australia. + Tropical cyclones formed in March 2012 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths Refs14UMarch 3–7Unspecified1000Western AustraliaNoneNoneKoji-JoniMarch 5–1195 (60)978NoneNoneNoneLuaMarch 9–18155 (100)935Western Australia$230 millionNone17UMarch 12–2255 (35)993Western Australia, Northern Territory, QueenslandNoneNone14FMarch 16–18Unspecified1005New ZealandNone515FMarch 19–20Unspecified1004New CaledoniaNoneNone16FMarch 22–27Unspecified1003Wallis and Futuna, FijiNoneNoneTDMarch 24Unspecified1008PhilippinesNoneNone17FMarch 25–28Unspecified1000FijiNoneNonePakharMarch 26–April 295 (60)1000Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand$48.1 million9Đặc điểm Khí tượng Thủy văn năm 2012, VNCHMF.DaphneMarch 29–April 3100 (65)985Vanuatu, FijiNone518FMarch 30–31Unspecified1004VanuatuNoneNone
April A total of 4 tropical cyclones formed during this month, making this month the least active of 2012. None of these tropical cyclones were tropical storm strength or higher. Although Tropical Storm Daphne persisted into April, it was counted for the month of March, as that was the month it had formed in. + Tropical cyclones formed in April 2012 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsTDApril 8–1155 (35)1000NoneNoneNone20FApril 9–11Unspecified1009New CaledoniaNoneNone19UApril 16–25Unspecified1005Papua New Guinea, Northern Territory, Queensland, Indonesia, East TimorNoneNoneTDApril 28–30Unspecified1008Palau, PhilippinesNoneNone
May
+ Tropical cyclones formed in May 2012 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths Refs19SMay 7–1455 (35)996Indonesia, East TimorNoneNoneAlettaMay 14–1985 (50)1000NoneNoneNoneAlbertoMay 19–2295 (60)995Southeastern United StatesNoneNoneSanvuMay 20–27110 (70)975Guam, Marina Islands$20 thousandNoneBudMay 20–26185 (115)961Western MexicoMinimalNoneBerylMay 26–30110 (70)992Cuba, The Bahamas, Southeastern United States, FloridaMinimalNoneMawar (Ambo)May 31–June 6140 (85)960Philippines, JapanNone3
June
+ Tropical cyclones formed in June 2012 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsKuenaJune 3–885 (50)994NoneNoneNoneGuchol (Butchoy)June 10–20185 (115)930Caroline Islands, Philippines, Japan$100 million3CarlottaJune 14–16175 (110)973Southwestern Mexico$12.4 million7Talim (Carina)June 16–2195 (60)985China, Taiwan$356 million1ChrisJune 18–22140 (85)974Bermuda, Atlantic CanadaNoneNoneDebbyJune 23–27110 (70)990Cuba, Central America, Southeastern United States (Florida), Bermuda≥ $250 million7 (3)Doksuri (Dindo)June 25–3075 (45)992Philippines, Taiwan, China$418 thousandNone20UJune 29–July 145 (30)993Papua New GuineaNoneNone
July July was slightly active with only seven tropical cyclones being named, with all of them being named. + Tropical cyclones formed in July 2012 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsDanielJuly 4–12185 (115)961NoneNoneNoneEmiliaJuly 7–15220 (140)945NoneNoneNoneFabioJuly 12–18175 (110)966Baja California Peninsula, California, Western United StatesNoneNoneKhanun (Enteng)July 14–1995 (60)985Japan, Korea$11.4 million89Vicente (Ferdie)July 18–25150 (90)950Philippines, China, Vietnam, Laos, Burma$324 million32Saola (Gener)July 26–August 4130 (80)960Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, China$2.95 billion86DamreyJuly 27–August 4130 (80)965Japan, China, South Korea$4.37 billion48
August
+ Tropical cyclones formed in August 2012 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsHaikuiAugust 1–11120 (75)965Japan, Philippines, China$5.92 billion115ErnestoAugust 1–10155 (100)973Windward Islands, Jamaica, Central America, Yucatán Peninsula, Veracruz$252.2 million7 (5)FlorenceAugust 3–695 (60)1002Cape VerdeNoneNoneKirogiAugust 3–1095 (60)990JapanNoneNoneGilmaAugust 7–11130 (80)984NoneNoneNoneTDAugust 9–11Unspecified1008NoneNoneNoneHeleneAugust 9–1875 (45)1004Windward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Central America, Mexico (Tamaulipas)> $17 million2HectorAugust 11–1685 (50)995Western Mexico, Baja California PeninsulaNoneNoneKai-tak (Helen)August 12–18120 (75)970Philippines, China, Vietnam, Laos$765 million38GordonAugust 15–20175 (110)965AzoresNoneNoneTembin (Igme)August 17–30150 (90)950Philippines, Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea$8.25 million10Bolaven (Julian)August 19–29185 (115)910Ryukyu Islands, Kyushu Northeastern China, South Korea, North Korea, Russian Far East$3.59 billion96IsaacAugust 21–September 1130 (80)965Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Cuba, The Bahamas, Southeastern United States (Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama), Midwestern United States (Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana), Kentucky$3.11 billion34 (7)JoyceAugust 22–2465 (40)1006NoneNoneNoneTDAugust 23–24Unspecified1006JapanNoneNoneIleanaAugust 27–September 2140 (85)978NoneNoneNoneKirkAugust 28–September 2165 (105)970NoneNoneNoneLeslieAugust 30–September 11130 (80)968Leeward Islands, Bermuda, Atlantic Canada$10.1 millionNone
September
+ Tropical cyclones formed in September 2012 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsJohnSeptember 2–475 (45)1000Baja California PeninsulaNoneNoneMichaelSeptember 3–11185 (115)964NoneNoneNoneNadineSeptember 10–October 4150 (90)978Azores, United KingdomNoneNoneSanba (Karen)September 10–18205 (125)900Palau, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, China, Russia$378.8 million6TDSeptember 10–1355 (35)1006JapanNoneNoneKristySeptember 12–1795 (60)998Baja California PeninsulaNoneNoneLaneSeptember 15–19140 (85)985NoneNoneNoneJelawat (Lawin)September 20–October 1205 (125)905Japan, Philippines, Taiwan$27.4 million3MiriamSeptember 22–27195 (120)959Baja California Peninsula, TexasNoneNoneEwiniarSeptember 23–3095 (60)985Mariana Islands, JapanNoneNoneNormanSeptember 28–2985 (50)997Western Mexico, Baja California Peninsula, Northwestern Mexico, TexasMinimal1MaliksiSeptember 29–October 495 (60)985Guam, Marina Islands, JapanNoneNoneGaemi (Garce)September 29–October 795 (60)990Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand$4.1 million5
October