Weather of 2012 explained

The weather of 2012 marked the fewest fatalities from natural disasters in a decade, although there were several damaging and deadly floods, tropical cyclones, tornadoes, and other weather events. These include blizzards, cold waves, droughts, heat waves, and wildfires.

The costliest single weather event of the year was Hurricane Sandy, which struck the northeastern United States in late October, with overall economic costs estimated at over US$67 billion.

Overview

The year began with La Niña conditions, meaning cooler than normal waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator. By later in the year, the global weather pattern shifted to more neutral conditions. The global temperature was 1.03°F above average, making it the tenth-warmest year ever recorded.^[1]

Throughout 2012, there were 9,655 people killed by natural disasters, which marked the fewest global fatalities in a decade. This included 3,574 deaths related to hydrological events. The lower than usual death toll was due to fewer flooding and cyclonic events. Asia was the continent most often affected during the year.

Deadliest events

Deadliest meteorological events during 2012

Rank	Event	Date(s)	Deaths (+Missing)	Refs
1	Typhoon Bopha	December 3	1,901
2	Pakistan monsoonal floods	September–October	455	^[2]
3	Hurricane Sandy	October 22–29	233
4	Krasnodar Krai floods	July 7	172
5	Rwanda landslides	May	131
6	Monsoonal floods in Assam, India	June 26	122
7	Ukraine cold wave	January	112
8
9
10

Types

The following listed different types of special weather conditions worldwide.

Cold snaps and winter storms

In January, cold temperatures of -30C killed 112 people in Ukraine, while avalanches and a cold wave killed 45 people across Afghanistan.^[3]

Floods

Throughout the year, floods killed 673 people in China,^[4] including July flash floods in Beijing which killed 79 people and left 10¥billion (US$1.6 billion) in damage.^[5] In May, floods and landslides killed 131 people in Rwanda. In June, monsoonal floods in northern India killed 122 people.^[6] In early July, a low pressure area in the Black Sea dropped 11abbr=onNaNabbr=on of rainfall in a few hours in parts of southwestern Russia, causing flash flooding that killed 172 people.^{[7] [8]} In September, monsoonal floods in Pakistan killed 455 people.^[2]

Heat waves and droughts

Drought conditions persisted across much of North America throughout the year, causing at least US$39.9 billion in damage, much of it from crop failures. A strong heat wave during the summer killed 129 people.

Elsewhere, drought conditions in northeast Brazil led to their government allocating R$2.7 billion (US$1.35 billion) worth of assistance for farmers and water distribution.^[9]

Tornadoes

See main article: Tornadoes of 2012. In March, a severe weather outbreak of 75 tornadoes killed 42 people and inflicted US$4.1 billion in damage across the southeastern United States and into the Ohio Valley.^[10]

Tropical and subtropical cyclones

See also: Tropical cyclones in 2012. At the start of the year, Tropical Cyclone Benilde was moving across the south-west Indian Ocean.^[11] The strongest tropical cyclone worldwide in 2012 was Typhoon Sanba in the western Pacific Ocean. On September 13, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) estimated maximum sustained winds of 285 km/h (180 mph).^{[12] [13]} The costliest storm of the year was Hurricane Sandy, which formed in October in the Caribbean Sea; after moving across Cuba, Sandy later evolved into a large extratropical cyclone that struck New Jersey, causing $65 billion in damage across the northeastern United States. Much of the damage was in the New York City metropolitan area, with train service disrupted for several weeks.^[14] The deadliest storm of the year was Typhoon Bopha, which killed 1,901 people and left US$1.16 billion in damage after it struck the Philippine island of Mindanao on December 3.^{[15] [16]} As the year ended, there were two tropical cyclones that lasted into early 2013 – Cyclone Freda in the South Pacific Ocean, and Tropical Cyclone Dumile in the south-west Indian Ocean.^[17]

In the Atlantic, there were 19 tropical storms, of which 10 became hurricanes, attaining winds of at least 120 km/h (75 mph).^[18] In the eastern Pacific, there were 17 tropical storms, of which 10 became hurricanes.^[19] The North Indian Ocean was inactive, with only five tropical cyclones, of which two became cyclonic storms.^[20]

Wildfires

Throughout the year, wildfires in the United States burned more than 9200000acres of land, killing eight people and causing US$2.3 billion in damage.^[10]

Extratropical cyclones and other weather systems

In late June, a costly and deadly derecho moved across the eastern United States, leaving 4.2 million people without power. The strong winds caused US$3.8 billion in damage and resulted in 28 fatalities.^[21]

Timeline

This is a timeline of deadly weather events during 2012.

January

• January – A cold wave across Europe produced temperatures of -30C in Ukraine, killing 112 people.^[22]
• January – March – Flooding in Bolivia killed 13 people.^[23]
• January 5–10 – Tropical Storm Chanda struck western Madagascar, killing one person.^[24]
• January 9–12 – Floods and landslides in northern Brazil killed 17 people.^[25]
• Mid-January – Avalanches and a cold wave killed 45 people across Afghanistan.^[26]
• January 17 – Subtropical Depression Dando made landfall in extreme southern Mozambique, the first storm to hit the southern portion of the country since 1984.^[27] The storm's rains killed four people in Mozambique and another six in South Africa. Damage in South Africa was around $65 million.^{[28] [29] [30] [31]}
• January 17–28 – Cyclone Funso formed and looped around the Mozambique Channel, bringing additional rainfall and floods after Dando struck Mozambique. The two storms collectively killed 40 people in Mozambique.^[32]
• January 20–24 – A weak tropical disturbance in the South Pacific produced heavy rainfall over Fiji, causing flooding and landslides that killed eight people.^{[33] [34] [35]}
• January 21 – Tropical Storm Ethel killed one person while passing near Rodrigues in the south-west Indian Ocean.^[36]
• January 24 – February 3 – A weather disturbance produced floods and tornadoes in Indonesia, killing 16 people. The disturbance would eventually become Tropical Cyclone Iggy in the eastern Indian Ocean, eventually striking Western Australia as a weakened storm.^{[37] [38]}
• January 24 – A landslide in Papua New Guinea killed at least 25 people.^[39]

February

• February – Across Afghanistan, 54 children died of hypothermia following a cold wave.^[40]
• February 7–24 – Cyclone Giovanna passed north of the Mascarene Islands, killing one person each on Réunion and Mauritius.^{[41] [42]} The powerful cyclone later struck eastern Madagascar, killing 35 people, with more than 44,000 houses destroyed.^[43]
• February 9–13 – Floods killed four people across the Philippines.^[44]
• February 25 – March 12 – Tropical Storm Irina moved across Madagascar, with its landslides and floods killing 72 people and leaving 70,000 people homeless.^[45] Later, Irina looped off southeastern Africa, causing 12 deaths between Mozambique and South Africa.^[46]
• February 28–29 – 2012 Leap Day tornado outbreak

March

• March–May – Rains and floods killed 22 people in Haiti.^[47]
• March 2–3 – A severe weather outbreak of 75 tornadoes killed 42 people and inflicted US$4.1 billion in damage across the southeastern United States and into the Ohio Valley.^[10]
• March 20 – An avalanche killed 17 people in northeastern Afghanistan.^[48]
• March 30 – Heavy rains from Tropical Depression 17F killed four people in Fiji.^[49]

April

• April – Floods and landslides killed 84 people in Kenya.^[50]
• April 4 – A windstorm killed 17 people in the Buenos Aires area of Argentina.^[51]
• April 13–16 – A severe weather outbreak of 98 tornadoes killed six people and caused US$1.5 billion in damage across the midwest of the United States.^[10]
• April 20 – Strong winds and rains caused a house to collapse in northern Vietnam, killing two people.^[52]
• April 20 – Heavy rains in the Comoros killed four people.Comoros: Floods – Apr 2012. ReliefWeb. July 3, 2023.
• April 23 – Heavy rains killed one person in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.DR Congo: Severe Local Storm – Apr 2012. ReliefWeb. July 3, 2023.

May

• May 2–3 – Flooding and landslides killed 127 people in Rwanda.^[53]
• May 5 – A landslide caused flash flooding in Nepal along the Seti River, killing at least 34 people.^{[54] [55]}
• May 12–13 – Flooding and landslides killed five people in the country of Georgia.^[56]
• May 17–22 – Flash floods in Afghanistan killed 17 people.^[57]
• May 28 – Tropical Storm Beryl made landfall in northeastern Florida, becoming the strongest pre-season Atlantic tropical cyclone to strike the United States. The storm killed two people.^{[58] [59]}

June

• June 14–17 – Hurricane Carlotta hit the southern coast of Mexico, killing seven people.^[19]
• June 23–30 – Tropical Storm Debby dropped heavy rainfall and caused a tornado outbreak across the southeastern United States, resulting in eight deaths.^[60]
• June 26 – Monsoonal floods began in the Indian state of Assam, killing 122 people.^[61]
• June 29–30 – A derecho moved eastward across the United States, killing 28 people and leaving US$3.8 billion in damage.

July

• July 7 – A low pressure area in the Black Sea dropped torrential rainfall in southwestern Russia, killing 172 people.^[8]
• July 21 – Flash floods in Beijing killed 79 people and left 10¥billion (US$1.6 billion) in damage.^[5]

August

• August 1–10 – Hurricane Ernesto moved through the Caribbean Sea, hitting Mexico twice, causing 12 fatalities.^[62]
• August 3 – A cloudburst in northern India caused flash floods that killed 35 people.^[63]
• August 11 – Landslides on Trinidad killed two people, related to a tropical wave that would eventually become Tropical Storm Helene.^[64]
• August 21 – September 3 – Hurricane Isaac moved through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, eventually striking Louisiana; the hurricane killed at least 34 people and left more than US$2 billion in damage along its path.^[65]

September

• September – Monsoonal floods in Pakistan killed 455 people.^[2]
• September – Heavy rains in Vietnam killed 16 people.Floods leave 54 dead and injured. September 10, 2012. July 3, 2023. Government of Viet Nam. ReliefWeb.
• September 10–19 – Typhoon Sanba, the strongest cyclone worldwide in 2012, took a generally northward path through the western Pacific Ocean, making landfall on South Korea on September 17.
• September 30 – Rainfall associated with Hurricane Miriam caused floods in Texas, killing one person.^{[66] [67]}

October

• October 10–11 – A deep depression killed 34 people when it hit Bangladesh.^[20]
• October 12–17 – Hurricane Rafael moved from the Caribbean to the open Atlantic Ocean, killing one person on Guadeloupe.^[68]
• October 22–29 – Shortly after transitioning into an extratropical cyclone, former Hurricane Sandy made landfall near Brigantine, New Jersey. Its large wind field caused $65 billion in damage across the northeastern United States, as well $2 billion in damage in Cuba. Along its path, Sandy killed 233 people.^[14]
• October 28 – November 1 – Cyclone Nilam looped off northeastern Sri Lanka before striking southern India, killing at least 71 people.^[20]

December

• December 3 – Typhoon Bopha strikes Mindanao in the southeastern Philippines, killing 1,901 people.^[15]
• December 9–27 – Cyclone Evan moved across the South Pacific, striking Samoa and Fiji, killing 14 people.^[69]

Notes and References

1. 2012—Third Warmest La Niña Year on Record. Climate.gov. Susan Osborne AND Jessica Blunden. January 15, 2013. June 30, 2023.
2. News: October 17, 2012. Agence France-Presse. Floods killed 455, affected five million: NDMA. Dawn.com. June 28, 2023.
3. Afghanistan Humanitarian Bulletin Issue 01. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. January 31, 2012. June 30, 2023.
4. News: January 5, 2013. Floods leave 673 Chinese dead, 159 missing in 2012. Xinhua. July 3, 2023.
5. Journal of Hydrometeorology. Hydrometeorological Analysis and Remote Sensing of Extremes: Was the July 2012 Beijing Flood Event Detectable and Predictable by Global Satellite Observing and Global Weather Modeling Systems?. Yu Zhang, Yang Hong, Xuguang Wang, Jonathan J. Gourley, Xianwu Xue, Manabendra Saharia, Guangheng Ni, Gaili Wang, Yong Huang, Sheng Chen, Guoqiang Tang. 16. 1. 2015.
6. March 29, 2013. India: Assam Floods (MDRIN009) – DREF Operational Final Report. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies. ReliefWeb. June 28, 2023.
7. Web site: Heavy Rains Cause Devastating Flood in Krymsk, Russia (as of 9 July 2012). ReliefWeb. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. July 9, 2012. June 27, 2023.
8. Russian Federation: Flash Floods DREF n° MDRRU015 Final report. July 23, 2012. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies. ReliefWeb. June 27, 2023.
9. May 14, 2012. REDLAC Weekly Note on Emergencies Latin America & the Caribbean – Year 5 – Volume 257. July 3, 2023. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. ReliefWeb.
10. Web site: U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters. 2023. July 3, 2023. National Centers for Environmental Information.
11. Web site: 2011 Intense Tropical Cyclone BENILDE (2011361S09095). June 27, 2023. IBTrACS.
12. Web site: 2012 Super Typhoon SANBA (2012254N09135). IBTrACS. June 27, 2023.
13. Impacts of Steering Flows with Different Timescales on the Track of Typhoon Sanba (2012). Journal of Meteorological Research. Qiao Liu . Melinda Peng . Weican Zhou . Tim Li. April 2021. 35 . 2 . 343–357 . 10.1007/s13351-021-0125-z . free .
14. Blake, Eric S. Kimberlain, Todd B. Berg, Robert J. Cangialosi, John P. Beven II, John L. February 12, 2013. Tropical Cyclone Report. PDF. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL182012_Sandy}} Hurricane Sandy: October 22 – 29, 2012]. National Hurricane Center. February 17, 2013. United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service.
15. Annual Disaster Statistical Review 2012: The numbers and trends. Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. August 31, 2012. ReliefWeb. Debarati Guha-Sapir, Philippe Hoyois and Regina Below.
16. News: Uy. Leo Jaymar G.. Pilar. Lourdes O.. Natural disaster damage at P374B in 2006–2015. PressReader. Business World. 8 February 2018. 8 February 2018.
17. Web site: Global Tropical System Tracks – December 2012. Steve Young. June 27, 2023.
18. Stacy Stewart. 2012 Atlantic hurricane season Annual Summary. National Hurricane Center. January 23, 2014. June 30, 2023.
19. Richard J. Pasch. 2012 Eastern North Pacific hurricane season annual summary. National Hurricane Center. May 8, 2014. June 30, 2023.
20. Report on Cyclonic Disturbances over North Indian Ocean During 2012. India Meteorological Department. June 30, 2023. March 2013.
21. http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/Derecho%202012_%20Review_0.pdf "A Review of Power Outages and Restoration Following the June 2012 Derecho, Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy"
22. Extreme winter condition – DREF Final Report (MDRUA006). June 29, 2012. June 30, 2023. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies. ReliefWeb.
23. Bolivia: Floods, Operations Update n° 1 (MDRBO007). June 14, 2012. June 30, 2023. ReliefWeb. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies.
24. Web site: Le cyclone Chanda fait un mort et des dégâts dans le Sud-Ouest de Madagascar . French . 2012-01-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120114113912/http://www.catnat.net/veille-catastrophes/catastrophes-monde/223-cyclones-et-tempetes-tropicales-monde/13378-le-cyclone-chanda-fait-un-mort-et-des-degats-dans-le-sud-ouest-de-madagascar.html . January 14, 2012 . mdy .
25. News: Rain, flooding, mudslides and human drama in the state of Rio de Janeiro. June 30, 2013. Government of Brazil. Isabela Vieir. Agência Brasil. January 12, 2012.
26. Afghanistan Humanitarian Bulletin Issue 01. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. January 31, 2012. June 30, 2023.
27. Web site: Tropical Storm Dando Hits Mozambique. Live Science. Andrea Thompson. January 16, 2012.
28. Web site: Tropical Storm Dando Hits Mozambique | Tropical Storm News, Images & Updates, Tropical Cyclone News, Updates & Images . OurAmazingPlanet.com . January 16, 2012 . January 21, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120119181622/http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/2272-tropical-storm-dando-hits-mozambique.html . January 19, 2012 . dead .
29. Web site: 4 killed, 11 injured from Dando tropical storm in southern Mozambique | Taiwan News | 2012-01-19 00:00:00. 19 January 2012.
30. Web site: Six killed in Mpumalanga floods . Times LIVE . January 23, 2012 . March 28, 2012.
31. Tropical cyclones in the Mozambique Channel: January–March 2012 . 10.1007/s11069-015-1691-0. 2015 . Chikoore . Hector . Vermeulen . Jan H. . Jury . Mark R. . Natural Hazards . 77 . 3 . 2081–2095 . 2015NatHa..77.2081C . 128614341 .
32. February 22, 2012. Storm and Cyclone – Emergency Appeal n° MDRMZ009. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies. June 27, 2023. ReliefWeb.
33. Fiji Islands Climate Summary January 2012. 33. 1. February 8, 2012. Fiji Meteorological Service.
34. Weather / Flooding update: 6pm 26/1/12. June 27, 2023. January 26, 2012. Government of Fiji. ReliefWeb.
35. News: Family among dead in Fiji landslide . January 26, 2012. June 27, 2023. ReliefWeb. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Dominique Schwartz.
36. News: Agence France-Presse. Emirates 24/7. January 21, 2012. January 1, 2019. Tropical storm kills one on Indian Ocean island.
37. News: Indonesia cleaning up in wake of Cyclone Iggy . Australian Broadcasting Corporation. January 31, 2012. ReliefWeb.
38. Web site: Tropical Cyclone Iggy. Bureau of Meteorology. June 27, 2023.
39. Papua New Guinea: Landslides – Information Bulletin n° 1. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies. February 24, 2012. June 30, 2023. ReliefWeb.
40. Winter Child Mortality in Badakhshan Province Incident Report No. 1. February 29, 2012. June 30, 2023. ReliefWeb. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
41. News: February 12, 2012. Giovanna fait un mort à Maurice. French. IMAZ Press. June 27, 2023.
42. News: February 11, 2012. Les conséquences du cyclone Giovanna à la Réunion. French. LINFO. June 27, 2023.
43. Tropical Cyclone Giovanna Madagascar, February 2012. PDF. 2012. Joint Research Centre of the European Commission . JRC Technical Reports.
44. Web site: NDRRMC Update: Final Report re February 9 Low Pressure Area (LPA). National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. February 17, 2012. June 27, 2023.
45. News: Tropical storm Irina claims 72 lives. IRIN. March 7, 2012. ReliefWeb. June 27, 2023.
46. Web site: Deadly cyclone lashes southeastern Africa.
47. Haiti: Humanitarian Snapshot (as of May 2012) – updated 23 May 2012. May 23, 2012. ReliefWeb. July 1, 2023.
48. North-Eastern Region, Badakshan Avalanche in Ners Village, Wakhan District Incident Report No. 01. March 21, 2012. June 30, 2023. ReliefWeb. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
49. News: Humanitarian Action Plan: Strategic Plan for Response to Fiji floods (TD17F) – March/April 2012. April 18, 2012. July 1, 2023. ReliefWeb. Joint UN Country Team in the Pacific.
50. Web site: Kenya: Floods – Apr 2012. 30 November 2013 . ReliefWeb. July 2, 2023.
51. Web site: Argentina: Severe Local Storm – Apr 2012. 11 June 2012 . ReliefWeb. July 2, 2023.
52. Hailstorms devastate northern provinces. Government of Viet Nam. ReliefWeb. July 3, 2023. April 23, 2012.
53. Rwanda – Floods and landslides, update (Meteorwanda, media, Reliefweb, DG ECHO) (ECHO Daily Flash of 04 May 2023). ReliefWeb. May 16, 2012. July 2, 2023. European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.
54. News: United Nations Country Team in Nepal. June 6, 2012. June 28, 2023. ReliefWeb. Devasting Flood in the Seti River.
55. News: Nepalnews.com. June 28, 2023. 141 people killed in natural disaster in last two months. July 2, 2012.
56. Flash floods DREF operation n° MDRGE004. May 16, 2012. July 1, 2023. ReliefWeb. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies.
57. May 22, 2012. Sari Pul Province, Sari Pul Town Flash floods Incident Report No. 4. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. ReliefWeb. July 1, 2023.
58. Beven II, John L. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL022012_Beryl}} Tropical storm Beryl]. Tropical Cyclone Report. December 12, 2012. National Hurricane Center. December 14, 2012. PDF. United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service.
59. News: Beryl's sad legacy: Teen's Daytona drowning. Lyda Longa. Dinah Voyles Pulver. May 30, 2012. The Daytona Beach News-Journal. June 30, 2023.
60. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL042012_Debby}} Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Debby]. Todd B. Kimberlain. January 7, 2013. January 7, 2013. National Hurricane Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. PDF. Miami, Florida.
61. March 29, 2013. India: Assam Floods (MDRIN009) – DREF Operational Final Report. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies. ReliefWeb. June 28, 2023.
62. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL052012_Ernesto}} Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ernesto]. National Hurricane Center. Daniel P. Brown. February 20, 2013. April 19, 2013. PDF. 1–2, 4. Miami, Florida.
63. August 2012 cloudburst and subsequent flash flood in the Asi Ganga, a tributary of the Bhagirathi river, Garhwal Himalaya, India . Vikram Gupta, D. P. Dobhal and S. C. Vaideswaran . 105. 2. Current Science. 2013. 249–253 . 24092646 .
64. Tropical Cyclone Report – Tropical Storm Helene (AL072012). Lixion Avila. National Hurricane Center. December 13, 2012. April 23, 2021.
65. Web site: [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL092012_Isaac}} Hurricane Isaac]. Tropical Cyclone Report. National Hurricane Center. 14 February 2013. Berg, Robbie R.. January 28, 2013.
66. Web site: Heavy Rain Event Report. National Climatic Data Center. June 30, 2023.
67. News: KTRE. Nacogdoches Co. woman dies during early morning flood. September 30, 2012. June 30, 2023.
68. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL172012_Rafael}} Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Rafael]. Lixion A. Avila. January 14, 2013. National Hurricane Center. 1–3. February 27, 2013. PDF. Miami, Florida.
69. News: Fox News. Fiji begins cleanup after Cyclone Evan rips through; Samoa death toll rises to 14. June 30, 2023.