An off-season Atlantic hurricane is a tropical or subtropical cyclone that existed in the Atlantic basin outside of the official Atlantic hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration currently defines the season as occurring between June 1 and November 30 each calendar year, which is when 97% of all Atlantic tropical cyclones occur. [1] Peak activity is known to be between August and October. [1] [2] Between 1938, when the United States Weather Bureau began issuing tropical cyclone warnings as a collaborative observation network for cities along the U.S. coastline, and 1963, the season was defined between June 15 and November 15. [3] In 1964, the season was extended to begin on June 1 and end on November 30, [2] which remains the official length of the season.
As of 2023 [update] , there have been 92 off-season cyclones recorded in the official Atlantic hurricane database, which dates back to 1851. In addition, six earlier such storms have been documented, but are not part of the database. The first off-season storm in the database was an 1865 storm that developed in the Caribbean Sea; an earlier documented 1863 hurricane is not part of the database. The most recent off-season system was an unnamed January subtropical storm in 2023.
Off-season storms are most likely to occur in May, with approximately 60% of such storms occurring during that month. Off-season cyclones are most likely to develop in the central to western Atlantic Ocean, and most do not make landfall. Of the storms that have, a tropical storm in 1948 that struck the Dominican Republic, killing 80 people in the Dominican Republic, was the deadliest. [4] However, the unofficial hurricane in 1863 killed 110 people, in a shipwreck off Florida and on land. That same storm was estimated to have reached winds of 105 mph (169 km/h), making it the strongest hurricane between December and May; the strongest currently in the official database was a March hurricane in 1908 that reached winds of 100 mph (160 km/h). In addition, the strongest off-season cyclone to make landfall in the United States was Tropical Storm Beryl in May of 2012, which made landfall near Jacksonville Beach, Florida with 65 mph (105 km/h) winds. [5] Hurricane Alice was the only one of the cyclones to strike land as a hurricane, doing so to islands in the northern Lesser Antilles; it caused locally heavy rainfall and moderate damage. [6] Of all cyclones during the off-season, Hurricane Lili in 1984 lasted the longest, for a total of 12 days. In 2005, Hurricane Epsilon maintained hurricane status for five days, longer than any other storm in December; the previous record was two and a half days, set by Hurricane Lili.
The year with the most off-season storms was 1887, with a total of five existing in the off-season. The 1951 season had four, one of which a depression. Several others had three tropical cyclones, of which only 2003 had three tropical storms. The 1908 and 1951 seasons were the only ones with two hurricanes forming in the off-season. In eight seasons, there were storms both prior to the start of the season as well as after the season ended, those being 1887, 1911, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1970, 2003, and 2007; all but 1911 had tropical cyclones of at least tropical storm status before and after the season. [7] [8] The longest streak of consecutive years featuring at least one pre-season storm was seven, from 2015 through 2021.
Tropical cyclones have been named in the Atlantic since the 1947 Atlantic hurricane season, and subtropical cyclones have been recognized in HURDAT since 1968. The National Hurricane Center issues names for tropical and subtropical cyclones once their winds reach 39 mph (63 km/h). Before 1950, storms were numbered based on their appearance in the Atlantic hurricane database; tropical depressions were unnumbered. [7] [8] [9] Storms before 1851 are unofficial and are not part of the official Atlantic hurricane best track. [10] In addition, a hurricane from May 1863, labeled "Amanda", is included after being rediscovered in 2013. [11]
The wind speeds listed are maximum one-minute average sustained winds, and the pressure is the minimum barometric pressure; tropical cyclones listed with N/A under pressure indicates there is no known estimated pressure. For deaths, "None" indicates that there were no reports of fatalities; death tolls listed as "several" mean there were fatalities reported, but an exact total is unavailable. For both deaths and damage, N/A refers to no known total, although such storms may have impacted land. The damage totals are the United States dollar of the year of the storm.
Name | Dates | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (USD) | Deaths | Refs | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Category | Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
Unnamed | May 23–24, 1771 | Tropical storm | ≥40 mph (64 km/h) | Not specified | Cuba | N/A | None | [10] |
Unnamed | May 25–26, 1779 | Tropical storm | ≥40 mph (64 km/h) | Not specified | Cuba | N/A | None | [10] |
Unnamed | May 28, 1794 | Tropical storm | ≥40 mph (64 km/h) | Not specified | Cuba | N/A | None | [10] |
Unnamed | December 13–22, 1822 | Category 1 hurricane | ≥75 mph (121 km/h) | Not specified | Eastern Caribbean Sea | N/A | None | [10] |
Unnamed | May 28 – June 5, 1825 | ≥Category 1 hurricane | ≥75 mph (121 km/h) | Not specified | Cuba, United States East Coast | N/A | 7 | [10] [12] |
Unnamed | May 20–21, 1838 | Tropical storm | ≥40 mph (64 km/h) | Not specified | Jamaica | N/A | None | [10] |
"Amanda" | May 24–29, 1863 | Category 2 hurricane | 105 mph (169 km/h) | 975 hPa (28.79 inHg) | Florida | N/A | 110 | [11] |
#1 | May 30, 1865 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | Not specified | Caribbean Sea | N/A | None | [7] |
#12 | November 25 – December 2, 1878 | Tropical storm | 70 mph (110 km/h) | Not specified | Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Jamaica | N/A | None | [7] |
#1 | May 15–18, 1887 | Tropical storm | 70 mph (110 km/h) | ≤997 hPa (29.44 inHg) | Atlantic Canada | N/A | None | [8] |
#2 | May 17–21, 1887 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | ≤1,002 hPa (29.59 inHg) | Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas | N/A | None | [8] |
#17 | November 27 – December 4, 1887 | Category 1 hurricane | 80 mph (130 km/h) | Not specified | Bahamas | N/A | None | [8] |
#18 | December 4–8, 1887 | Category 1 hurricane | 80 mph (130 km/h) | Not specified | Central Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [8] |
#19 | December 7–12, 1887 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | Not specified | Lesser Antilles, Colombia, Nicaragua | N/A | None | [8] |
#1 | May 16–21, 1889 | Category 1 hurricane | 80 mph (130 km/h) | Not specified | Western Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [8] |
#1 | May 27–29, 1890 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | Not specified | Cuba | N/A | 4 | [8] [4] |
Unnamed | May 1–6, 1899 | Tropical depression | 25 mph (40 km/h) | 1,010 hPa (29.83 inHg) | Haiti, Cuba | N/A | None | [8] |
Unnamed | January 17–19, 1900 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | Not specified | Central Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [8] |
#1 | March 6–9, 1908 | Category 2 hurricane | 100 mph (160 km/h) | ≤991 hPa (29.26 inHg) | Lesser Antilles | N/A | None | [8] |
#2 | May 24–31, 1908 | Category 1 hurricane | 75 mph (121 km/h) | 989 hPa (29.21 inHg) | North Carolina | N/A | None | [8] |
Unnamed | February 19–21, 1911 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,009 hPa (29.80 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [13] |
Unnamed | May 22–24, 1911 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | Not specified | Central Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [13] |
Unnamed | December 11–13, 1911 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,005 hPa (29.68 inHg) | Haiti, Cuba | N/A | None | [13] |
Unnamed | April 14–16, 1912 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | Not specified | Central Atlantic | N/A | None | [13] |
Unnamed | May 5–8, 1913 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,003 hPa (29.62 inHg) | Northern Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [13] |
Unnamed | April 29 – May 2, 1915 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,003 hPa (29.62 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [8] |
#1 | May 13 – 16, 1916 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (95 km/h) | 990 hPa (29.23 inHg) | Cuba, United States East Coast | N/A | None | [8] [14] |
Unnamed | May 12–15, 1922 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,008 hPa (29.77 inHg) | Nicaragua | N/A | None | [8] |
#4 | November 27 – December 1, 1925 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | 995 hPa (29.38 inHg) | Cuba, United States East Coast Bermuda, Azores | $3 million | 73 | [8] [15] [16] |
#1 | May 5–11, 1932 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | 995 hPa (29.38 inHg) | Dominican Republic | N/A | None | [17] |
#1 | May 14–19, 1933 | Tropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | 1,001 hPa (29.56 inHg)) | Yucatán Peninsula | N/A | None | [18] |
#1 | May 15–18, 1935 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 1,003 hPa (29.62 inHg) | Hispaniola | N/A | None | [19] |
Unnamed | May 21–26, 1936 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | Not specified | Texas | N/A | None | [20] |
#17 | December 4–6, 1936 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | 996 hPa (29.41 inHg) | Eastern Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [20] |
#1 | January 3–6, 1938 | Category 1 hurricane | 80 mph (130 km/h) | 992 hPa (29.29 inHg) | Eastern Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [21] |
#1 | May 19–24, 1940 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | <996 hPa (29.41 inHg) | Western Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [22] |
#1 | May 22–28, 1948 | Tropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | 1,004 hPa (29.65 inHg) | Dominican Republic | N/A | 80 | [7] [4] |
#1 | January 4–9, 1951 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | 997 hPa (29.44 inHg) | Western Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [7] |
Able | May 16–24, 1951 | Category 1 hurricane | 90 mph (140 km/h) | 973 hPa (28.73 inHg) | Bahamas, North Carolina | N/A | None | [23] [24] |
Unnamed | May 17–18, 1951 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1008 hPa (29.77 inHg) | Western Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [8] |
#12 | December 7–10, 1951 | Category 1 hurricane | 80 mph (130 km/h) | 995 hPa (29.38 inHg) | Azores | N/A | None | [7] |
#1 | February 2–3, 1952 | Tropical storm | 70 mph (110 km/h) | 990 hPa (29.23 inHg)) | Florida | N/A | None | [7] |
Alice | May 25 – June 7, 1953 | Tropical storm | 70 mph (110 km/h) | 994 hPa (29.35 inHg) | Cuba, Florida | N/A | 6 | [25] [8] |
Irene | December 7–9, 1953 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | ≤999 hPa (29.50 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [7] |
Unnamed | December 13–14, 1953 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | Not specified | Lesser Antilles | N/A | None | [8] |
Unnamed | January 27–28, 1954 | Subtropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,010 hPa (29.83 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [8] |
Unnamed | May 19–25, 1954 | Subtropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,010 hPa (29.83 inHg) | Northeastern Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [8] |
#1 | May 28–30, 1954 | Tropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | ≤997 hPa (29.44 inHg)) | North Carolina | N/A | None | [7] |
Alice | December 30, 1954 – January 6, 1955 | Category 1 hurricane | 90 mph (140 km/h) | 980 hPa (28.94 inHg) | Lesser Antilles | $623,000 | None | [6] |
#1 | May 25–27, 1958 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 999 hPa (29.50 inHg) | Western Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [7] |
Arlene | May 28–31, 1959 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | 993 hPa (29.32 inHg) | United States Gulf Coast | $500,000 | 1 | [26] |
TD | April 30, 1962 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | Not specified | Western Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [27] |
#10 | November 28 – December 4, 1962 | Category 1 hurricane | 90 mph (140 km/h) | 988 hPa (29.18 inHg) | Southeastern United States | N/A | None | [27] |
#10 | November 29 – December 2, 1965 | Tropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | 999 hPa (29.50 inHg) | Western Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [27] |
Alma | May 17–26, 1970 | Category 1 hurricane | 80 mph (130 km/h) | 993 hPa (29.32 inHg) | Cuba, Florida | N/A | 8 | [28] [29] |
Unnamed | November 28 - December 1, 1970 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | 987 hPa (29.15 inHg) | Western Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [30] |
Alpha | May 23–29, 1972 | Subtropical storm | 70 mph (110 km/h) | 991 hPa (29.26 inHg) | Southeastern United States | $100,000 | 2 | [7] [31] [32] |
#1 | April 18–21, 1973 | Tropical depression | 30 mph (48 km/h) | Not specified | Central Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [7] |
#2 | May 2–5, 1973 | Tropical depression | 30 mph (48 km/h) | Not specified | Central Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [7] |
#3 | May 19–20, 1974 | Tropical depression | 30 mph (48 km/h) | Not specified | Belize, Mexico, Cuba Jamaica, United States Gulf Coast | N/A | None | [33] [34] |
Unnamed | December 9–13, 1975 | Subtropical storm | 70 mph (110 km/h) | 985 hPa (29.09 inHg) | Northeast Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [7] |
One | May 21–25, 1976 | Subtropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | 994 hPa (29.35 inHg) | Florida | N/A | None | [7] |
Unnamed | January 18–23, 1978 | Subtropical storm | 45 mph (72 km/h) | 1,002 hPa (29.59 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | N/A | None | [7] |
Arlene | May 6–9, 1981 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 999 hPa (29.50 inHg) | Cuba, Bahamas | N/A | None | [35] |
Lili | December 12–24, 1984 | Category 1 hurricane | 80 mph (130 km/h) | 980 hPa (28.94 inHg) | Hispaniola | N/A | None | [36] |
#14 | December 7–9, 1985 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | Not specified | Western Caribbean | N/A | None | [7] |
#1 | May 24 – June 1, 1987 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,011 hPa (29.85 inHg) | Bahamas | N/A | None | [7] |
#1 | May 31 – June 2, 1988 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,004 hPa (29.65 inHg) | Cuba | N/A | 37 | [37] [38] |
Karen | November 28 – December 4, 1989 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 1,000 hPa (29.53 inHg) | Cuba | N/A | None | [39] |
#1 | May 24–27, 1990 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,007 hPa (29.74 inHg) | Cuba, Florida | None | None | [40] |
One | April 21–24, 1992 | Subtropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | 1,002 hPa (29.59 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [41] |
#1 | May 31 – June 3, 1993 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 999 hPa (29.50 inHg) | Cuba, Florida | None | 20 | [42] |
Nicole | November 24 – December 1, 1998 | Category 1 hurricane | 85 mph (137 km/h) | 979 hPa (28.91 inHg) | Northeastern Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [43] |
Olga | November 24 – December 6, 2001 | Category 1 hurricane | 90 mph (140 km/h) | 973 hPa (28.73 inHg) | Western Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [44] |
Ana | April 20–24, 2003 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 994 hPa (29.35 inHg) | Florida | None | 2 | [45] |
Odette | December 4–7, 2003 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | 993 hPa (29.32 inHg) | Hispaniola | $8 million | 10 | [45] [46] |
Peter | December 7–11, 2003 | Tropical storm | 70 mph (110 km/h) | 990 hPa (29.23 inHg) | Eastern Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [45] |
Otto | November 29 – December 3, 2004 | Tropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | 995 hPa (29.38 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [47] |
Epsilon | November 29 – December 8, 2005 | Category 1 hurricane | 85 mph (137 km/h) | 981 hPa (28.97 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [48] |
Zeta | December 30, 2005 – January 7, 2006 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | 994 hPa (29.35 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [48] |
Andrea | May 9–11, 2007 | Subtropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 1,001 hPa (29.56 inHg) | Southeast United States coast | Minimal | 6 | [49] |
Olga | December 11–12, 2007 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 1,003 hPa (29.62 inHg) | Greater Antilles | $45 million | 40 | [49] [50] |
Arthur | May 31 – June 2, 2008 | Tropical storm | 45 mph (72 km/h) | 1,004 hPa (29.65 inHg) | Belize, Yucatán Peninsula | $78 million | 9 | [51] |
#1 | May 28–29, 2009 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (56 km/h) | 1,006 hPa (29.71 inHg) | Western Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [52] |
Alberto | May 19–22, 2012 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 995 hPa (29.38 inHg) | South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia | Minimal | None | [53] |
Beryl | May 26–30, 2012 | Tropical storm | 70 mph (110 km/h) | 992 hPa (29.29 inHg) | Florida, Georgia, Cuba, The Bahamas | $148,000 | 3 | [5] [54] |
Unnamed | December 5–7, 2013 | Subtropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | 997 hPa (29.44 inHg) | Azores | None | None | [55] |
Ana | May 8–11, 2015 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 998 hPa (29.47 inHg) | Southeastern United States | Minimal | 2 | [56] |
Alex | January 12–15, 2016 | Category 1 hurricane | 85 mph (137 km/h) | 981 hPa (29.0 inHg) | Bermuda, Azores | Minimal | 1 | [57] |
Bonnie | May 27 – June 4, 2016 | Tropical storm | 45 mph (72 km/h) | 1,006 hPa (29.71 inHg) | Southeastern United States, The Bahamas | $640,000 | 2 | [58] |
Arlene | April 19–21, 2017 | Tropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | 990 hPa (29.23 inHg) | Central Atlantic Ocean | None | None | [59] |
Alberto | May 25–31, 2018 | Tropical storm | 65 mph (105 km/h) | 990 hPa (29.23 inHg) | Yucatán Peninsula, Cuba, Southeastern United States | $125 million | 18 | [60] |
Andrea | May 20–21, 2019 | Subtropical storm | 40 mph (64 km/h) | 1,006 hPa (29.71 inHg) | Bermuda | None | None | [61] |
Arthur | May 16–19, 2020 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 991 hPa (29.26 inHg) | Florida, Bahamas, North Carolina, Bermuda | $112,000 | None | |
Bertha | May 27–28, 2020 | Tropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) | 1,004 hPa (29.65 inHg) | The Bahamas, Florida, Georgia, The Carolinas, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania | $133,000 | None | |
Ana | May 22–24, 2021 | Tropical storm | 45 mph (72 km/h) | 1,006 hPa (29.71 inHg) | Bermuda | None | None | |
Unnamed | January 16–17, 2023 | Subtropical storm | 70 mph (110 km/h) | 976 hPa (28.82 inHg) | New England, Atlantic Canada | None | None | [62] |
Off-season storms are most likely to occur in May, followed by December. Several late November systems have persisted into December thus enhancing its count. Conversely, only one storm has formed in March, followed by February with two. Additionally, a pair of hurricanes have spanned two calendar years: Hurricane Alice in 1954–1955, and Tropical Storm Zeta in 2005–2006. [7] [8]
Month | Number of cyclones |
---|---|
January | 7 |
February | 2 |
March | 1 |
April | 7 |
May | 50 |
December | 28(Includes 11 that formed in November) |
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th parallel north in the northeast Pacific Ocean and the 31st parallel north in the northern Atlantic Ocean. The agency, which is co-located with the Miami branch of the National Weather Service, is situated on the campus of Florida International University in University Park, Miami, Florida.
The 1914 Atlantic hurricane season was the least active Atlantic hurricane season on record, with only one known tropical storm. Although hurricane season typically encompasses a much larger time-span, actual activity was confined to the middle of September. The only tropical cyclone of the year developed in the region of The Bahamas on September 15 and drifted northwestward, moving inland over Florida and Georgia. Thorough warnings before the storm prevented any major damage. The 1914 season is one of only two that did not produce any hurricanes. Due to the lack of modern technology such as satellite imagery, information is often sparse, and an additional tropical depression may have existed in late October.
The 1911 Atlantic hurricane season was a relatively inactive hurricane season, with only six known tropical cyclones forming in the Atlantic during the summer and fall. There were three suspected tropical depressions, including one that began the season in February and one that ended the season when it dissipated in December. Three storms intensified into hurricanes, two of which attained Category 2 status on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. Storm data is largely based on the Atlantic hurricane database, which underwent a thorough revision for the period between 1911 and 1914 in 2005.
The 1898 Atlantic hurricane season marked the beginning of the Weather Bureau operating a network of observation posts across the Caribbean Sea to track tropical cyclones, established primarily due to the onset of the Spanish–American War. A total of eleven tropical storms formed, five of which intensified into a hurricane, according to HURDAT, the National Hurricane Center's official database. Further, one cyclone strengthened into a major hurricane. However, in the absence of modern satellite and other remote-sensing technologies, only storms that affected populated land areas or encountered ships at sea were recorded, so the actual total could be higher. An undercount bias of zero to six tropical cyclones per year between 1851 and 1885 and zero to four per year between 1886 and 1910 has been estimated. The first system was initially observed on August 2 near West End in the Bahamas, while the eleventh and final storm dissipated on November 4 over the Mexican state of Veracruz.
The 1888 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1888. In the 1888 Atlantic season there were two tropical storms, four hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. However, in the absence of modern satellite and other remote-sensing technologies, only storms that affected populated land areas or encountered ships at sea are known, so the actual total could be higher. An undercount bias of zero to six tropical cyclones per year between 1851 and 1885 and zero to four per year between 1886 and 1910 has been estimated.
Tropical cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which temperate cyclogenesis occurs. Tropical cyclogenesis involves the development of a warm-core cyclone, due to significant convection in a favorable atmospheric environment.
The following is a list of weather events that occurred on Earth in the year 2002. There were several natural disasters around the world from various types of weather, including blizzards, cold waves, droughts, heat waves, tornadoes, and tropical cyclones. The deadliest disaster was a heat wave in India in May, which killed more than 1,030 people. The costliest event of the year was a flood in Europe in August, which killed 232 people and caused €27.7 billion (US$27.115 billion) in damage. In September, Typhoon Rusa struck South Korea, killing at least 213 people and causing at least ₩5.148 trillion (US$4.2 billion) in damage.
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