Hurricane Sandy was a powerful storm that struck the Caribbean region and the eastern United States in October 2012. Two strong weather fronts—a mass of cold arctic air and a tropical hurricane—came together, creating a storm unusual in its path and intensity. Strong winds and flooding from the hurricane caused great destruction in the Caribbean Islands and communities along the Atlantic Coast. About 150 people were directly killed by the hurricane. Most of these deaths occurred in Cuba, Haiti, and the United States. New York City and coastal areas of New Jersey faced especially severe damage. The hurricane also brought blizzard conditions to inland areas. Some news outlets labeled the hurricane “Superstorm Sandy.”
Sandy began as a tropical depression over the southwestern Caribbean Sea on October 22. A tropical depression is a low-pressure area surrounded by winds that have begun to blow in a circular pattern. Sandy increased to hurricane strength prior to striking Kingston, Jamaica, on October 24. The storm then proceeded to Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. Officials reported 69 deaths in the Caribbean.
The hurricane struck the eastern United States on October 28. At that time, the storm had a diameter of about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers). An arctic front from the northwest joined with the hurricane, creating an unusual combination of weather systems. Hurricane-strength winds and heavy rains hit the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts. Blizzard conditions hit the Appalachians. 
A third weather system over the Atlantic also affected the storm. This system prevented Sandy from taking the most common hurricane path east, away from the United States and out to sea. Instead, the system forced the hurricane west, onto the U.S. mainland, where it encountered the cold arctic air. The storm made landfall when the ocean was at high tide, increasing the power of its storm surge. Storm surges are rapid rises in sea level produced when winds drive ocean waters ashore. Remnants of the storm affected weather over the Great Lakes through October 31.
The storm caused about 160 direct and indirect deaths in the United States. Indirect deaths were due mainly to accidents caused by unsafe post-storm conditions. Sandy brought historic devastation to New York City, flooding subway tunnels and leaving hundreds of thousands of people without electric power. The borough of Staten Island suffered some of the worst flooding and loss of life. Coastal areas of New Jersey also suffered great damage. Waves washed away sections of the famed Boardwalk of Atlantic City. Other hard-hit states included Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia. Federal, state, and local governments coordinated rescue and relief efforts in affected areas.
Sandy struck the United States just over a week before the 2012 presidential election. The emergency altered the campaign plans of President Barack Obama and his challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Many observers believed that Obama’s leadership during the crisis contributed to his victory in the November election.
In January 2013, the U.S. Congress passed, and Obama signed, two relief bills related to the storm. One measure provided nearly $10 billion to pay flood insurance claims. Another provided about $50 billion for storm relief efforts, including funds to help rebuild homes, businesses, and public infrastructure.
