Notable Hurricanes Trivia Quiz

Answer: 2012

The name Sandy was given to an Atlantic hurricane that affected much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions of the United States in October-early November 2012. The storm ultimately killed around 233 people and inflicted nearly $70 billion in damages (2012 USD). Hurricane Sandy was notable not only for its devastating damage, but also for its unusually large size; it was classified as one of the largest hurricane in terms of diameter - the tropical force winds spanned nearly 900 miles.

Answer: Wilma

The most notable storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was arguably Hurricane Katrina, one of the most catastrophic and deadly hurricanes ever to hit the United States. However, the strongest hurricane in terms of barometric pressure in 2005 goes to Hurricane Wilma. Wilma hit Cancun, Mexico and south Florida in October of that year with a minimum mbar of 882.

In comparison, Katrina's lowest pressure was 902 mbar.

Answer: John (1994)

Hurricane John was the longest lived and farthest traveling cyclone ever observed. The storm lasted for almost a complete month from mid-August to mid-September 1994. The Category 5 hurricane traveled a whopping 7,165 mile track across the eastern and central Pacific Oceans. Despite being the longest lasting storm in recorded history, John had minimal impact on land.

Answer: Maria

Hurricane Maria was one of the worst hurricanes to ever strike United States soil. Maria made landfall over Puerto Rico as a high end category 4 hurricane on September 20, only to result in catastrophic damage. Puerto Rico's already weak electrical system was nearly completely destroyed, leaving the entire island of 3.4 million people without power in the weeks following the hurricane.

Some communities were still left without power even six months later. In total, Maria killed over 3,000 people - 2,975 in Puerto Rico alone- and caused nearly $92 billion in damage.

Answer: 2004

Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne were all retired following the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. All four storms made landfall over the south and southeast regions of the US with at least category 2 strength. Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne all made landfall in Florida and caused billions of dollars in damage. Hurricane Ivan made landfall in Alabama and traveled across the southeast United States and entered the Atlantic ocean. Ivan then traveled southward - unusual for a Atlantic cyclone - and then re-entered the Gulf of Mexico and struck Texas.

The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season is tied with 1955, 1995, and 2017 for the most number of retired names in a single season (4), only surpassed by 2005 (5).

Answer: Alicia

Hurricane Alicia was one of the tiniest major hurricanes on record and one of the only 4 named storms of at least tropical storm strength to form in the Atlantic in 1983. The average for the amount of named storms in the Atlantic totals about 12 per season; therefore 1983 was one of the least active on record.

The 1983 season was surpassed only by the 1930 and 1914 seasons, where only three and one named storm(s) formed respectively.

Answer: 2017

Category 5 hurricanes are the strongest classification that can be given to a hurricane, which by definition have maximum sustained winds of at least 157 mph. These types of storms are rare and on average form every 3 years in the Atlantic, and more than one category 5 hurricanes in a single season is exceptionally rare.

The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season featured 2 category 5 hurricanes: Irma and Maria. 2017 is only one of the six seasons since 1900 to feature more than one category 5 hurricane, the other five being 1932, 1933, 1961, 2005, and 2007.

The 2005 season - the most active in recorded history - was the only season on record to feature more than 2 category 5 storms.

Answer: 2008

Hurricane Ike was a powerful category 4 hurricane that struck the Greater Antilles and Texas in September of 2008. Ike made landfall in Cuba at as a major hurricane, causing at least $7 billion in damage. Days after its passage over Cuba, Ike slammed directly over the Houston metropolitan area at category 2 intensity, causing devastating flooding the reached as high as 12 feet.

Many buildings in downtown Houston sustained damage from the fierce winds due to the eye passing straight through the city limits. Overall, Ike caused nearly $38 billion worth of damages (2008 USD) and 214 fatalities.

Answer: Matthew

Hurricane Matthew of 2016 was notable because it broke the 9 year "category 5 dry spell", the period of time where no category 5 hurricanes formed in the Atlantic basin, the last being Felix of 2007. Matthew was also the first storm to affect the US at major hurricane intensity since Wilma in 2005 - 11 years prior.

By the time of Matthew's dissipation, the storm caused 603 deaths and around $15 billion in damage.

Answer: Opal

The year 1995 marked the only usage of the name "Opal" in the history of the Atlantic basin. In comparison, there are some storm names that have been used 10 times throughout the decades. Interestingly, all four names that were retired that year - Luis, Marilyn, Opal, and Roxanne - 1995 marked the only usage for all of them. Usually storm names go through several usages before retirement, but when single season marks the only usage for all four names that were retired, that's quite noteworthy.