The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates that conventionally delimit the period during each year in which most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean.

[19] Three hurricanes (Ernesto, Isaac, and Sandy) and three tropical storms (Beryl, Debby, and Helene) made landfall during the season and caused 354 deaths and around $71.6 billion in damages.

[37] After transitioning into an extratropical cyclone, the pressure gradient associated with Chris and a nearby non-tropical low produced gale-force winds over the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.

[38] A trough of low pressure in the central Gulf of Mexico developed into Tropical Storm Debby at 1200 UTC on June 23, while located about 290 miles (470 km) south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

It steadily strengthened, and at 1800 UTC on June 25, the storm attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 990 mbar (29 inHg).

As the storm approached the western Caribbean on August 5, wind shear and dry air briefly halted strengthening; convection diminished, exposing the low-level circulation, which had become somewhat less defined.

Due to a further organized appearance on microwave and geostationary satellite imagery, it is estimated Tropical Depression Six formed at 1800 UTC on August 3, while located about 130 miles (210 km) south-southwest of the southernmost islands of Cape Verde.

After formation, a subsequent increase in wind shear led to slow organization; despite this, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Florence at 0600 UTC the following day.

The low-level circulation subsequently became exposed and the cyclone degenerated into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure at 1200 UTC, while located about midway between Cape Verde and the Lesser Antilles.

Late on August 9, the National Hurricane Center initiated advisories on Tropical Depression Seven, while located about midway between Cape Verde and the Lesser Antilles.

The storm peaked with winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 965 mbar (28.5 inHg) on the following day, before weakening from colder ocean temperatures and increasing shear.

However, its outer bands spawned tornadoes and dropped isolated areas of heavy rainfall, causing severe local flooding, especially in Palm Beach County.

A combination of storm surge, strong winds, and heavy rainfall left 901,000 homes without electricity, caused damage to 59,000 houses, and resulted in losses to about 90% of sugarcane crops.

An environment of dry air, coupled with an increase of southwesterly vertical shear induced primarily by an upper-level low to the northwest of Joyce, continued to adversely affect the storm on August 24.

The circulation became better-defined, indicating that Tropical Depression Eleven developed at 1800 UTC on August 28, while located about 1,290 miles (2,080 km) southwest of the western Azores.

Late on September 5, Leslie was upgraded to a hurricane, shortly before strengthening to its peaking intensity with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 968 mbar (28.6 inHg).

Relatively strong winds on the island caused hundreds of power outages and knocked down tree branches, electrical poles, and other debris.

[26] At 1200 UTC on September 6, the storm reached Category 3 hurricane strength and attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 964 mbar (28.5 inHg).

The cyclone turned westward on September 9 and resumed weakening later that day, due to encountering wind shear generated by the outflow of nearby Hurricane Leslie.

Michael weakened to a tropical storm while accelerating northward on September 11, several hours before degenerated into remnant low-pressure area, while located well west of the Azores.

After strong wind shear and cold waters left Nadine devoid of nearly all deep convection, the storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone at 0000 UTC on October 4, while located about 195 miles (314 km) southwest of the central Azores.

A mid-level ridge near Cape Verde and a mid to upper-level low pressure northeast of the Leeward Islands forced the depression to move north-northwestward at roughly 17 mph (27 km/h).

The cyclone attained peak maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) at 12:00 UTC that day; its minimum barometric pressure bottomed out at 994 mbar (29.4 inHg) 18 hours later.

[63] A weak surface trough detached from a quasi-stationary frontal system on October 6, while located between 345 and 460 miles (555 and 740 km) north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The trough approached the southern Bahamas and acquired a closed circulation late on October 10, developing into Tropical Depression Sixteen early on the following day.

[65] However, the depression strengthened and by 0600 UTC on October 11, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Patty, while centered about 175 miles (282 km) east-northeast of San Salvador Island in The Bahamas.

A cold front moving off the East Coast of the United States caused the system to turn northward and eventually northeastward by October 16, at which time it peaked with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (145 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 969 mbar (28.6 inHg).

It also produced widespread devastation in Haiti, where over 27,000 homes were flooded, damaged, or destroyed, and 40% of the corn, beans, rice, banana, and coffee crops were lost.

Severe coastal flooding occurred in New York City, with the hardest hit areas being New Dorp Beach, Red Hook, and the Rockaways; eight tunnels of the subway system were inundated.

Tony strengthened further, and by 1200 UTC on October 24, attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1,000 mbar (30 inHg).