<Li> Commons: Sandy images </Li> <Li> Wikinews: Sandy stories </Li> <P> Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as "Superstorm Sandy") was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, and the third - costliest hurricane in United States history . Classified as the eighteenth named storm, tenth hurricane and second major hurricane of the year, Sandy was a Category 3 storm at its peak intensity when it made landfall in Cuba . While it was a Category 2 hurricane off the coast of the Northeastern United States, the storm became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record (as measured by diameter, with winds spanning 1,100 miles (1,800 km)). Estimates as of 2015 assessed damage to have been about $75 billion (2012 USD), a total surpassed only by hurricanes Katrina and Harvey . At least 233 people were killed along the path of the storm in eight countries . </P> <P> Sandy developed from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on October 22, quickly strengthened, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Sandy six hours later . Sandy moved slowly northward toward the Greater Antilles and gradually intensified . On October 24, Sandy became a hurricane, made landfall near Kingston, Jamaica, re-emerged a few hours later into the Caribbean Sea and strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane . On October 25, Sandy hit Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, then weakened to a Category 1 hurricane . Early on October 26, Sandy moved through the Bahamas . On October 27, Sandy briefly weakened to a tropical storm and then restrengthened to a Category 1 hurricane . Early on October 29, Sandy curved west - northwest (the "left turn" or "left hook") and then moved ashore near Brigantine, New Jersey, just to the northeast of Atlantic City, as a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane - force winds . </P>

Was sandy a tropical storm or a hurricane