Great Arctic Cyclone of 2012
The Great Arctic Cyclone, or "Great Arctic Cyclone of 2012," was a powerful extratropical cyclone that was centered on the Arctic Ocean in early August 2012. Cyclones of this magnitude are rare in the Arctic summer, although common in the winter. The Great Arctic Cyclone was the strongest summer storm in the Arctic and the 13th strongest storm observed at any time in the Arctic, since satellite observations began in 1979.
Satellite image of Great Arctic Cyclone of 2012 (center) which was an unusually strong storm which formed over Siberia on August 2, 2012 and tracked into the center of the Arctic Ocean, where it slowly dissipated. | |
| Type | Extratropical cyclone Polar low |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 2, 2012 |
| Dissipated | August 14, 2012 |
| Highest winds |
|
| Lowest pressure | 962 hPa (28.41 inHg) |
| Fatalities | None |
| Damage | None |
| Areas affected | Siberia, Alaska, Arctic, Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
Although the Great Arctic Cyclone did not cause the record melting of sea ice which occurred in 2012, turbulence from the storm is believed to have contributed to melting of sea ice, due to mechanical ice breakup and the rise of warmer saltier water from below; however the main oceanic heat source, associated with inflowing Atlantic water, remained isolated from the turbulence.