Hurricane Isaac
One of the tropical cyclone disasters on NOAA’s billion-dollar list: $3.8 billion in losses at 2024 prices ($2.8 billion at the time) and 9 deaths.
What the offices filed during it
The 67 most significant tropical cyclone episodes filed in these dates, colored by kind.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Losses, 2024 dollars
- $3.8 billion
- Losses at the time
- $2.8 billion
- Deaths
- 9
The losses and deaths are NCEI’s, counting everything the disaster did. The episodes below are only what the Weather Service filed in its Storm Events record, which counts damage differently and often not at all, so the two never add up and are shown apart.
By state, as filed
| State | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 77 | 3 | 0 | $612 million |
| Arkansas | 146 | 0 | 3 | $37 million |
| Florida | 49 | 3 | 0 | $21 million |
| Mississippi | 79 | 2 | 5 | $17 million |
| Virginia | 41 | 0 | 0 | $2.0 million |
| Utah | 9 | 0 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| South Carolina | 26 | 0 | 0 | $750,000 |
| Delaware | 2 | 0 | 0 | $600,000 |
| North Carolina | 10 | 0 | 0 | $530,000 |
| Maryland | 25 | 0 | 0 | $525,000 |
| Illinois | 24 | 0 | 1 | $278,000 |
| California | 12 | 0 | 0 | $259,000 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 0 | 0 | $150,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 | 0 | 0 | $147,000 |
| Missouri | 7 | 0 | 0 | $110,000 |
| Alabama | 6 | 0 | 0 | $30,000 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 0 | 0 | $12,000 |
| Nevada | 2 | 0 | 0 | $11,000 |
| Texas | 3 | 0 | 0 | $5,000 |
| Arizona | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Idaho | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Alaska | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Kansas | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| West Virginia | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Indiana | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Episode by episode
- Tropical Storm and Coastal Flood in Florida, August 25 to 27, 2012Tropical Storm Isaac moved from near western Haiti and the eastern tip of Cuba late on August 24, 2012, through the Florida Straits, and into the southeast Gulf of Mexico through August 27.
- Flash Flooding in North Carolina, August 25, 2012A band of moderate to heavy rain pivoted over central and northern portions of the North Carolina coastal plain during the early morning hours of the 25th as a low pressure center tracked north along the North Carolina Coast.
- Heavy Rain in Virginia, August 25, 2012Low pressure along the Mid Atlantic Coast produced scattered thunderstorms with heavy rain across portions of central and eastern Virginia.
- Flash Flooding in Virginia, August 25, 2012Scattered thunderstorms associated with low pressure along the Mid Atlantic Coast produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of eastern and southeast Virginia.
- Coastal Flood in Alaska, August 25, 2012A 984 mb low near Point Hope at 2100AKST on the evening of the 24th weakened to 991 mb between Point Hope and Point Lay at 0300AKST on the morning of the 25th. The low drifted to near Barrow and weakened to 998 mb by 2100AKST on the evening of the 25th.
- Flash Flooding in North Carolina, August 25, 2012Scattered thunderstorms associated with low pressure along the Mid Atlantic Coast produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of northeast North Carolina.
- Heavy Rain in North Carolina, August 25, 2012Low pressure along the Mid Atlantic Coast produced scattered thunderstorms with heavy rain across portions of northeast North Carolina.
- Flash Flood in Nevada, August 25, 2012Monsoon moisture fueled scattered thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert. Isolated flash flooding occurred.
- Flash Flood in Kansas, August 25, 2012On August 25, 2012 several rounds of moderate to heavy rain brought 3 to 5 inches of rain to portions of northeast Kansas.
- Flash Flooding in Delaware, August 25 to 26, 2012A series of slow moving thunderstorms associated with a nearly stationary low pressure system in Eastern Virginia caused flash flooding in Sussex County that started overnight on the 25th and lasted into the 26th. Doppler Radar storm total estimates reached around 8.5 inches.
- Flash Flooding in New Jersey, August 25 to 26, 2012A series of slow moving thunderstorms associated with a nearly stationary low pressure system in Eastern Virginia caused flash flooding in Cape May County during the evening and overnight on the 25th into the 26th. Doppler Radar storm total estimates reached around 5 inches.
- Flood in Maryland, August 25 to 26, 2012Scattered thunderstorms associated with low pressure along the Mid Atlantic Coast produced heavy rain which caused flooding across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
- Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Florida, August 26 to 31, 2012Tropical Storm Isaac moved west-northwest across the Florida Straits south of the Florida Keys on August 26. The northern edge of the wind and rain area associated with Isaac affected the South Florida peninsula throughout the day on the 26th.
- Heavy Rain in Maryland, August 26, 2012Low pressure along the Mid Atlantic Coast produced scattered thunderstorms with heavy rain across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
- Tornado in Pennsylvania, August 26, 2012A slow-moving upper level circulation moved from western Virgina east-northeast into the Chesapeake Bay/Delmarva region.
- Flash Flooding in Maryland, August 26, 2012The combination of a decaying low pressure system in eastern Virginia and convergence along bay breeze fronts caused thunderstorms with torrential downpours to form on the Eastern Shore.
- Flash Flooding in Maryland, August 26, 2012An area of low pressure was located over the Mid Atlantic which increased tropical southerly flow to the region. Heavy rain was the main threat but isolated thunderstorms produced damaging winds and lightning.
- Flash Flooding in New Mexico, August 26, 2012Isolated slow-moving thunderstorms across the Sangre de Cristo and Mogollon Mountains produced localized heavy rainfall. Flash flooding was reported along Interstate 25 near Glorieta and within the town of Mogollon along highway 159.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, August 26, 2012A slow-moving upper level circulation moved from western Virgina east-northeast into the Chesapeake Bay/Delmarva region.
- Heavy Rain in Arizona, August 26, 2012Thunderstorms dropped heavy rain over the area that was burned by the Schultz Fire (2010) causing water to flow into the neighborhood below.
- Flash Flood and Flood in Illinois, August 26 to 27, 2012During the evening of August 26th, torrential rain fell across portions of the Chicago Metropolitan area causing flash flooding.
- Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in Florida, August 27, 2012Tropical Storm Isaac passed southwest of east-central Florida, making its closest approach during the late afternoon and evening hours of August 26. Two tornadoes developed during the morning of August 27 and several tropical storm force wind gusts were observed.
- Tornado and Flood in Florida, August 27 to 30, 2012Tropical Storm Isaac crossed eastern Cuba on August 25th and moved northwest through the Florida Keys and into the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
- Heavy Rain in Florida, August 27 to 28, 2012Tropical Storm Isaac tracked WNW over the Florida Straits and over the southeast and east-central Gulf of Mexico. Fringe affects on the storm's NE side were experienced over Flagler county where periods of heavy rainfall occurred in squalls.
- Flash Flood in New Jersey, August 27, 2012Thunderstorms with heavy downpours caused flash flooding in Long Branch.
- Flooding in South Carolina, August 27, 2012Heavy rain produced localized street flooding in Horry County.
- Hurricane and Storm Surge in Louisiana, August 28 to 31, 2012Isaac entered the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm on August 26, moving northwest after crossing Haiti, Cuba and the Florida Straits. Isaac strengthened into a hurricane on the morning of the 28th when it was 75 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
- Tropical Storm in Florida, August 28 to 29, 2012Hurricane Isaac moved into central Louisiana. This track brought storm surge...flooding...and isolated tornadoes to the central gulf coast.
- Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in Mississippi, August 28 to 30, 2012Hurricane Isaac entered the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm on August 26, moving northwest after crossing Haiti, Cuba and the Florida Straits. Isaac moved slowly north northwest over the eastern Gulf .
- Tornadoes and Storm Surge in Florida, August 28 to 30, 2012For the most part, Hurricane Isaac missed the eastern Panhandle and Big Bend of Florida.
- Tornado and Tropical Storm in Alabama, August 28 to 30, 2012Hurricane Isaac moved into central Louisiana. This track brought storm surge...flooding...and isolated tornadoes to the central gulf coast.
- Flash Flooding in South Carolina, August 28, 2012Torrential heavy rainfall developed in the late morning hours within the broad circulation and deep tropical moisture around Tropical Cyclone Isaac. The heavy rainfall producing thunderstorms produced widespread flash flooding in and around Downtown Charleston.
- Tropical Storm and Flash Flood in Louisiana, August 28 to 31, 2012Hurricane Issac made landfall in Southeast sections of Louisiana, however tropical storm conditions were felt well to the west of the center. No injuries or deaths were reported. Scattered power outages and downed trees occurred.
- Flood in South Carolina, August 28, 2012Flooding around the city Georgetown.
- Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in Mississippi, August 28 to 31, 2012Tropical Depression Nine formed in the Atlantic, east of the Lesser Antilles, on the morning of August 21, 2012. Twelve hours later, Tropical Depression Nine had strengthened into Tropical Storm Isaac.
- Flash Flooding in Virginia, August 28, 2012Scattered thunderstorms along a cold front produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of southeast Virginia.
- Heavy Rain in Virginia, August 28, 2012Scattered thunderstorms along a cold front produced heavy rain across portions of southeast Virginia.
- Flooding in Virginia, August 28, 2012Scattered thunderstorms along a cold front produced heavy rain which caused flooding across portions of south central Virginia.
- Flash Flood in North Carolina, August 28, 2012A line of showers and thunderstorms developed along a pre-frontal surface trough that moved southward out of southern Virginia.
- Tropical Storm in Louisiana, August 29 to 30, 2012Tropical Depression Nine formed in the Atlantic, east of the Lesser Antilles, on the morning of August 21, 2012. Twelve hours later, Tropical Depression Nine had strengthened into Tropical Storm Isaac.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Mississippi, August 29 to 30, 2012Hurricane Isaac moved into central Louisiana. This track brought very heavy rainfall to southeast Mississippi along with tropical storm force wind gusts.
- Flash Flooding in North Carolina, August 29, 2012A stationary complex of thunderstorms dropped 3 to 4 inches of rain in around an hour's time. Three roads were closed due to flooding, though it was difficult to determine if any creeks were involved.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in California, August 29, 2012Lingering monsoon moisture continued to fuel scattered thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert. Isolated severe weather and flash flooding occurred.
- Flooding in South Carolina, August 29, 2012Road flooding west of Pawleys Island.
- Flash Flooding in South Carolina, August 29, 2012A line of thunderstorms developed late in the day and produced very heavy rainfall across much of the Downtown Charleston area. The rain fell in an area that had already seen extremely heavy rainfall amounts from the previous day.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, August 29 to 31, 2012Although Isaac was a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, it had weakened to a tropical depression by the time it reached Arkansas. Isaac passed through western Arkansas on the evening of the 30th and during the day on the 31st.
- Tornadoes in Alabama, August 30, 2012The outer remnants of Hurricane Isaac spawned an EF1 tornado in Geneva county.
- Tropical Storm and Flash Flood in Louisiana, August 30 to 31, 2012Hurricane Isaac made its second landfall during the predawn hours of August 29th across Southeast Louisiana.
- Flash Flood in California, August 30, 2012Scattered thunderstorms developed across portions of southwestern Imperial county during the late morning hours on August 30th.
- Flash Flood in Nevada, August 30, 2012Lingering monsoon moisture continued to fuel scattered thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert. Isolated severe weather and flash flooding occurred.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in California, August 30, 2012The month ended with one last major monsoon day. Convection developed rapidly and near the same time as an approaching short wave trough and daytime heating.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, August 30, 2012Scattered thunderstorms developed over the far southwest portions of Maricopa county during the evening hours on August 30th. Some of the storms produced locally heavy rainfall which led to flash flooding south of Gila Bend and along Highway 85.
- Tornadoes in Illinois, August 31, 2012With the remnant low of the Hurricane Isaac centered over southwestern Missouri, numerous showers and thunderstorms developed and rotated cyclonically around the remnant low. A few of the thunderstorms produced brief spinup tornadoes.
- Tornadoes in Illinois, August 31, 2012Remnants of Hurricane Isaac tracked northward into Missouri on August 31st, producing showers and and isolated thunderstorms across west-central Illinois. One of the cells produced two brief tornado touch-downs near the town of Franklin in Morgan County.
- Tornado in Missouri, August 31, 2012With the remnant low of the Hurricane Isaac centered over southwestern Missouri, numerous showers and thunderstorms developed and rotated cyclonically around the remnant low. A few of the thunderstorms produced brief spinup tornadoes.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Texas, August 31, 2012Hurricane Isaac made its second landfall during the predawn hours of August 29th across Southeast Louisiana.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Arkansas, September 1 to 18, 2012Although the remnants of Isaac were centered over Missouri on the 1st, showers and thunderstorms spiraling in toward Isaac's center affected most of Arkansas on the 1st and into the wee hours of the 2nd.
- Flash Flood and Flood in Illinois, September 1, 2012The remnants of Hurricane Isaac brought heavy rain and thunderstorms with isolated damaging winds. A southwesterly low level jet around 40 knots persisted along the southeastern flank of the circulation from Isaac.
- Tornadoes in Illinois, September 1, 2012The remnants of Hurricane Isaac passed through central Illinois on September 1st, triggering widespread showers and thunderstorms.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Utah, September 1 to 2, 2012The deep monsoonal moisture that moved into Utah at the end of August remained in place for the beginning of September. This moist airmass produced widespread showers and thunderstorms, with several of them becoming severe or producing flash floods.
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in Pennsylvania, September 1, 2012Low pressure moving across the Upper Ohio Valley produced scattered strong thunderstorms. A few storms contained very heavy rainfall and produced isolated flash flooding.
- Flash Flood in West Virginia, September 1, 2012A weak frontal boundary was located across the Mid Atlantic. A shortwave trough interacted with the front and scattered thunderstorms produced hail and damaging winds.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, September 1, 2012Remnants of Hurricane Isaac moved northward into Eastern Arkansas on September 1st, 2012. Numerous showers and thunderstorms occurred across the area as a result. Some thunderstorms became severe producing damaging winds and a couple tornadoes.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Missouri, September 1, 2012The remnants of Hurricane Isaac brought numerous thunderstorms with isolated tornadoes. A southwesterly low level jet around 40 knots persisted along the southeastern flank of the circulation from Isaac.
- Tornadoes in Idaho, September 1, 2012On the afternoon os September 1st two torandoes touched down in Cassia County between 4 and 5 pm MDT. One was just east of Declo and the second was 5 miles east northeast of Albion.
- Tornado in Indiana, September 1, 2012Strong thunderstorms impacted central Indiana on the 1st and 2nd as the remnants of Hurricane Isaac moved into the Ohio Valley. A weak tornado dropped down briefly near 16th Street and the White River just to the northwest of downtown Indianapolis on the evening of the 2nd.
- Tornado in Missouri, September 1, 2012Remnants of Hurricane Isaac moved northward into the Missouri Bootheel on September 1st, 2012. Numerous showers and thunderstorms occurred across the area as a result. Some thunderstorms became severe producing damaging winds and one tornado.
More
Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2012The 2012 hurricane seasonTornadoes in 2012
Sources
NOAA NCEI, U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2025), https://doi.org/10.25921/stkw-7w73, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.