The 2002 Atlantic hurricane season was an average season in terms of named storms and major hurricanes, yet below average in terms of hurricanes in general. This season featured a total of 14 tropical cyclones, 12 named storms, 4 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. The two most notable storms were Isidore and Lili. Isidore, the strongest and costliest storm of the season, struck the Yucatan Peninsula as a high-end Category 3, causing 19 direct deaths, 3 indirect deaths, and $1.3 Billion 2002 USD in damage. Lili, the sole Category 4 of the season, struck the Gulf Coast as a strong Category 1, bringing in devastating storm surge that along with the winds and rain, caused over $925 Million 2002 USD in damage.
Hurricane Gustav was a category 2 hurricane of subtropical origin. The cyclone passed near the Outer Banks of North Carolina as a tropical storm, then passed over the eastern end of Nova Scotia and western Newfoundland as a category 1 hurricane.[7]
Hanna was a poorly-organized tropical storm that nevertheless produced rip currents responsible for three deaths off the beaches of the Florida panhandle.[8]
Hurricane Isidore was a slow-moving tropical cyclone that hit western Cuba as a category 1 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale) and the northern Yucatan Peninsula as a category 3 hurricane. It made landfall on the Louisiana coast as a strong tropical storm.[9]
Hurricane Kyle was a category 1 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale) that lasted for 22 days and became the third longest-lived tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin. Kyle eventually made landfall along the southeastern United States coast as a weak tropical storm before moving back out to sea.[11]
Hurricane Lili crossed western Cuba as a category two hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale and made landfall on the Louisiana coast as a category one hurricane. Lili also affected the Windward Islands as a tropical storm, the northeastern Cayman Islands as a category one hurricane and caused serious rainfall flooding in Jamaica. Thirteen deaths are attributed to Lili. Lili reached category four intensity over the Gulf of Mexico.[12]
In Spring 2003, it was announced the World Meteorological Organization had retired the names, Isidore, and Lili for the damage and deaths caused by the storms. They were replaced with Ike and Laura for the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season.
