Hurricane Season 2002: Lili Leaves Her Mark

The 2002 Hurricane Season ended on November 30. What kind of year was it? There were 12 named storms beginning in the Atlantic or Caribbean Ocean. Hurricane Lili was the most important for the U.S.

Formed as a tropical storm in late September, Lili swept ashore on Louisiana's central coastline in early October. She was the first hurricane to strike U.S. soil since 1999.

Lili also was distinguished for bringing a major rollout of federal, state and local emergency forces when she grew into a powerful Category IV hurricane during her northward trek in the Gulf of Mexico. Fortunately, Lili weakened to a much less dangerous storm just before landfall.

What else happened? Tropical Storms Fay caused damage in Texas and Tropical Storm Isidore caused damage in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. Tropical Storm Edouard hit Florida's Daytona Beach area, but didn't cause much damage. On the other side of the world, Typhoon Chata'an ravaged Guam in early July before invading Micronesia and the Northern Mariana Islands. Then Super Typhoon Pongsona hit Guam in December causing major damage!

The 2003 Hurricane Season will begin on June 1. Will you be ready?