[NewJerseyJoe]

This was more than just a hurricane. It was a hurricane merging with a nor’easter. Those outside the northeastern states may not be familiar with this kind of storm — think of it as kind of a “reverse hurricane.” Instead of bringing tropical moisture and pressure system coming from the southeast, it’s North Atlantic moisture, Arctic air masses, and a rotation from the northeast. We have to deal with these storms every year — some severe, some not so bad — although they usually don’t start so early in the year. These two systems collided and combined with a cold air front coming down from Canada. Sandy was rather a unique storm from a meteorological POV.

[Alice in Wonderland]

And then, in the Rockaways, there were the fires in Breezy Point

Belle Harbor

and Rockaway Park

And I thought the nor’easter that hit in December 1992 was bad . . .