Hurricane Jake (2012)

Hurricane Jake was the strongest tropical in recorded history, and the 12th named storm of the hyperactive 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming near the Cape Verde islands as Tropical Depression Twelve, the depression intensified rapidly into Tropical Storm Jake. Originally forcast to be absorbed by active Category 4 Hurricane Julian, Jake's size expanded extraordinarily, continuing to intensify into a Category 5 hurricane after absorbing Hurricane Julian near Jamaica. With waters of over 95 degrees Fehreinheit, Jake became the largest and strongest tropical cyclone in world history, rapidly deepening and intensifying into a 400 mph storm with a peak pressure of 796 mbars. Jake also became the costliest and deadliest hurricane in world history, striking over 45 of the 50 states of America, and continuing to churn into Canada and Iceland.

Meteorological History
Jake was a tropical wave coming off the coast of Africa, near Nigeria. Facing warm waters that fed the likes of Hurricane Julian, churning in the Caribbean as a Category 4, the wave intensified into Tropical Depression Twelve on September 8. Forecast to continue intensfication, Twelve became Tropical Storm Jake the next day, its size increasing drastically as the process continued. Jake became a hurricane hours later, entering the Caribbean where Julian was stationary as a Category 5. Originally forecast to be swallowed by Hurricane Julian's stronger circulation, Jake rapidly deepened and became a Category 5 hurricane in a matter of an hour.