In regards to Sandy, I find this advisory interesting:

HURRICANE SANDY TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL182012
130 AM EDT THU OCT 25 2012

…SANDY MAKES LANDFALL JUST WEST OF SANTIAGO DE CUBA…

SUMMARY OF 125 AM EDT…0525 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————————————
LOCATION…20.0N 75.9W
ABOUT 5 MI…8 KM W OF SANTIAGO DE CUBA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…115 MPH…185 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NNE OR 020 DEGREES AT 15 MPH…24 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…957 MB…28.26 INCHES

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT…ALONG WITH DATA FROM THE PILON CUBA WEATHER RADAR AND NOAA SATELLITES… INDICATE HURRICANE SANDY MADE LANDFALL ON THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF CUBA JUST WEST OF SANTIAGO DE CUBA AT APPROXIMATELY 125 AM EDT… 0525 UTC.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS AT LANDFALL WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 110 MPH… 175 KM/H. THIS MAKES SANDY A STRONG CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. REPORTS FROM SANTIAGO DE CUBA INDICATE SUSTAINED WINDS OF 78 MPH…126 KM/H…AND A GUST TO 114 MPH…183 KM/H…HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE PAST HOUR.

$$
FORECASTER STEWART/ROBERTS

Did it hit Major status?