Climate Monitoring / Climate of 2008 / Atlantic Hurricanes / Help
Climate of 2008
Atlantic Hurricane Season
National Climatic Data Center,
Last updated - 11 December 2008
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Month
MAY | JUNE | JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | SEASONAL SUMMARY | Links
Storms
Arthur (5/31-6/2) | Bertha (7/3-7/20) | Cristobal (7/18-7/23) | Dolly (7/20-7/25)
Edouard (8/3-8/7) | Fay (8/15-8/26) | Gustav (8/25-9/3) | Hanna (8/28-9/7) | Ike (9/1-9/14)
Josephine (9/2-9/6) | Kyle (9/25-9/29) | Laura (9/29-10/1) | Marco (10/6 - 10/8)
Nana (10/12 - 10/14) | Omar (10/13 - 10/18) | Paloma (11/5 - 11/10)
East North Pacific basin Hurricanes link
Season Summary
Averages:
The 2008 Atlantic basin hurricane season was above the 1950-2000 average with 16 named storms, of which eight were hurricanes, including five major hurricanes. The ACE index of hurricane activity indicated an above-average season, with a preliminary value of approximately 142 x104 knots2. In terms of accumulated cyclone energy (based on integrated wind power of all tropical cyclones during the season, both landfalling and those remaining out at sea), 2008 ranked as the 16th most energetic season out of the last 59.
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NOAA's ACE Index 1949-2008
Click for larger image Atlantic ACE
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2008 Season Summary:
The first 2008 Atlantic storm to make landfall in the U.S. was Hurricane Dolly. The storm made landfall in South Padre Island, Texas on July 23rd. While there were no direct deaths from the hurricane, it caused an estimated $1.2 billion of damage. Tropical Storm Fay was the first storm in recorded history to make landfall four times in a single state. Fay first made landfall in southern Florida on August 18th and continued to batter Florida through the 21st. Thirty-six deaths were blamed on the tropical storm and damages are estimated in excees of $180 million.
On August 25th, Hurricane Gustav formed in the South Caribbean as the season's second major hurricane. Hurricane Bertha on July 3rd was the season's first. Hurricane Gustav first made landfall in Haiti and again in Western Cuba. On September 1st, Gustav made U.S. landfall in Louisiana as a category 2 hurricane. Gustav was blamed for 138 deaths in the U.S. and the Caribbean and an resulted in an estimated $4.3 billion of damage in the U.S.
As Gustav made landfall, Hurricane Ike began to form in the eastern Atlantic. Facilitated by favorable atmospheric conditions, Ike was able to quickly intensify into a category 4 hurricane on September 4th. On the 7th, while trying to recover from three earlier storms (Fay, Gustav, and Hanna), Cuba was hit again with winds estimated at 127-132 mph (203-213 km/h or 110-115 knots). Ike made U.S. landfall at Galveston, Texas, on September 13th as a category 2 hurricane. One-hundred-sixty-four deaths were blamed on Ike and damage estimates totaled more than $30 billion in the U.S., Cuba, and Bahamas, making Ike the 3rd costliest hurricane of all time behind Andrew and Katrina.
Hurricane Paloma was the last major hurricane in the Atlantic Basin's 2008 season. It was also the third major hurricane to hit Cuba (Gustav and Ike). This marks the first time on record that Cuba has been struck by three major hurricanes in one season. Paloma made landfall in Santa Cruz del Sur, Cuba on November 8th and caused an estimated $1.4 billion of damage.
This year was the second most destructive hurricane season on record with up to $54 billion in damage (2008 USD). The most destructive was $128 billion reported in 2005. It was the only year on record in which a major hurricane existed in every month from July through November in the North Atlantic (Bertha, Gustav, Ike, Omar, and Paloma). On July 20th, there were three active storms: Hurricane Bertha, and Tropical Storms Cristobal and Dolly. This was the earliest known date for three storms to be active on the same day. It is also noteworthy that none of the five major hurricanes (category 3 and above) were of major status at the time of U.S. landfall. This information is based on preliminary data and is subject to change. More details about these and all the 2008 Atlantic tropical systems can be found on
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November
Hurricane Paloma Satellite Image
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Hurricane Paloma Track
Saffir-Simpson Scale Color Legend |
Hurricane Paloma formed as a tropical disturbance in the most southern part of the Caribbean Sea on November 5. As it traveled to the north, Paloma increased in intensity and was categorized as a hurricane by the next day. This marked only the fourth time, since naming began in 1950, which an Atlantic basin hurricane was a name that began with a 'P'. With favorable conditions, Paloma gradually strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane and then on the following day, the storm quickly intensified into a Category 3. This was the fifth major hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. On November 8, Paloma became the first Category 4 hurricane to form in the month of November since Hurricane Michelle in 2001. Heavy damage was reported when Paloma made a direct hit on the islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. At that time, Paloma had winds of 220 km/h (140 mph), but later that day, the winds increased to 230 km/h (145 mph). Paloma had the second highest wind speeds of any November hurricane, after Hurricane Lenny in 1999. On the evening of November 8, the storm made landfall near Santa Cruz del Sur, Cuba with winds of 215 km/h (125 mph), powerful enough to create a 14-foot storm surge that traveled nearly 1.5 km (1 mile) inland. The hurricane also reportedly destroyed 435 homes and caused an estimated $1.4 billion worth of damage. This was the first time in recorded history that three major hurricanes have hit Cuba in the same season. After making landfall, the storm stalled out over eastern Cuba and weakened into a tropical depression on November 9. The last advisory was issued on November 10. Hurricane Paloma's maximum winds were measured at 230 km/h (145 mph) and its lowest measured pressure was 940 millibars. More information on Paloma is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.
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October
September
Hurricane Ike Satellite Image
(high resolution - 5.6 mb) |
Hurricane Ike Track
Saffir-Simpson Scale Color Legend |
In late August, a well defined tropical disturbance off the coast of Africa slowly tracked westward and eventually became Tropical Storm Ike on September 1. By the afternoon of September 3, Ike had intensified to hurricane status. With the aid of nearly zero vertical wind sheer, a strong low over the northwestern Atlantic and an upper-level trough in control over the eastern Atlantic, Hurricane Ike was able to intensify quickly into a Category 4 storm with a peak intensity of 233 km/h (126 knots or 145 mph) and a pressure of 935 mb. Ike's minimum central pressure of 935 mb, recorded on September 4, is the lowest pressure for the 2008 season. Strong northwesterly sheer on September 5 weakened Ike to a Category 3 storm as it moved westward towards Cuba, but as conditions improved, Ike strengthened back to a Category 4 Hurricane on September 6. Hurricane Ike made landfall in Cuba near Cabo Lucrecia on September 7 with winds estimated at 203-213 km/h (110-115 knots or 127-132 mph). More information on the effects of Ike on Cuba can be found on the Global Hazards page.
By September 9, Ike emerged into the southern Gulf of Mexico as a Category 1 hurricane. Unlike Ike's history in the Atlantic, the Hurricane was not as quick to re-intensify in the Gulf, however, it was able to grow in diameter encompassing nearly the entire Gulf of Mexico. The unusually large storm produced hurricane force winds as far as 193 km (120 miles) from the center and tropical storm force winds extending 445 km (275 miles). The large wind field caused tides around Galveston Island to rise as much as nine feet 24 hours before the storm made landfall. When Hurricane Ike made landfall at Galveston Island during the early morning hours of September 13, its winds were sustained at 176 km/h (95 knots or 109 mph) and the pressure was at 952 mb, enough to be a strong Category 2 hurricane. At the time of landfall, aircraft dropsondes and land-based Doppler radar measured wind speeds approximately 91 meters (300 feet) above the surface at 209 km/h (115 knots or 130 mph). These strong winds caused major damage to the high rise buildings in the downtown Houston area as well as some of the oil refineries in Texas City. Already suffering from the destruction that Hurricane Gustav created, the Gulf Coast oil companies had nearly 100% of its crude oil production, as well as 98% of all natural gas production disrupted from Ike (Associated Press). Storm surge was the major cause of damage associated with Ike as tidal gauges in the northwestern Gulf registered well above normal during a 3-day period. Some of the hardest hit areas were just north of Galveston on the Bolivar Peninsula where the towns of Crystal Beach, Caplen, and Gilchrist were destroyed. The storm surge in Louisiana was 5-13 feet. Terrebonne Parrish, which was not flooded from a direct hit by Hurricane Gustav, lost approximately 13,000 homes. By the afternoon on September 13, Ike barely maintained tropical storm status as it moved across eastern Texas and north-western Arkansas. After merging with a cold front on the morning of September 14, Ike weakened to a tropical storm, but not before causing major flooding and wind damage to the Ohio Valley region. Record daily rainfall totals were broken as Wichita, KS set a new 24-hour rainfall record of 10.31 inches and Helena, OK set a daily record of 8.74 inches on the 12th. On the 13th, Chicago O'Hare AP set a daily record of 6.64 inches and Laporte, IN set a daily record of 6.73 inches. Preliminary reports indicate that there were 8 deaths in the U.S., but there are about 130 missing persons from the Houston/Galveston area. More information on Ike is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.
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August
July
June
No tropical storms formed in the Atlantic Basin during June 2008.
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May
Useful Links
Questions?
For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:
Climate Services and Monitoring Division NOAA/National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 fax: +1-828-271-4876 phone: +1-828-271-4800 E-mail: ncdc.info@ncdc.noaa.gov To request climate data, please E-mail: ncdc.orders@ncdc.noaa.gov
For further information on the historical climate perspective presented in this report, contact:
David Levinson NOAA/National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 fax: 828-271-4328 email: David.Levinson@noaa.gov
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NCDC / Climate Monitoring / Climate of 2008 / hurricanes / Help
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