Climate of 2008

Atlantic Hurricane Season

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.

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

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.

On October 6, Tropical Storm Marco formed in the Bay of Campeche. It developed from a well organized, but very small, low. With the low amount of vertical wind shear and relatively warm sea surface temperatures, Marco was able to quickly intensify, but remained just below hurricane status as it made landfall in Veracruz. Its maximum winds were at the time of landfall and were measured at 100 km/h (65 mph). Marco's lowest pressure was measured to be 998 mb. More information on Marco is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Nana formed over the eastern Atlantic on the afternoon of October 12. As a tropical storm, Nana traveled to the west-northwest. While on this track it encountered strong westerly shear which displaced its convection away from the center. The storm remained disorganized during its short lifespan and on October 14, the National Hurricane Center issued its final advisory. The maximum wind speed was measured at 65 km/h (40 mph) and its lowest pressure was measured at 1000 mb. More information on Nana is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

On October 13, Tropical Depression Fifteen formed from an area of low pressure in the Caribbean Sea and was guided northwestward by light steering currents. The depression strengthened enough by the next day to be named Tropical Storm Omar. During this time, Omar was moving towards the southeast, but just as quickly it turned to the north-northeast, and intensified into a hurricane. By October 15, Omar had intensified into a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 205 km/h (125 mph) and a pressure of 959 mb. Omar was the fourth major hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season. On the 16th, Omar entered cooler waters and experienced high wind shear, thus weakening it to a tropical storm and on the 18th, Omar had degenerated into a remnant low. Omar's unusual path caused some minor damage to the Leeward Islands as it became the first westward traveling hurricane to strike that area since Hurricane Lenny of 1999. More information on Omar is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Hanna was officially the eighth named tropical cyclone of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season on August 28. Influenced by Hurricane Gustav's circulation, Hanna drifted to the south from September 1-September 3. Conditions were favorable enough for the convection around the center to increase and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded Hanna to a hurricane on the afternoon of September 1, but just two days later the NHC downgraded the storm. After making a counter clockwise loop between the Turks and Caicos Islands, the storm moved from the west-northwest to the north for the next 3 days, and on September 6, Hanna made landfall near the border of the Carolinas as a tropical storm with a pressure of 983 mb and winds 102-111 km/h (55-60 kt or 63-69 mph). After turning northwestward, Hanna moved along the Atlantic Coast states and on September 7, made a 2nd landfall over Long Island. The storm's lowest measured pressure was 978 mb and highest winds were measured at 129 km/h (70 knots or 80 mph). Despite the storm's minimal hurricane status it still caused 536 deaths across Haiti and the U.S. Flooding in northern Haiti was the major cause of deaths and only minor damage was reported in the U.S. More information on the storm's impact on Haiti can be found on the Global Hazards page. More information on Hanna is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

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.

On September 2, Tropical Depression Josephine formed to the south-southeast of the Cape Verde Islands. Later the same day, Josephine was upgraded to a tropical storm. Conditions were not favorable for strengthening during the next few days, as strong upper level wind shear and dry air dominated the region. Josephine weakened into a depression on September 5 and by the next morning it had deteriorated into a remnant low. Josephine's highest winds were measured at 100 km/h (56 knots or 65 mph) and the storm's lowest pressure was measured at 994 mb. More information on Josephine is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

A low pressure system that plagued Hispaniola and Puerto Rico during the third week of September developed into Tropical Storm Kyle on the 25th. Influenced by a ridge over the central Atlantic and a low pressure area over the eastern U.S., Kyle maintained a swift northerly motion. Despite the strong southwesterly upper level shear, Kyle was able to gain hurricane status on the afternoon of the 27th. As Kyle moved over the cool waters of the North Atlantic, it barely maintained its hurricane intensity. With very little of its convection remaining, Kyle was downgraded to a tropical storm on the evening of September 28, but not before making landfall near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Hurricane Kyle's maximum intensity was 129 km/h (70 knots or 80 mph) and 984 mb. More information on Kyle is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Laura was the twelfth named storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. It formed west of the Azores on September 29 and due to its non-tropical characteristics, was initially declared a subtropical storm. On the afternoon of the 30th, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) determined that the radius of the strongest winds had contracted to 111 km (69 miles), the cloud tops had become colder and it had separated itself from an upper-level low. These factors attributed to the storm's re-classification as a tropical storm. However, by October 1, the NHC determined that Laura's convection had diminished and the cloud pattern was not distinct—reasons enough to downgrade the storm to a remnant low. The extratropical system then traveled to the east eventually bringing heavy wind and rains to the British Isles on October 5. Tropical Storm Laura had a peak sustained wind of 95 km/h (52 knots or 60 mph) and its lowest recorded pressure was 993 mb. More information on Laura is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Atlantic Tropical Storm Edouard developed in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico on August 3 and made landfall two days later near Port Arthur, Texas as a strong tropical storm. The system weakened into a tropical depression that afternoon and continued to weaken after moving inland. Edouard had maximum sustained winds of 65 km/hr (35 knots or 40 mph) and a minimum pressure of 997 mb. More information on Edouard is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Fay began as a westward-moving tropical wave which intensified into a tropical storm on August 15 just east of Hispaniola. Fay first hit Hispaniola and Cuba before moving north to Florida. The storm made landfall in the Florida Keys late on August 18, then hit the Florida peninsula the next morning and slowly tracked north-northeastward into the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Fay made landfall in Florida for the third time near Flagler Beach on the afternoon of August 21. Steered by an upper-level high pressure system, the storm moved west-northwest across Florida, emerging into the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and making its fourth Florida landfall on the morning of August 23 near Carrabelle in the Florida panhandle. Fay was the first storm on record to make four landfalls on the state of Florida (or any state). Parts of Florida received over two feet (610 mm) of rainfall from the slow-moving storm, and Fay produced flood-inducing rains across parts of Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas for several days. Fay had maximum sustained winds of 65 km/hr (35 knots or 40 mph) and a minimum pressure of 986 mb. More information on Fay is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Near the end of August, a tropical disturbance west of the Windward Islands strengthened into first a tropical depression, then a tropical storm on August 25. Early on the 26^th, this tropical storm intensified into Hurricane Gustav and made landfall near Jacmel, Haiti later the same day. Gustav briefly weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall and slowed considerably. The storm strengthened again to hurricane strength on August 29 and intensified to Category 4 strength later that afternoon. Hurricane Gustav made landfall on Cuba first on Isla de la Juventude and later near Los Palacios and continued moving northwestward toward the Gulf of Mexico. The hurricane continued this path across the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana on the morning of September 1. Over 100 deaths in the U.S. and the Caribbean, mostly in Haiti, were attributed to Hurricane Gustav. Gustav had maximum sustained winds of 240 km/hr (130 knots or 150 mph) and a minimum pressure of 941 mb. More information on Gustav is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Bertha developed as a tropical wave south of the Cape Verde islands on July 3, strengthening into Tropical Storm Bertha later that day. The storm further strengthened on July 6 and was upgraded to a hurricane early the next day based on satellite and microwave imagery. Bertha rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane with estimated 195 km/hr (105 knots or 120 mph) winds and a well-defined eye later the same day. The hurricane rapidly weakened to a Category 1 storm due to strong wind shear on the afternoon of July 8. The next day Bertha intensified briefly to a Category 2 hurricane, then later weakened. The storm weakened to tropical storm status on July 19 and was classified as extratropical the next day southwest of Iceland. Bertha was the longest-lived pre-August Atlantic tropical cyclone on record. Peak intensity was 193 km/hr (104 knots or 120 mph) with a minimum pressure of 948 mb. More information on Bertha is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Cristobal formed from a low pressure disturbance that moved northeastward from the Gulf of Mexico across Florida. The system continued to move northeastward near the east coast of the U.S. and became a tropical depression on July 18 about 65 miles south-southeast of Charleston, SC. As the storm slowly moved northeast, it intensified into a tropical storm the next day. Cristobal continued moving northeast away from the U.S. coast and reached its peak intensity of 105 km/hr (56 knots or 65 mph) on July 21 about 700 miles southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The system became extratropical two days later. Cristobal's minimum pressure was 1000 mb. More information on Cristobal is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Dolly originated from a tropical wave off the coast of Africa on July 11, 2008. The disturbance strengthened as it moved westward and formed a well-defined circulation on July 20 in the western Caribbean, when it was classified as a tropical storm. The storm made landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula on July 21 with maximum sustained winds near 80 km/hr (49 mph or 43 knots). Dolly moved northwestward, weakened, then reorganized over the Gulf of Mexico on July 21. The storm strengthened into a hurricane on July 22 and reached its peak intensity on July 23 shortly before its eye made landfall on South Padre Island, Texas. After landfall, Dolly steadily weakened and became a tropical depression the next day near the U.S.-Mexico border. Hurricane Dolly's peak intensity was 160 km/hr (86 knots or 100 mph) with a minimum pressure of 964 mb. More information on Dolly is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Atlantic Tropical storm Arthur developed off the Belize coast on May 31 from the remnants of Pacific Tropical Storm Alma, making landfall on Belize shortly thereafter and dissipating on June 2. Arthur is the first tropic storm to form in May since 1981. Arthur had maximum sustained winds of 65 km/hr (35 knots or 40 mph). More information on Arthur is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

• Saffir-Simpson Scale
• NOAA's National Hurricane Center
• University of Hawaii Tropical Storms page
• Wikipedia Article on the 2008 Atlantic Storm Season (Please note, Wikipedia is not considered an official source of information)