- List of storms in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season
The
2008 Atlantic hurricane season is an ongoing event in the annual cycle oftropical cyclone formation. The season officially started on June 1 and will run through November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in theAtlantic basin , though the season began slightly early when Tropical Storm Arthur formed off thecoast ofBelize on May 30.This year is the second most destructive behind the 2005 season. The season has begun far more active than normal and has been particularly devastating for
Haiti , where hundreds of people were killed by four consecutive tropical cyclones (Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike) in August and September. The season has also been very destructive, with over US$50 billion in damage so far, mostly in the U.S.Hurricane Ike has been the most destructive storm, making landfall nearGalveston, Texas at category 2 intensity and causing a particularly devastating storm surge due to its large size, and it caused catastrophic damage in the area - up to 30 billion dollars of it - and Ike killed over 150 people. Hurricane Hanna was the deadliest storm of the season, killing hundreds, mostly in Haiti. Hurricane Gustav killed 138 people and did up to 20 billion in damage to Haiti, Jamacia, The Cayman Islands, Cuba, and the United States. Hurricane Dolly was an early-season category 2 hurricane that did 1.5 billion dollars in damage to south Texas and northwestern Mexico, becoming the strongest and most destructive hurricane to hit the area during the month of July in recorded history. Hurricane Bertha was a rare early-season Cape Verde-Type hurricane that only did minor damage to Bermuda, but it became the longest-lived pre August atlantic tropical cyclone on record.torms
Tropical Storm Arthur
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Formed=May 30
Dissipated=June 2
1-min winds=40
Pressure=1004
Track=Arthur 2008 track.pngTropical Storm Arthur formed near theBelize coast late on May 30,cite web|author=Blake|title=Tropical Storm Arthur Tropical Cyclone Report|date=2008-07-28|publisher=NHC |accessdate=2008-08-23|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL012008_Arthur.pdf] developing out of the interaction between atropical wave and the remnants of Tropical Storm Alma, and made landfall on Belize on May 31. The system traversed theYucatán Peninsula slowly and dissipated inland early on June 2. When Arthur made landfall onBelize it caused an estimated US$78 million worth of damage and killed 9 people, 5 of them directly.Arthur is the first reported tropical storm to form in May since Tropical Storm Arlene in 1981. Other systems have formed, but were subtropical (such as Andrea in 2007). Given Arthur's very short lifespan,
Jeff Masters questions whether it would have been reported and named in the years prior to today's technology.cite web|author=Jeff Masters|title=The hurricane season of 2008 rings in with gender-confused Arthur|date=2008-07-28|publisher=Weather Underground |accessdate=2008-08-23|url=http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=954&tstamp=200806] The formation of Arthur also marks the first time that a "named" storm formed in May for two consecutive years.Hurricane Bertha
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Formed=July 3
Dissipated=July 20
1-min winds=105
Pressure=948
Track=Bertha 2008 track.pngEarly on July 1, a strong and largetropical wave emerged off the coast ofAfrica . [cite web|author=Blake|title=July 1 6z Tropical Weather Outlook|year=2008|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-07-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/text/TWOAT/TWOAT.200807010541.txt] By early the next day, a surface low developed and the wave became better organized. [cite web|author=Cangialosi|title=July 2 2:05a EDT Tropical Weather Discussion|year=2008|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-07-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/text/TWDAT/TWDAT.200807020558.txt] TheNational Hurricane Center upgraded the system to Tropical Depression Two in the morning hours of July 3 after the system was able to maintainconvection over its center for at least 12 hours.cite web|author=Blake|title=Tropical Depression Two Advisory 1 Discussion|year=2008|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-07-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/al02/al022008.discus.001.shtml?] The depression organized further and developed two distinct bands of convection. Six hours after becoming a depression, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Bertha, the second named storm of the season. [cite web|author=Brown|title=Tropical Depression Two Advisory 2 Discussion|year=2008|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-07-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/al02/al022008.discus.002.shtml?] The National Hurricane Center noted that this tropical cyclone was remarkably forecast up to a week in advance by many global computer models.After a bout of strengthening on July 6, Bertha was upgraded to a hurricane early on July 7 as satellite and microwave imagery indicated an eye feature had formed. It continued to strengthen that morning. Rapid intensification continued that afternoon and Bertha strengthened into a major hurricane with 120 mph (195 km/h) winds and a well-defined eye. The strengthening trend abated early on July 8, due to wind shear, and Bertha rapidly weakened back to a Category 1 hurricane that afternoon.
Bertha again began to rapidly intensify on July 9 as a new eye had formed and the system became more symmetrical. The NHC upgraded Bertha to a category two with winds of 105 mph (170 km/h) and stated that Bertha could intensify further to major hurricane status again, but instead weakened into an 85 mph (135 km/h) Category 1 hurricane.cite web|author=Rhome|title=Hurricane Bertha Public Advisory 27|year=2008|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-07-09|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT2+shtml/092032.shtml] On July 12, Bertha slowed in movement, becoming almost stationary and by July 13 this slow movement weakened the storm to tropical storm strength. The storm brought rain and tropical storm-force winds to
Bermuda on July 14, but no damage was reported. After slowly meandering to the east and then the southeast, Bertha regained hurricane strength on the 18th as it began accelerating towards the northeast. [cite web|author=Blake|title=Hurricane Bertha Public Advisory 63|year=2008|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-07-09|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/al02/al022008.public.063.shtml?] As it moved over cooler waters, it weakened slightly to a tropical storm late on July 19. It finally became extratropical on July 20 southwest ofIceland . Bertha is the longest-lived pre-August Atlantictropical cyclone on record. [National Hurricane Center . [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks1851to2007_atl_reanal.txt Atlantic Hurricane Database.] Retrieved on2008-07-13 .]Tropical Storm Cristobal
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Cristobal 2008 track.png
Formed=July 19
Dissipated=July 23
1-min winds=55
Pressure=998A tropical disturbance weather located off the east coast centralFlorida formed on July 15. The system slowly developed into a Tropical Depression on July 18 while located convert|65|mi|km|abbr=on|lk=on to the south-southeast ofCharleston, South Carolina . The depression gradually became better organized and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Cristobal the next day while located convert|225|mi|km|abbr=on to the southwest ofCape Hatteras, North Carolina . Cristobal paralleled theNorth Carolina coastline for the next two days with minimal to no impact as most of the convection and wind was located on the western half of the storm. However, there was some heavy rainfall amounting up to convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on|lk=on in localized areas of southern North Carolina. On July 20, Cristobal began to move away from the coastline and began to intensify as it passed over theGulf Stream . Cristobal peaked the next day with winds of convert|65|mph|km/h|abbr=on|lk=on. As Cristobal moved closer toNova Scotia , it began to lose its tropical characteristics. By July 23, Cristobal had transitioned into anextratropical cyclone. [cite web| author=Avila/Beven/Blake/Brown/Pasch| publisher=National Hurricane Center| date=2008-08-01 | accessdate=2008-09-04| title=Atlantic Tropical Summary for the Month of July|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/tws/MIATWSAT_jul.shtml?]Hurricane Dolly
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Dolly 2008 track.png
Formed=July 20
Dissipated=July 25
1-min winds=85
Pressure=964A strong tropical wave tracked across theCaribbean Sea in the third week of July. Despite producing strong convection and tropical storm-force sustained winds, it failed to develop a low-level circulation until July 20. That morning, reconnaissance aircraft found a low-level circulation and the system was declared Tropical Storm Dolly. This marked the fastest start of a hurricane season since 2005. [National Hurricane Center . [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks1851to2007_atl_reanal.txt Atlantic Hurricane Database.] Retrieved on2008-07-21 .]It made landfall early on July 21 as a weak and disorganized tropical storm near Cancun, and emerged over the
Gulf of Mexico later that morning. 17 deaths were reported inGuatemala from landslides caused by heavy rain on the fringes of Dolly.cite news|url=http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5884098/Tropical-storm-Dolly-kills-12-in-Guatemala|title=Tropical storm Dolly kills 12 in Guatemala |last=Staff writer|date=2008-07-21|publisher=Radio Netherlands Worldwide |accessdate=2008-07-21]On July 22 at 4 p.m. CDT, it strengthened into the second hurricane of the season. It steadily strengthened that night into the morning of July 23 and reached Category 2 intensity. It made landfall at 1 p.m. CDT (1800 UTC) on South Padre Island at peak intensity. Dolly caused no deaths in Texas but it became the most damaging hurricane in
Texas since 2005's Hurricane Rita, with US$1.2 billion dollars in damage, it was the most destructive hurricane to make landfall in Texas since 1983's Alicia , and was the fourth costliest Texas hurricane in history, behindHurricane Rita ,Hurricane Alicia , andHurricane Ike later in the season. The remnant low caused flash flooding and two deaths inNew Mexico before dissipating late on July 27.Tropical Storm Edouard
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Edouard 2008 track.png
Formed=August 3
Dissipated=August 7
1-min winds=55
Pressure=997A shear line stalled in the northeasternGulf of Mexico in early August as troughing aloft dug into the northeast Gulf of Mexico. This energy aloft helped to organize a surface low along the shearline early on August 2, [Tropical Prediction Center . [ftp://ftp.nhc.noaa.gov/pub/tafb_misc_maps/surface/pdf/2008_08/tsfc_2008080212.pdf Surface Analysis: August 2, 1200 UTC.] Retrieved on2008-08-03 .] which slowly organized over the following day. It strengthened into Tropical Depression Five before gaining intensity and being named Tropical Storm Edouard on August 3. The storm made landfall inSoutheast Texas near Port Arthur on the morning of August 5 as a strong tropical storm. As it moved inland, the system weakened into a tropical depression by afternoon. The depression weakened into a remnant low on August 7 while inland overTexas .Tropical Storm Fay
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Fay 2008 track.png
Formed=August 15
Dissipated=August 26
1-min winds=55
Pressure=986A vigorous tropical wave tracked into the northeasternCaribbean in mid-August. It produced heavy rain across theLeeward Islands and intoPuerto Rico before tracking westward, while unable to develop a low-level circulation despite producing tropical storm-force winds. On August 15, a closed circulation was found and the system was declared Tropical Storm Fay. Later that day Fay produced heavy rains on the island ofHispaniola prompting a major flash flood threat. Fay crossed Hispaniola, Cuba, and hit south Florida beginning late on August 18, slowly tracking northeastward across the peninsula. Significant flooding resulted in much of eastern Florida, along with some wind damage. After crossing into the Atlantic, Fay turned westward again and crossed northern Florida on August 22. As it zigzagged from water to land, it became the first storm in recorded history to make landfall in Florida four times. [ [http://www.webcitation.org/5aHy8Zxjf"Fay's 4th Florida landfall is one for record books"] , By BRENDAN FARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer, August 23, 2008] Fay weakened into a tropical depression along the north coast of theGulf of Mexico . Fay eventually weakened into a remnant low around noon on August 26 while located overAlabama , [ [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/FAY/FAY_44.html HPC Public Advisory 44 Fay] ] and then rapidly transitioned into anextratropical low six hours later. [ [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/FAY/FAY_45.html HPC Public Advisory 45 Fay] ]Hurricane Gustav
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Gustav 2008 track.png
Formed=August 25
Dissipated=September 4
1-min winds=130
Pressure=941A disturbance developed in the deep tropical Atlantic in the fourth week of August. It tracked westward into theCaribbean Sea where it encountered more favorable conditions, and became a tropical depression on the morning of August 25, west of theWindward Islands . It rapidly intensified into Tropical Storm Gustav early that afternoon and into Hurricane Gustav early on August 26. Striking southwestHaiti , it weakened into a tropical storm on the evening of August 27 due to land interaction and slowed down considerably. It re-organized further south into a strong tropical storm once again on August 28 before speeding up and hittingJamaica . Gustav has killed 85 people inHaiti , theDominican Republic , andJamaica , while 7 are still missing in Haiti. It then was upgraded to a hurricane again during the late afternoon ofAugust 29 . On the morning ofAugust 30 , Gustav was upgraded to a major Category 3 hurricane. After intensification slowed for a few hours, another round of rapid intensification occurred and Gustav was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane during a hurricane hunter flight around 1 p.m. EDT (1700 UTC), with 145 mph (230 km/h) winds. Continuing to intensify, it became a 150 mph (240 km/h) storm that afternoon before landfall. Soon after Gustav made landfall inCuba , firstly on the island ofIsla de la Juventud and later on the mainland near Los Palacios inPinar del Río Province , causing catastrophic damage, although it is difficult to estimate it; as of now damage is "estimated" at 3 billion dollars (2008 USD). It then emerged into theGulf of Mexico onAugust 30 , weakening into a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph (185 km/h) winds. However, the hurricane was still large, and early the next day, it made landfall onLouisiana . At 8 a.m. CDT September 1 the storm weakened to Category 2 just before landfall. OnSeptember 4 , Gustav was absorbed by acold front while over theOzarks . Gustav is responsible for 138 deaths and up to $18 billion in damage. [http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Government/Jindal_Landrieu_Urge_Congress_Aid_For_Hurricanes_Gustav_Ike___7523.asp]Hurricane Hanna
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Hanna 2008 track.png
Formed=August 28
Dissipated=September 7
1-min winds=70
Pressure=978Tropical Depression Eight formed onAugust 28 from a low pressure area east-northeast of the northernLeeward Islands . It was upgraded to a tropical storm later that day and named Hanna. On September 1, while Hanna was moving very near to the island ofMayaguana in the Bahamas, it was upgraded to Category 1 hurricane status. Hanna meandered around the southeastern Bahamas, weakening to a tropical storm while also dumping heavy rain on already-devastatedHaiti . Hanna moved rapidly northeastwards along theeast coast of the United States as a tropical storm. Hanna transitioned into an extratropical cyclone as it moved offshore fromMassachusetts early on September 7. At least 537 deaths have been blamed on Hanna, primarily in Haiti.Hurricane Ike
hurricane main|Hurricane Ike Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Ike 2008 track.png
Formed=September 1
Dissipated=September 14
1-min winds=125
Pressure=935A tropical disturbance developed off the coast ofAfrica near the end of August. It tracked south ofCape Verde and slowly developed. OnSeptember 1 it became Tropical Depression Nine while west of the Cape Verde islands and intensified into a tropical storm later that day, when it was given the name Ike. Ike developed an eye late onSeptember 3 as it underwent explosive intensification, as it strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in twelve hours with an estimated pressure drop of convert|43|mbar|inHg, from convert|991|to|948|mbar|inHg; and a 24 hour pressure drop of convert|61|mbar|inHg, from convert|996|to|935|mbar|inHg. Ike weakened back to a Category 2 hurricane before re-intensifying back to Category 4. It ripped acrossGreat Inagua Island andGrand Turk Island , where 80% of the buildings on Grand Turk were severely damaged or completely destroyed. It weakened into a strong Category 3 late in the afternoon of September 7 as it headed for landfall on the northeastern coastline of Cuba that evening. [http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/weather/09/07/hurricane.ike.carib/index.html#cnnSTCText] In addition, the storm killed at least 75 people inHaiti and 1 person in theDominican Republic . [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26540352/ MSNBC - Hurricane Ike begins lashing Cuba] ]As Ike crossed Cuba on
September 8 it weakened to a Category 1 hurricane and emerged into theCaribbean Sea , where it moved along or just off of the southern coast of Cuba. Ike killed 7 people as it traversed nearly the entirety of Cuba. It crossed into the Gulf of Mexico onSeptember 9 and ballooned in size. Ike maintained a doubleeyewall structure across most of the Gulf of Mexico and continued to expand in size. It made landfall onGalveston Island onSeptember 13 as a strong category 2 hurricane, but its large size brought storm surge of over convert|12|ft from Galveston Island eastward into southernLouisiana . TheBolivar Peninsula was worst affected by the surge, while Galveston Island (where waves topped the seawall) and the Port Arthur areas also saw extensive damage. Power was knocked out to most of the Houston area and windows were blown out of skyscrapers indowntown Houston . As Ike moved inland, it brought extensive flooding and wind damage throughout theMidwest and as far north asPennsylvania . It became extratropical onSeptember 14 . At least 63 deaths have been blamed on Ike in the U.S., with 27 of them caused directly.Damage from Ike is estimated at $31.5 billion (2008 USD), the third most destructive U.S. hurricane on record, behind Katrina in 2005 and Andrew in 1992. [http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1085&tstamp=200809] At least 145 total deaths have been blamed on Ike. It was the most destructive hurricane in Texas history. Ike was an extremely large and powerful storm. At one point, the diameter of Ike's tropical storm and hurricane force winds were 550 and 240 miles (885 and 390 km), respectively, making Ike the most massive Atlantic hurricane recorded. [cite blog |first=Jeff |last=Masters |title=Ike's record size. |url=http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1082&tstamp=200809&page=9 |publisher=Weather Underground |date=2008-09-12 |accessdate=2008-09-27] Ike also had the second highest IKE (Integrated Kinetic Energy) of any Atlantic storm in the past 40 years. Integrated Kinetic Energy is a measure of storm surge destructive potential, similar to the
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale , though the IKE is more complex and in many ways more accurate. On a scale that ranges from 1 to 6, with 6 being highest destructive potential, Ike earned a 5.2. [cite news|first=Mark |last=Powell|title=Ike Integrated Kinetic Energy. |url=ftp://ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/pub/hwind/2008/AL092008/0911/1630/AL092008_0911_1630_contour08.png|publisher= National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)|date=2008-09-11 |accessdate=2008-09-27] [cite blog |first=Jeff |last=Masters |title=Ike's storm surge extremes. |url= http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1081&tstamp=200809|publisher=Weather Underground |date=2008-09-11 |accessdate=2008-09-27]Tropical Storm Josephine
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Josephine 2008 track.png
Formed=September 2
Dissipated=September 6
1-min winds=55
Pressure=994A tropical disturbance developed off the coast ofAfrica near the end of August. It tracked south ofCape Verde and slowly developed. OnSeptember 2 it became Tropical Depression Ten while south-southeast of the southernmost Cape Verde islands. The depression was upgraded to a tropical storm later the same day as it passed to the south of the Cape Verde islands. Strong wind shear weakened the system over the next few days, and it dissipated onSeptember 6 without coming near any land. OnSeptember 7 the ex-Josephine disturbance regained some organization and regeneration seemed possible, but the low became exposed again and the NHC discontinued their statement about regeneration possibilities. The remnant lingered on for a few days, with a report on September 11 that it might regenerate, but dissipated without further action.Hurricane Kyle
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Kyle 2008 track.png
Formed=September 25
Dissipated=September 29
1-min winds=70
Pressure=984A strong tropical disturbance tracked across the northeasternCaribbean Sea in the third week of September. It meandered aroundPuerto Rico andHispaniola , dumping torrential rains across those islands causing a significant amount of damage, despite never developing a closed circulation. BySeptember 24 , it began to track northward away from the islands and into the open Atlantic water, and became a tropical storm onSeptember 25 . Kyle was upgraded to a hurricane during the afternoon ofSeptember 27 . It continued northward and maintained hurricane strength until landfall nearYarmouth, Nova Scotia inCanada late onSeptember 28 . A few hours later, Kyle became extratropical as the cold waters of theBay of Fundy took effect. In general, Maritimers were spared the anticipated damage. [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080929.wkyle0929/BNStory/GlobeSportsHockey/]Tropical Storm Laura
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Track=Laura 2008 track.png
Formed=September 29
Dissipated=October 1
1-min winds=50
Pressure=994In the last week of September, a very large non-tropical system over the north-central Atlantic slowly moved westward away from the
Azores . As it entered warmer waters, it slowly gained tropical characteristics and was declared Subtropical Storm Laura early onSeptember 29 . It became fully tropical the next day and was reclassified as Tropical Storm Laura. OnOctober 1 it became "post-tropical" (in the forecaster's words) as it moved over cooler waters.Tropical Storm Marco
Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=Atl
Formed=October 6
Dissipated=October 8
1-min winds=55
Pressure=998
Track=Marco 2008 track.pngTropical Depression Thirteen formed from a very small but well-organized low in theBay of Campeche on October 6. It rapidly intensified into Tropical Storm Marco with 65 mph (100 km/h) winds that afternoon. Marco made landfall nearVeracruz, Mexico the next morning at the same intensity. Marco dissipated that night as the small circulation moved inland.Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) rating
The table on the right shows the ACE for each storm in the season. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time (like Bertha) as well as particularly strong hurricanes (like Ike), have high ACEs. ACE is only officially released for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength. Subtropical storms are not included in season totals.
ee also
*
List of Atlantic hurricanes
*List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
*2008 Pacific hurricane season
*2008 Pacific typhoon season
*2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
*South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2007–08, 2008–09
*Australian region cyclone seasons: 2007–08, 2008–09
*South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2007–08, 2008–09References
External links
* [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/2008.html HPC rainfall page for 2008 Tropical Cyclones]
* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov National Hurricane Center Website]
* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIATWOAT.shtml National Hurricane Center's Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook]
* [http://www.webcamplaza.net/cams/hurricane1.html Webcamplaza.net hurricane 2008]
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