State of the Climate
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
November 2008

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.

Tropical Storm Polo formed from an area of low pressure approximately 1000 miles south of the tip of Baja, California on November 2. Later that same day, the system had developed enough for the National Hurricane Center to designate it a tropical storm. It remained a tropical storm until November 4 when it was downgraded to a depression. Its maximum wind speed was measured at 65 km/h (40 mph) and the lowest pressure was measured at 1005 millibars. More information on Tropical Storm Polo is available from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.