2008 Hurricane Season Review

The 2008 hurricane season was, as expected, more active than normal. For the first time since 1886, four tropical cyclones made landfall in one season along the western Gulf coast. And for the first time ever, six consecutive storms made landfall in the U.S.  This was also the first season that major hurricanes developed over five consecutive months in the Atlantic basin, which also includes the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.

Overall, 16 tropical storms developed this season, eight became hurricanes and of these, five were major hurricanes with winds over 110 mph.

Tropical Storm Arthur developed on May 31, the day before hurricane season officially began. The depression strengthened into a tropical storm just as it was making landfall in the Yucatan. It dissipated two days later.

In early July, Hurricane Bertha developed off the west coast of Africa. It's unusual for hurricanes to develop in this area, known as the deep tropics, so early in the season. Although the storm stayed over open water, Bertha eventually strengthened into a category three hurricane with 120 mph winds.

Tropical Storm Cristobal developed close to land. The storm drifted just off the South and North Carolina coasts for about three days before upper level winds pulled the storm out into the Atlantic.

While we were tracking Cristobal out east, we were also tracking Hurricane Dolly. This storm moved over the Yucatan, tracked across the Gulf of Mexico and eventually made landfall near South Padre Island in south Texas on July 23. It was the first of six consecutive storms to directly hit the U.S. and the first of four storms that would make landfall along the western Gulf coast between New Orleans and Brownsville. (See the map to the left.)

Tropical Storm Edouard was the second storm to affect Texas. The storm developed southeast of New Orleans, slowly moved westward and made landfall near Sabine Pass on August 5.

The state of Florida saw a little action in mid-August. Tropical Storm Fay developed in the Caribbean and tracked north, right up the middle of the state. The tropical cyclone eventually turned westward and barely tracked over the far northern part of the Gulf with final landfall near Mobile, Alabama.

Hurricane Gustav was the second major hurricane of the season. This tropical cyclone developed in the Caribbean in late August and grew into a powerful storm with 150 mph winds before passing over the western tip of Cuba. It maintained category three strength while tracking through the Gulf of Mexico and weakened slightly before landfall. Gustav was a category two hurricane when it hit Morgan City in south-central Louisiana.

The longest lived storm of the season was Hurricane Hanna. We tracked this storm for 11 days as it meandered around the western Atlantic. Eventually, Hanna did make landfall in North Carolina with winds just under hurricane strength.

And then there was Hurricane Ike, the worst storm of the season and not just because it made a direct hit on the Galveston-Houston area. Ike developed from a tropical wave in the central Atlantic Ocean. Winds topped 145 while the storm was still east of the Bahamas. It weakened to a category two storm while moving over Cuba. But the storm was large. The expansive wind field covered a large part of the Gulf of Mexico, producing a 15-20' storm surge when it made landfall in Galveston on September 13. Ike caused catastrophic damage along Bolivar Peninsula. Many homes and businesses were severely or completely damaged on Galveston Island, in Chambers County and along Galveston Bay. High winds produced widespread tree and power line damage around Houston and other inland communities.  The total damage cost is still being calculated.

Hurricane Kyle and Tropical Storm Laura developed over the open water of the Atlantic and dissipated without affecting populated areas. Tropical Storm Marco went looking for Polo in the Bay of Campeche in early October. Tropical Storm Nana was a storm for less than 24 hours in the far eastern Atlantic.

Hurricane Omar and Hurricane Paloma both strengthened into major hurricanes with winds reaching 125 and 145 mph respectively. Omar tracked through the Lesser Antilles while Paloma made landfall in central Cuba.

The National Hurricane Center will review every storm that developed this year. Some of the final storm reports have already been published and are linked within the text above. As additional reports are issued, new links will be added to this post. 

You will need the free Adobe Acrobat software to read the storm reports from NHC.