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Storms named Paula

Paula is the 16th name on the 2028 list of Atlantic hurricane names, so it is next scheduled for 2028. It is used that year only if the season reaches the letter P. Since 2001, two storms have been named Paula; the strongest, in 2001, peaked as a Category 3 cyclone.

Times used
2
2001–2010
Strongest
2001 · Cat 3
930 mb
Most recent
2010
Atlantic
Next scheduled
2028
Atlantic list, name 16 of 21
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20102001Tracks: IBTrACS / NHC

Has the name Paula been retired?

No. Paula is on the 2028 list of Atlantic names, and it is not among the 100 names NHC lists as retired from the Atlantic (Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names).

When will Paula be used again?

Paula is next scheduled for 2028, when the 2028 list is used. The six lists rotate, so each one returns every six years.

A name on the list is used only if the season gets that far. Paula is name 16 of 21, and 13 of the 46 Atlantic seasons from 1980 to 2025 got that far.

Every storm named Paula, newest first

Hurricane Paula (2010)

C2
Dates
October 11, 2010 to October 15, 2010 (5 days)
Peak wind
105 mph / 165 km/h · Category 2
Lowest pressure
981 mb
Ocean
Atlantic
Order in season
16th name of 2010

Paula formed in the Atlantic in October 2010 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 981 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Puerto Lempira, Honduras and last near Minas de Matahambre, Cuba. The system was tracked for 5 days.

Hurricane Paula (2010): track and history

Cyclone Paula (2001)

C3
Dates
February 25, 2001 to March 8, 2001 (12 days)
Peak wind
120 mph / 195 km/h · Category 3
Lowest pressure
930 mb
Ocean
Southern Hemisphere
ACE
19.8

Paula formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2001 and peaked as a Category 3 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 930 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 12 days.

Cyclone Paula (2001): track and history

Where storms named Paula made landfall

StormLandfall nearDate (UTC)Wind
Paula 2010Puerto Lempira, Honduras2010-10-11 12:0050 mph / 85 km/h
Paula 2010Minas de Matahambre, Cuba2010-10-14 15:0065 mph / 100 km/h

Why was the storm named Paula?

Names go in alphabetical order, one per storm, as each storm reaches tropical-storm strength (39 mph, 34 knots), so a storm’s place in its season decides its name.

In 2010, Paula was the 16th name used in the Atlantic season.

Paula in other oceans

Storms named Paula appear in more than one ocean in our archive:

  • Atlantic: 2010
  • Southern Hemisphere: 2001

Each ocean region keeps its own name lists, drawn up by its own WMO regional committee (Tropical cyclone naming), so the same name can be given to unrelated storms in different oceans.

Questions about the name Paula

When was the last time a storm was named Paula?

The most recent was Hurricane Paula in 2010, in the Atlantic. It formed on October 11, peaked at 105 mph (165 km/h) and lasted 5 days. It made landfall near Puerto Lempira, Honduras. It was the 16th name used in that Atlantic season. Before that, the name was used in 2001.

What was the strongest storm named Paula?

Cyclone Paula in 2001 was the strongest, peaking as a Category 3 cyclone with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 930 mb. It formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February. The weakest of the two, in 2010, peaked at 105 mph (165 km/h).