2008 Atlantic hurricane season

Jun 1, 2008 – Nov 30, 2008 · Season ended

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season produced 16 named storms, 8 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes, against a 1991–2020 average of 14.4, 7.2 and 3.2. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 146, 119% of the average.

2007 season 2009 season All Atlantic seasons

Named storms

Avg 14.4 (1991–2020)

Hurricanes

64 kt or stronger · avg 7.2

Major (Cat 3+)

Avg 3.2 per season

Accumulated energy

119% of normal

ACE 146 vs 1991–2020 avg 123

Loading map…

Tracks colored by peak strengthTDTSC1C2C3C4

2008 season at a glance

Named storms: 16 (1991–2020 average 14.4).
Hurricanes (64 kt+): 8 (average 7.2).
Major, 96 kt+: 5 (average 3.2).
Accumulated cyclone energy: 145.8, 119% of the 123 average.
Named-storm days: 88.3, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
First named storm: Arthur, May 31.
First hurricane: Bertha, July 7.
First major storm: Bertha, July 7.
Last storm to dissipate: Paloma, November 14.
All systems tracked: 17, including 1 that stayed below tropical-storm strength.

Counts use 1-minute best-track winds: named storms reached 34 kt (39 mph), the next column 64 kt (74 mph) and major storms 96 kt (111 mph).

Every storm of the 2008 season

Storm	Dates	Peak	Min pressure	Landfall
Arthur	May 31 – Jun 2	TS	1004 mb	San Pedro, Belize
Bertha	Jul 3 – Jul 21	C3	952 mb	—
Cristobal	Jul 19 – Jul 23	TS	998 mb	—
Dolly	Jul 20 – Jul 27	C2	963 mb	Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Edouard	Aug 3 – Aug 6	TS	996 mb	Port Arthur, United States
Fay	Aug 15 – Aug 28	TS	986 mb	Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Gustav	Aug 25 – Sep 5	C4	941 mb	Jacmel, Haiti
Hanna	Aug 28 – Sep 8	C1	977 mb	Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
Ike	Sep 1 – Sep 15	C4	935 mb	Banes, Cuba
Josephine	Sep 2 – Sep 10	TS	994 mb	—
Kyle	Sep 25 – Sep 30	C1	984 mb	Yarmouth, Canada
Laura	Sep 26 – Oct 4	TS	990 mb	—
Marco	Oct 6 – Oct 7	TS	998 mb	Villa Emilio Carranza, Mexico
Nana	Oct 12 – Oct 15	TS	1004 mb	—
Omar	Oct 13 – Oct 21	C4	958 mb	—
TD 16L	Oct 14 – Oct 16	TD	1004 mb	Brus Laguna, Honduras
Paloma	Nov 5 – Nov 14	C4	944 mb	Santa Cruz del Sur, Cuba

Arthur: Arthur formed in the Atlantic in May 2008 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mb. It made landfall near San Pedro, Belize. The system was tracked for 2 days.
Bertha: Bertha formed in the Atlantic in July 2008 and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 952 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 18 days.
Cristobal: Cristobal formed in the Atlantic in July 2008 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 998 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
Dolly: Dolly formed in the Atlantic in July 2008 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 963 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Playa del Carmen, Mexico and last near Harlingen, United States. The system was tracked for 7 days.
Edouard: Edouard formed in the Atlantic in August 2008 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 996 mb. It made landfall near Port Arthur, United States. The system was tracked for 3 days.
Fay: Fay formed in the Atlantic in August 2008 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 986 mb. It made 8 landfalls, first near Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and last near Tallahassee, United States. The system was tracked for 13 days.
Gustav: Gustav formed in the Atlantic in August 2008 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 941 mb. It made 6 landfalls, first near Jacmel, Haiti and last near Houma, United States. The system was tracked for 12 days.
Hanna: Hanna formed in the Atlantic in August 2008 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 977 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands and last near North Myrtle Beach, United States. The system was tracked for 12 days.
Ike: Ike formed in the Atlantic in September 2008 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 935 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Banes, Cuba and last near Galveston, United States. The system was tracked for 14 days.
Josephine: Josephine formed in the Atlantic in September 2008 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 994 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
Kyle: Kyle formed in the Atlantic in September 2008 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 984 mb. It made landfall near Yarmouth, Canada. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Laura: Laura formed in the Atlantic in September 2008 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 990 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
Marco: Marco formed in the Atlantic in October 2008 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 998 mb. It made landfall near Villa Emilio Carranza, Mexico. The system was tracked for 2 days.
Nana: Nana formed in the Atlantic in October 2008 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
Omar: Omar formed in the Atlantic in October 2008 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 958 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
TD 16L: This system formed in the Atlantic in October 2008 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (45 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mb. It made landfall near Brus Laguna, Honduras. The system was tracked for 2 days.
Paloma: Paloma formed in the Atlantic in November 2008 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 944 mb. It made landfall near Santa Cruz del Sur, Cuba. The system was tracked for 9 days.

Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.

Strongest storm of 2008

Hurricane Gustav was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 155 mph (250 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 941 mb, on August 30. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

26 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 8 matched it. It produced 12% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.

Landfalls in 2008

11 of the season’s 17 systems made landfall, 6 of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.

May 31: Arthur near San Pedro, Belize, 45 mph (tropical storm)
July 21: Dolly near Playa del Carmen, Mexico, 50 mph (tropical storm)
July 23: Dolly near Port Isabel, United States, 85 mph (Category 1)
July 23: Dolly near Harlingen, United States, 80 mph (Category 1)
August 5: Edouard near Port Arthur, United States, 65 mph (tropical storm)
August 15: Fay near Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, 40 mph (tropical storm)
August 16: Fay near Anse à Galets, Haiti, 45 mph (tropical storm)
August 17: Fay near Pilón, Cuba, 50 mph (tropical storm)
August 18: Fay near Abreus, Cuba, 50 mph (tropical storm)
August 18: Fay near Key West, United States, 60 mph (tropical storm)
August 19: Fay near Marco Island, United States, 65 mph (tropical storm)
August 21: Fay near Ormond Beach, United States, 65 mph (tropical storm)
August 23: Fay near Tallahassee, United States, 50 mph (tropical storm)
August 26: Gustav near Jacmel, Haiti, 80 mph (Category 1)
August 28: Gustav near Morant Bay, Jamaica, 70 mph (tropical storm)
August 29: Gustav near Hayes, Jamaica, 70 mph (tropical storm)
August 30: Gustav near Nueva Gerona, Cuba, 145 mph (Category 4)
August 30: Gustav near Los Palacios, Cuba, 155 mph (Category 4)
September 1: Gustav near Houma, United States, 105 mph (Category 2)
September 2: Hanna near Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 85 mph (Category 1)
September 3: Hanna near Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 60 mph (tropical storm)
September 6: Hanna near North Myrtle Beach, United States, 70 mph (tropical storm)
September 7: Ike, 125 mph (Category 3)
September 8: Ike near Banes, Cuba, 130 mph (Category 4)
September 9: Ike near Candelaria, Cuba, 80 mph (Category 1)
September 13: Ike near Galveston, United States, 110 mph (Category 2)
September 29: Kyle near Yarmouth, Canada, 75 mph (Category 1)
October 7: Marco near Villa Emilio Carranza, Mexico, 65 mph (tropical storm)
October 15: TD 16L near Brus Laguna, Honduras, 30 mph (tropical depression)
November 9: Paloma near Santa Cruz del Sur, Cuba, 100 mph (Category 2)

How 2008 ranks since 1980

The season ranks 12th of 47 Atlantic seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 1 other season), 14th for hurricanes (tied with 4 other seasons) and 14th for accumulated cyclone energy.

The record since 1980 is 30 named storms, in 2020, and the highest ACE is 250, in 2005.

2008 storm names

The 2008 season used 16 names: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paloma.

1 system was tracked without a name and is listed by number.

Atlantic and East Pacific lists repeat every six years. See how storms are named.

The WMO later retired the names Gustav, Ike and Paloma, so they will not be used again.

2008 season FAQ

How many named storms were there in 2008?

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season had 16 named storms, 8 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes, from 17 systems tracked in all. The 1991–2020 average is 14.4 named storms, 7.2 at 64 kt or more and 3.2 major per season. The first to form was Arthur and the last was Paloma.

What was the strongest storm of 2008?

Hurricane Gustav. It peaked at 155 mph (250 km/h, 135 kt) with a lowest pressure of 941 mb on August 30. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 26 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 12% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.

When did the 2008 season end?

The official season ended on November 30, 2008, as it does every year in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Central Pacific. The last system, Paloma, dissipated on November 14. Storms that form in December still count toward that year: 6 Atlantic storms since 1980 reached tropical-storm strength in December.