Hurricane Paloma - Second Strongest November Hurricane

The 2008 hurricane season has turned out to be a record-breaking season. Dr. Jeff Masters reported that Hurricane Paloma was the second strongest November hurricane since records began in 1851. He also reported 2008 is the only hurricane season to feature at least one major hurricane - at Category 3 and above - in five separate months. This is significant because on average, only one storm forms every other year in the Atlantic during the month of November.

Paloma originated from a tropical disturbance in the southwestern Caribbean Sea. The storm is already over Cuba which was hit hard by both Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike earlier this season. Currently, Paloma has been downgraded to a tropical depression. According to the National Hurricane Center, Paloma is in for its 'imminent demise' due to increased vertical wind shear and the fact that the storm stalled over Cuba for almost a day.