Overall, the season is tied as the fourth most active in terms of named storms and major hurricanes. The National Hurricane Center stated this year was the first time on record for six consecutive tropical cyclones (Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike) to make landfall on the U.S. This is also the first Atlantic hurricane season to have a major hurricane form in five consecutive months.
Why was the 2008 hurricane season so intense? There are multiple reasons for the active season. The following excerpt is from the National Hurricane Center.
- Increased hurricane activity: A combination of ocean and atmospheric conditions has spawned increased hurricane activity since 1995.
- Lingering La Nina Effects: Although the La Niña that began in the Fall of 2007 ended in June, its influence of light wind shear lingered.
- Warmer ocean temperatures: On average, the tropical Atlantic was about 1.0 degree Fahrenheit above normal during the peak of the 2008 season.
Other 2008 Hurricane Season Records
- Bertha was a tropical cyclone for 17 days (July 3-20), making it the longest-lived July storm on record in the Atlantic Basin.
- Fay is the only storm on record to make landfall four times in the state of Florida, and to prompt tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings for the state’s entire coastline.
- Paloma, reaching Category 4 status with top winds of 145 mph, is the second strongest November hurricane on record (behind Lenny in 1999 with top winds of 155 mph).