Hurricane Paloma Headed for Landfall as Major Storm

Hurricane Paloma formed Nov. 6 and could reach major hurricane status before striking Cuba this weekend.

Photo: NOAA

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Hurricane Paloma is rapidly intensifying as it nears Cuba.

Paloma formed as a tropical storm early Thursday morning, and before the day was done, it was a Category 1 hurricane.

Forecasters expect it to gain additional strength, possibly reaching Category 3 status, which would make it a major hurricane. Already, it is packing ferocious 80 mph sustained winds.

It threatens the Cayman Islands today, and then will move on to Cuba by early Sunday morning, according to the latest forecasts.

Tropical Storm Paloma is the 16th named storm of the 2008 tropical storm season in the Atlantic basin, and the eighth hurricane.

Federal forecasters in August had predicted 14-18 named storms, including 7-10 hurricanes.

While November tropical storms are not unheard of, it's well past the traditional peak of hurricane season.

National Hurricane Center

Here's a look at the American hurricane season so far:

2008 Tropical Storms and Hurricanes - Atlantic

1. Tropical Storm Arthur formed quickly on May 31 off Belize, lost tropical storm strength in fewer than 24 hours, and brought punishing rains of 10-15 inches to parts of the Yucatán Peninsula, including Mexico and Guatemala.

NOAA

2. Hurricane Bertha formed as a tropical storm July 3 in the far eastern Atlantic, then debuted as the Atlantic's first hurricane July 7 and quickly grew to major hurricane status. By the time it affected land, July 14 in Bermuda, it was a strong tropical storm, causing rough surf and 3-5 inches of rain. It broke the record for longest-lived July storm and on July 18 reformed into a hurricane.

NASA

3. Tropical Storm Cristobal formed on July 19 off the coast of the Carolinas. The first named storm to threaten the U.S. coast, Cristobal threatened 3-5 inches of rain and strong storm surges across South and North Carolina.

NOAA

4. Hurricane Dolly reached Category 2 strength in the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall near the Texas-Mexico border July 23, 2008. Heavy rains and wind led to at least one death, flooding and damage in Texas and in neighboring states that may exceed $1 billion.

NASA

5. Tropical Storm Edouard formed August 3 in the Gulf of Mexico and though forecasters predicted strengthening and it passed by critical oil infrastructure, it was largely welcomed for relieving drought conditions in some parts of Texas and Louisiana.

NOAA

6. Tropical Storm Fay formed August 15 off the coast of the Dominican Republic and killed 35 people there and in Haiti before making a record five landfalls in Florida, where it killed 11 before moving on as a tropical depression, killing at least one in Georgia.

NOAA

7. Hurricane Gustav formed August 25 off the coast of Haiti and reached hurricane strength Aug. 26 before making landfall there. It has been blamed for dozens of deaths in the Caribbean, making it the deadliest tropical storm of 2008 in the Atlantic to date, even before it reached the Gulf Coast, where 2 million evacuated in preparation.

NOAA

8. Hurricane Hanna formed August 28 in the Central Atlantic and briefly attained hurricane strength Sept. 1. The storm was blamed for at least 163 deaths, and possibly more than 500, in Haiti. As a tropical storm, Hanna drenched the U.S. East Coast.

NOAA

9. Hurricane Ike formed September 1 and reached major Category 4 hurricane status Sept. 3. After losing some strength, Ike regained Category 4 hurricane status as it made landfall in the Bahamas Sept. 7. It has been blamed for dozens of deaths in Haiti. It devastated homes and infrastructure in Cuba, and led to more than two dozen deaths in the U.S., after it hit Texas as a Category 2 hurricane and continued through the Midwest as a large tropical depression.

NASA

10. Tropical Storm Josephine formed Sept. 2, with both Hanna and Ike also active in the Atlantic, but dissipated before affecting land.

NASA

11. Hurricane Kyle formed Sept. 25 and hit the Canadian Maritime provinces Sept. 28.

NASA

12. Tropical Storm Laura formed Sept. 29 and churned through the northern Atlantic.

NASA

13. Tropical Storm Marco formed Oct. 6 and made landfall in Mexico Oct. 7.

14. Tropical Storm Nana formed Oct. 12 and dissipated in the Central Atlantic without causing any significant problems.

15. Hurricane Omar formed Oct. 14 and threatened several islands in the Caribbean.

NOAA

16. Hurricane Paloma formed Nov. 6 off the coast of Central America and was expected to strike the Cayman Islands and then, as a major hurricane, Cuba.

NOAA

Remaining 2008 Tropical Storm and Hurricane Names - Atlantic

Rene - Sally - Teddy - Vicky - Wilfred

2008 Tropical Storms and Hurricanes - Pacific

1. Tropical Storm Alma brought heavy rains and winds to the Central American nations of Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala after forming May 29.

2. Hurricane Boris formed near Baja California and headed west into the Pacific, before reaching hurricane strength July 1.

3. Tropical Storm Cristina formed near Hawaii June 29 but dissipated before making landfall.

4. Tropical Storm Douglas formed July 2 and threatened to dump heavy rains on portions of southwest Mexico.

5. Hurricane Elida formed July 12 as a tropical storm and became the season's second Pacific hurricane July 14 when it became a weak Category 1 storm tracking westward from Mexico.

6. Hurricane Fausto formed as a tropical storm July 16 off the coast of Mexico. Like other 2008 Pacific hurricanes, the third of the year did not affect land.

7. Hurricane Genevieve formed in the Pacific Ocean, more than 580 miles off the coast of Mexico, on July 25, 2008. The fourth hurricane in the eastern Pacific, it did not affect land.

8. Hurricane Hernan formed August 6 hundreds of miles from Baja California and reached hurricane strength Aug. 8. On Aug. 9, it reached Category 3 status, the first major hurricane of 2008 in the Pacific. It lost hurricane Strength Aug. 11 and dissipated Aug. 12.

9. Tropical Storm Iselle formed August 13.

10. Tropical Storm Julio formed August 23 and made landfall in Baja California Aug. 24.

11. Tropical Storm Karina formed Sept. 2 in the eastern Pacific, and dissipated within about 12 hours.

12. Tropical Storm Lowell formed Sept. 6 in the eastern Pacific, and could reach hurricane strength, though it isn't expected to affect land.

13. Hurricane Marie formed Oct 1 as a tropical storm and reached hurricane strength Oct. 3. Marie is the sixth hurricane of the season in the Eastern Pacific.

14. Hurricane Norbert formed Oct. 6, after forming as a tropical storm Oct. 4. It could take a turn north toward Baja California.

15. Tropical Storm Odile (pictured here with Hurricane Norbert) formed Oct. 9.

Remaining 2008 Tropical Storm and Hurricane Names - Pacific

Polo - Rachel - Simon - Trudy - Vance - Winnie - Xavier - Yolanda - Zeke

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