Hurricane Paloma - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

The wave that became Paloma moved west off the coast of Africa on October 23. The system became a low pressure system and remained steady on November 1 while in the southwestern Caribbean sea. On November 3, scattered convection formed along the circulation, which was poor defined. Convective banding became better organized, most of it drifted north-eastward due to the influence of the upper level winds. The low pressure area became a swirl of clouds and begin to show signs of organization while moving toward the northwest. The next day, it developed a low level circulation but remained exposed as its convection drifted northeastward. However, convective banding began to wrap around its center as it began to intensify but remained disorganized until the next day, when the disturbance became a depression- the seventeenth of the season. On November 6, cirrus outflow became circular around the center. Later that day, the depression strengthened into a tropical storm, and was named Paloma about 200 miles south-southwest of Grand Cayman. Paloma began to give heavy rainfall as is brushed through the coast line of Honduras and Nicaragua. Later that day, Paloma developed an eye like feature although its deep convection diminished as its deep outflow began to take place. Paloma headed northward, and strengthened into a hurricane according to supporting data from a NOAA buoy by the evening of November 6. Its circulation became even better organized but remained a relatively small hurricane. Gradual strengthening continued on November 7, and Paloma became a Category 2 hurricane that afternoon with its eye defined on the satellite. It continued to strengthen, but at a more rapid pace and became a Category 3 hurricane that evening, while passing very close to the south shore of Grand Cayman, with only minor damage reported. Paloma then took a more easterly turn, and became a Category 4 hurricane early on November 8, being the first Category 4 in November since 2001's Michelle, and was approaching Little Cayman and Cayman Brac at this time. The center of Paloma passed directly over the two islands that morning with 140 mph (220 km/h) winds, causing heavy damage.

Paloma continued eastward, and reached its peak intensity of 145 mph (230 km/h) on the morning of November 8, making it officially the third most powerful November hurricane by wind speed in recorded history, behind only the 1932 Cuba hurricane and Hurricane Lenny in 1999. Paloma held steady in intensity until late that afternoon, but as wind shear increased and most of its convection drifted away from the center. It suddenly weakened to a Category 2 hurricane just before making landfall near Santa Cruz del Sur, Cuba that evening. Paloma stuck the same area on the same day, and around the same time that the aforementioned 1932 hurricane did 76 years earlier. After making landfall, Paloma rapidly weakened over Cuba, both due to strong wind shear and land interaction. It rapidly slowed in movement after making landfall, and strong shear dissipated most of its convection, leaving only its low- and mid-level circulation. It weakened into a tropical storm early on November 9 and downgraded to a tropical depression that afternoon while stalling over the area. That evening, Paloma weakened into a remnant low. Very strong shear and cold water made the remnant loop and move back into the Caribbean, crossing Western Cuba. Convection developed and its remnant low reached the Florida Panhandle by November 14 which caused heavy rain in the area. The remnant low from Paloma dissipated on November 14, having been absorbed by a front without re-developing.