Hurricane Paloma

Hurricane Paloma was the seventeenth tropical cyclone, sixteenth tropical storm, eighth hurricane and fifth major hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. It was a late season hurricane, setting several records for its intensity and formation. Paloma was the third most powerful November hurricane on record in the Atlantic Basin, behind only a 1932 hurricane and 1999's Lenny. It also marked the first time that at least 1 major hurricane formed in every month of the hurricane season from July to November, with only June not having a major hurricane this season.

Paloma developed out of a strong tropical disturbance off the eastern coast of Nicaragua and northern coast of Honduras on November 5. The disturbance had slowly developed into a tropical depression while hugging the coastline. The depression strengthened into a tropical storm early on November 6, then a hurricane later that day. The next day, Paloma intensified into a Category 2 hurricane then soon a Category 3. Early on November 8, Paloma continued to intensify and reached Category 4 intensity, and then weakened rapidly into a Category 2 before making landfall in Santa Cruz del Sur, Cuba. Paloma weakened into a tropical storm on November 9 while moving over Cuba, where it stalled out. It dissipated later that evening. Hurricane Paloma caused heavy damage in both the Cayman Islands and Cuba. Damages in the Caymans amounted to $154.4 million (USD), and damages in Cuba totaled to $300 million (USD), and $100,000 in damage to Jamaica, for a total of $454.5 million (USD), with 1 fatality.

Due to the damage caused by the storm in the Cayman Islands and Cuba, on April 22, 2009 the World Meteorological Organization retired the name Paloma from its rotating name lists. It will be replaced with Paulette in 2014.