This article or section contains information about an ongoing meteorological event or phenomenon. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. (May 2008)

2008 Pacific hurricane season (active)

First system1 formed:	May 28, 2008
Active systems1:	Lowell
Total named storms:	12 Eastern, 1 Central
Total hurricanes:	5
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+):	1
Strongest storm:	Hernan - 956 mbar (hPa) (28.23 inHg), 120 mph (195 km/h)
Number of systems1 making landfall:	3
Total damage:	$33 million (2008 USD)
Total ACE:	51.7 — East 1.59 — Central
Confirmed fatalities:	4 direct, 7 indirect
Pacific hurricane seasons 2006 2007 2008 Post-2008 1Includes tropical and subtropical depressions

The 2008 Pacific hurricane season is an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It officially started May 15, 2008 in the eastern Pacific, started on June 1, 2008 in the central Pacific, and will last until November 30, 2008.

Seasonal forecasts

On May 22, 2008, NOAA released their forecast for the 2008 Eastern Pacific and Central Pacific hurricane seasons. They predicted a below-normal level of activity in the Eastern Pacific, with 11 to 16 named storms, of which 5 to 8 were expected to become hurricanes, and 1 to 3 expected to become major hurricanes.^[2]

The Central Pacific basin was also expected to be slightly below average, with three to four tropical cyclones expected to form or cross into the area.^[3]

Storms

Tropical Storm Alma

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	May 28—May 30
Intensity	65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min), 994 mbar (hPa)

Main article: Tropical Storm Alma (2008)

An area of low pressure formed early on May 27 about 220 nm southwest of Nicaragua. ^[4] it then intensified and became the first tropical depression of the 2008 season late the next day. ^[5] It then strengthened into a tropical storm early on May 29, and was named Alma. ^[6] Alma then rapidly strengthened reaching her peak winds of 65 mph just before Alma made landfall on the Northwestern coast of Nicaragua near León at peak strength. ^[4]

León lost electricity and telephone services as the storm impacted the area, trees were toppled and some houses lost roofs. ^[7] In total nine people were killed with seven of them being indirect; the two direct deaths were in Nicaragua in Leon. ^[4] On May 30th the remnant low of Alma emerged into the Gulf of Honduras and merged with a tropical wave over the north western Caribbean sea which then became Tropical Storm Arthur later that day. ^{[4] [8]}

• The NHC's advisory archive on Tropical Storm Alma.

Hurricane Boris

Main article: Hurricane Boris (2008)

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	June 27—July 4
Intensity	80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min), 985 mbar (hPa)

An area of low pressure slowly developed southwest of Central America in the fourth week of June. On June 27 at 2 a.m. PDT (0900 UTC), after several days over the warm waters south of the Baja Peninsula, it developed enough organized convection to be designated Tropical Depression Two-E. ^[9] After holding steady for about 48 hours, Boris intensified to a strong tropical storm late on June 29, and to a hurricane on July 1. Boris reached its peak the next day as an 80 mph hurricane.^[10] Shortly after its peak, Boris moved over cooler waters and began to weaken and the remnant low dissipated July 6 .^[11]

• The NHC's advisory archive on Hurricane Boris.

Tropical Storm Cristina

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	June 27—June 30
Intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min), 1000 mbar (hPa)

An area of low pressure developed into Tropical Depression Three-E on June 27 to the west of Hurricane Boris. It strengthened the next day into Tropical Storm Cristina, and remained a relatively weak tropical storm as it tracked westward. It weakened to a tropical depression on June 30 as shear increased. Cristina dissipated later that day.

• The NHC's advisory archive on Tropical Storm Cristina.

Tropical Storm Douglas

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	July 1—July 3
Intensity	40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min), 1003 mbar (hPa)

An area of low pressure developed into Tropical Depression Four-E on July 1, and quickly strengthened to Tropical Storm Douglas. By July 3, Douglas encountered wind shear and cooler waters preventing it from intensifying. Douglas was downgraded to a tropical depression later that day as the low became exposed.^[12] It dissipated late that evening.

• The NHC's advisory archive on Tropical Storm Douglas.

Tropical Depression Five-E

Tropical depression (SSHS)
Duration	July 5—July 7
Intensity	35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min), 1005 mbar (hPa)

In early July, a strong tropical wave southwest of the Mexican coast slowly developed. It became a tropical depression on July 5. It headed west-northwest before turning more northwest and making landfall near Lazaro Cardenas on July 7. It dissipated shortly after landfall. It brought rainfall to southern Mexico, but caused no severe flooding, casualties, or serious damage in its path.

• The NHC's advisory archive on Tropical Depression 5E.

Hurricane Elida

Main article: Hurricane Elida (2008)

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	July 12—July 19
Intensity	105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min), 970 mbar (hPa)

Late on July 11 an area of low pressure situated a few hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec acquired sufficient organized convection to be classified as Tropical Depression Six-E. The depression soon strengthened into Tropical Storm Elida. Overnight on July 14, Elida strengthened into a Hurricane , the second hurricane of the season. After remaining stable in intensity for a couple days, it rapidly strengthened on July 16 into a Category 2 hurricane. It then weakened into a tropical storm on the 18th and dissipated on July 19.

• The NHC's advisory archive on Hurricane Elida.

Hurricane Fausto

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	July 16—July 22
Intensity	100 mph (155 km/h) (1-min), 975 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Seven-E formed from an area of low pressure on July 16 about 560 mi (905 km) SE of Acapulco. It strengthened into Tropical Storm Fausto that afternoon. It strengthened gradually into a strong tropical storm on July 17 and a hurricane on July 18. It briefly reached Category 2 intensity on July 20 while southwest of the Baja California peninsula before weakening rapidly that afternoon back to a tropical storm. It dissipated on July 22 over cooler waters.

• The NHC's advisory archive on Hurricane Fausto.

Hurricane Genevieve

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	July 21—July 27
Intensity	75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min), 987 mbar (hPa)

A vigorous tropical wave tracked across Central America (nearly becoming a tropical depression in the southwest Caribbean Sea) in the third week of July. It emerged into the Pacific and organized into Tropical Depression Eight-E on July 21. That afternoon it strengthened into Tropical Storm Genevieve. It remained a tropical storm as it fluctuated in intensity for the next several days while well southwest of Mexico. On July 25, it strengthened into Hurricane Genevieve, which it remained until weakening to a tropical storm early on July 26, and a remnant low the next day.

• The NHC's advisory archive on Hurricane Genevieve.

Hurricane Hernan

Main article: Hurricane Hernan (2008)

Category 3 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	August 6—August 13
Intensity	120 mph (195 km/h) (1-min), 956 mbar (hPa)

A low pressure area well to the southwest of the Pacific coast of Mexico slowly developed into a tropical depression on August 6,^[13] and strengthened into a tropical storm the same day. On August 8, it strengthened into a Hurricane and rapidly intensified late that evening into the morning of August 9, becoming the first major hurricane of the 2008 season that morning. It slowly weakened beginning late that day and became a remnant low on August 13.

• The NHC's advisory archive on Hurricane Hernan.

Tropical Storm Kika

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	August 6—August 12
Intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min), 1007 hPa (mbar)

An area of disturbed weather to the southeast of Hawaii organized enough to be classified as a tropical depression One-C on August 6, and strengthened into a tropical storm the same day and was named Kika (Keith in English) by the CPHC. ^{[14] [15]} Over the next few days as Kika moved westwards it maintained its peak intensity of 35 kts until late on August 8th when Kika was downgraded to a tropical depression. ^[16] However early the next day Kika reintensifed into a tropical storm ^[17] over the next few days Kika was kept at minimal tropical storm status until early on August 11 when it was downgraded to a tropical depression. The CPHC then downgraded Kika to a remnant low and issued its final advisory on August 12. ^[18]

• The CPHC's advisory archive on Tropical Storm Kika.

Tropical Storm Iselle

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	August 13—August 16
Intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min), 999 mbar (hPa)

A disturbance southwest of Mexico developed into Tropical Depression Ten-E on August 13. It became Tropical Storm Iselle later that day. It never threatened land, and dissipated on August 16.

• The NHC's advisory archive on Tropical Storm Iselle.

Tropical Storm Julio

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	August 23—August 26
Intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min), 998 mbar (hPa)

Main article: Tropical Storm Julio (2008)

On August 23, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded an area of low presure which was located in the eastern Pacific ocean south of Baja California to Tropical Depression Eleven E. ^[19] That afternoon, the depression intensified into a tropical storm after a ship report supported tropical storm intensity.^[20] It made landfall in La Paz, Mexico as a tropical storm on August 24, weakened, and dissipated August 26.

• The NHC's advisory archive on Tropical Storm Julio.

Tropical Storm Karina

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	September 2—September 3
Intensity	40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min), 1000 mbar (hPa)

A disturbance tracked into the eastern Pacific near the end of August. It slowly organized itself, and was determined to have been a tropical storm on the morning of September 2, but weakened to a tropical depression later the same day. The depression dissipated late the next morning.

Tropical Storm Lowell

Tropical Storm Lowell TS
Satellite image Forecast map
Current storm status Tropical storm (1-min mean)
As of:	2 a.m. PDT (0900 UTC) September 7
Location:	16.6°N 107.2°W ± 45 nm About 255 mi (405 km) SW of Manzanillo About 470 mi (755 km) SSE of S. Tip of Baja California
Winds:	35 knots | 40 mph | 65 km/h sustained (1-min mean) gusting to 45 knots | mph | km/h
Pressure:	1000 mbar (hPa) | 29.53 inHg
Movement:	WNW at 10 kt | 12 mph | 19 km/h
See more detailed information.

A large system of thunderstorms, southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, strengthened into Tropical Storm Lowell on the night of September 6. The system skipped tropical depression status and was named "Lowell".^[21]

Current storm information

As of 2 a.m. PDT (0900 UTC) September 7, Tropical Storm Lowell is located within 45 nautical miles of 16.6°N 107.2°W, about 255 mi (405 km) southwest of Manzanillo and about 470 mi (755 km) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California. It has a minimum central pressure of 1000 mbar (29.53 inches), and is moving WNW at 10 kt (12 mph, 19 km/h).

Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) Rating

The table on the right shows the ACE for each storm in the season. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength.

The figures in parentheses are for storms in the Central Pacific basin west of 140°W; those not in parenthesis are for the Eastern Pacific basin.

Timeline of events

Main article: Timeline of the 2008 Pacific hurricane season

August

August 16

• 8 p.m. PDT (0300 UTC August 17): Tropical Depression Iselle dissipates, and the final advisory is issued.

August 23

• 8 a.m PDT (1500 UTC): Tropical Depression Eleven-E forms southwest of Mexico.
• 2:05 p.m. PDT (2105 UTC): Tropical Depression Eleven-E is upgraded to Tropical Storm Julio

August 24

• 12 p.m PDT (1900 UTC): Tropical Storm Julio makes landfall near the tip of Baja California with 50 mph (85 km/h) winds

August 26

• 8 a.m PDT (1500 UTC): Tropical Depression Julio weakens to a remnant low, and the final advisory is issued.

September

September 2

• 9 a.m. PDT (1600 UTC): Tropical Storm Karina forms from a strong tropical wave south of the Baja California Peninsula.

September 3

• 8 a.m. PDT (1500 UTC): The final advisory is issued on dissipating Tropical Depression Karina.

September 6

• 8 p.m. PDT (0300 UTC September 7): A system southeast of Manazillo, Mexico is upgraded to Tropical Storm Lowell.

Storm names

The following names will be used for named storms that form in the northeast Pacific in 2008. This is the same list that was used in the 2002 season, except for Karina, which replaced Kenna. The name Karina was used for the first time in 2008.

For the central Pacific Ocean, four consecutive lists are used, with the names used sequentially until exhausted, rather than until the end of the year, due to the low number of storms each year.

Season impact

This is a table of the storms in 2008 and their landfall(s), if any. Deaths in parentheses are indirect, but still storm-related.

Retirement

Retired names, if any, will be announced by the WMO in the spring of 2009.

See also

Tropical cyclones portal

• List of Pacific hurricanes
• List of Pacific hurricane seasons
• 2008 Atlantic hurricane season
• 2008 Pacific typhoon season
• 2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
• South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2007–08, 2008–09
• Australian region cyclone seasons: 2007–08, 2008–09
• South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2007–08, 2008–09

References

External links

• National Hurricane Center's Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook - updated four times daily
• National Hurricane Center
• National Hurricane Center's 2007 Advisory Archive
• Central Pacific Hurricane Center
• NRL hurricane page - Naval Research Laboratory page with extensive archives on individual storms