Hurricane Paloma was a strong late-season tropical cyclone that set several records for its intensity and formation.

[1] By November 2, a surface trough manifested itself, spurring the development of scattered convection — shower and thunderstorm activity — across the region.

[3] Steadily consolidating, the system developed into a tropical depression by 18:00 UTC on November 5 while located 130 mi (215 km) southeast of the Nicaragua/Honduras border.

Situated along the southwestern edge of a ridge, the depressed initially generally to the north-northwest before turning north-northeast within 12 hours of formation.

Favorable environmental conditions, including low wind shear, allowed for steady intensification following cyclogenesis.

[1] The Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory forecast models depicted rapid development of the tropical depression into a Category 3 hurricane within five days, before striking Cuba,[4] the former of which indicated a peak intensity of 131 mph (211 km/h) and 921 mbar (hPa; 27.20 inHg).

[5] Further development of banding features and eye resulted in Paloma rapidly intensifying into a Category 1 hurricane by 00:00 UTC on November 7.

[9] Aided by increasing divergence from an approaching upper-level trough, Paloma's outflow greatly enhanced overnight.

[14] Additionally, this marked the first time that major hurricanes developed in five separate months during a single year, with Bertha, Gustav, Ike, and Omar reaching this strength in July, August, September, and October respectively.

[1] Within hours of moving ashore, the center of circulation decoupled from the remaining convection and its forward speed slowed significantly.

With no convection redeveloping as the system drifted northward over Cuba, Paloma degenerated into a remnant low six hours later.

The low then briefly moved over the Atlantic Ocean before doubling back to the southwest in response to a building ridge farther north.

The system crossed Cuba again and re-emerged over the Caribbean Sea by November 12, changing direction this time to the west and later northwest.

Accelerating northward the low became decreasingly organized and ultimately dissipated early the next day about 70 mi (110 km) south-southwest of Apalachicola, Florida.

[1] Later on November 14, the system moved inland over the Florida Panhandle where a sudden burst of convective development, akin to that of supercell thunderstorms over the Great Plains, took place.

[18] Shelters opened on Grand Cayman closed their doors by mid-afternoon in advance of Paloma's arrival to "ensure that persons get off the roads.

[25] Holguín Province was devastated by Hurricane Ike in September with many residents still homeless at the time of Paloma's approach.

[27] He also issued a written statement to the United States rejecting any aid, citing anger toward the ongoing embargo of Cuba, before a formal offer was even made.

[1] Owing to the threat of heavy rains in Honduras, a red alert was issued for Colón, Gracias a Dios, northern Olancho, and the Bay Islands.

[30] Although Paloma was not forecast to directly impact Jamaica, officials opened 15 priority shelters in St. James and all agencies were placed under high-alert on November 8.

[33] The warning was allowed to expire the following day as Paloma rapidly weakened over Cuba,[1] and the National Emergency Operations Centre issued an all clear on November 10.

[34] Throughout much of October Central America, was plagued by a series of heavy rain events which resulted in widespread damage and loss of life.

[36] Estimates from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellites indicated that Paloma dropped upwards of 8 in (200 mm) of rain along coastal areas.

Grand Cayman saw lesser winds, with a peak sustained observation of 60 mph (97 km/h) at Owen Roberts International Airport.

Major crop damage took place on Grand Cayman, primarily to bananas, plantains, and peppers, due to high winds.

[44] Cuban utility officials say Paloma's effect on the power grid was not as bad as the destruction caused by Gustav and Ike earlier in the season.

The hurricane brought with it a 14-foot (4 meter) storm surge which moved the coastline inland by almost a mile (about 1.5 km) in Santa Cruz del Sur, doing extensive damage.

Two of the two-story concrete walls of a factory crumbled into piles of rubble, smashing 57 wooden fishing boats stored inside for safekeeping.

[51] The overall impacts from Hurricane Paloma were reflected in the territory's GDP by a 0.9 percent decrease, worth $33 million, in the expected growth for 2008.

[53] Due to the hurricane's destructive effects in the Cayman Islands and Cuba, the name Paloma was retired by the World Meteorological Organization in April 2009, and it will never again be used for another Atlantic tropical cyclone.