The eighteenth tropical cyclone, sixteenth named storm, and ninth hurricane of the season, Paula developed from a low pressure area over the southwestern Caribbean Sea on October 11.

Favorable conditions such as low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures allowed Paula to reach hurricane status early on October 12.

After Paula attained its peak intensity on October 13, wind shear began to increase, causing the storm to weaken.

Early on October 15, Paula weakened to a tropical depression while moving eastward over Cuba, before degenerating into a remnant low pressure area about six hours later.

Strong winds, with gusts reaching 68 mph (109 km/h), left power outages in Pinar del Río and Artemisa provinces.

Tropical Storm Nicole exited the Caribbean Sea and became extratropical on September 29, before dissipating on the next day, leaving behind a broad area of cyclonic circulation at the lower levels of the atmosphere.

A southeasterly-moving cold front drifted from the Gulf of Mexico into the Caribbean Sea on October 5, and developed into a stationary north–south trough axis the following day.

When a tropical wave that was associated with the previous development of Hurricane Otto traced into the Caribbean on October 7, there was an escalation in the convection associated with the system.

[1] After convection increased again, the eighteenth tropical depression of the season developed at 0000 UTC on October 11, while situated about 120 miles (190 km) southeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios, which is on the Honduras-Nicaragua border.

Steered northwestward around the southwestern periphery of a subtropical ridge, the storm made landfall near Cabo Gracias a Dios with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) at 1200 UTC.

Shortly thereafter, the storm began to significantly intensify, due to sea surface temperatures of 84.2 °F (29.0 °C),[1] as well as light to moderate wind shear.

[1] Satellite imagery during the afternoon of October 12 indicated that Paula was a small hurricane, consisting of a round area of deep convection, with an eye feature developing.

Simultaneously, Paula attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 981 mbar (29.0 inHg).

After reaching peak intensity late on October 12, strong upper-level west-southwesterly winds interacted with the system, prompting weakening.

[1] Satellite imagery and reconnaissance aircraft flights indicated that cloud pattern was disrupted and the mid- and low-level centers were becoming detached.

Three hours later, the storm made landfall between Santa Lucía and Puerto Esperanza, in the Pinar del Río Province of Cuba, with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h).

[1] When the National Hurricane Center initiated advisories on Paula at 2100 UTC on October 11, a tropical storm warning was issued from Limón eastward to the Honduras-Nicaragua.

[1] The Comisión Permanente de Contingencias (COPECO) issued a red alert for Bay Islands late on October 11.

Dangerous conditions produced by Paula also forced officials to evacuate low-lying areas and shut down schools.

[18] In Cuba, the outer bands of Paula brought heavy localized rains, especially to the Isla de la Juventud where 2.8 in (71 mm) of precipitation was recorded on October 12.

[29] Following the threat of a landfalling storm in Florida, orange juice futures dropped by 8.9%, reaching their lowest value since September 9.