2008 Atlantic hurricane season (Re-creation - Sassmaster15)

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season was very active, with at least sixteen named storms forming. Of these, ten became hurricanes and five intensifying to major hurricane intensity. Per precedent, the duration of the season is from June 1 to November 30. Adopted by convention, these dates typically delimit the period each year when tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, the formation of Tropical Storm Arthur resulted in the season commencing three days prior to the official start. The season was exceptionally destructive, ranking as the fourth-costliest on record - behind 2005, 2012, and 2004, respectively. 2008 was the fourth-busiest year since 1944, and is the only season on record to feature a major hurricane in every month from July to November. Hurricane Bertha was the longest-lived July tropical cyclone on record for the basin, and the first storm to achieve Category 4 strength in the month since Hurricane Emily. The season was absolutely devastating for Haiti, which suffered catastrophic damage from four consecutive tropical cyclone landfalls (Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike), in addition to being brushed by Hurricane Paloma. Hurricane Ike was the most significant storm of the season, and the most intense, despite that Hurricane Gustav was a whole category stronger, peaking as a Category 5 hurricane.

One very unusual feat with this season was the sheer quantity of storms affecting land, with all but two cyclones striking land some point this year. The unprecedented number of storms with impact led to one of the deadliest and most destructive seasons in the history of the Atlantic, especially Hurricane Ike, whose overall damages made it the third-costliest hurricane in the basin.

Storm Names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the North Atlantic in 2008. The list was the same as the one used in 2002 except for Ike and Laura, which replaced Isidore and Hurricane Lili, respectively. The names Ike, Omar, and Paloma were used for Atlantic storms the first time this year; the name Laura was previously used in 1971. Names that were not used are marked in.

Retirement
On April 22, 2009, at the 31st Session of the World Meteorological Organization's Regional Association IV Hurricane Committee, the WMO retired the names Dolly, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike from its rotating name lists. The names were replaced with Denise, Gonzalo, Harriet, and Isaias for the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, respectively. At the meeting, the names Fay and Paloma were also requested for retirement, but the committee ruled that the impact caused by their corresponding storms was not sufficient to warrant retirement, and thus were kept.