Hurricanes of 08

This year we were hit hard by 2 major hurricanes. Taking many life's and causing serious damage to the US and other countries

The first was Hurricane Gustav one of the costliest, major tropical cyclones in the 2008 Atlantic season. It formed on the morning of August 25 about 260 miles of the coast of Haiti. It turned into a category 3 hurricane early the next morning ripping through Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, and steadily headed toward the US, moving across the Gulf of Mexico. On September 1 it hit the US at a category 2 hurricane (1 mph under a category 3). It came in along the Louisiana coast and slowed down significantly before moving on through Arkansas.

As of September 15, there were 138 deaths and $13 billion in US damage along with $3 billion in damages in Cuba.

Second, was Hurricane Ike which was the most intense storm in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. It formed September 1 of the coast of the Cape Verde Islands and by September 4 it had become a category 4 hurricane. Ike's diameter was 450 miles and its wind speed peaked at 190 mph! Ike claimed 147 lives, primarily in Haiti (who was already recovering from Hurricanes Fay, Gustav, and Hanna) and the US with many deaths taking place inland. The US estimated cost for damages will be $27 billion for coastal areas, with an additional $4 billion in damages in Cuba.

Both of these hurricanes were not only tragic, but 2 of the costliest hurricanes of all time in the US.