The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season ended on December 1. The season, which set at least five weather records, lacked one big monster hurricane, but six consecutive named storms -- Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike -- struck the U.S. mainland in 2008, racking up at least $10.6 billion in losses.

Two of the records set involved storms hitting the same places repeatedly. Rain-heavy Fay was the only storm to hit the same state -- Florida -- four times, leaving heavy flood damage in its wake. A record three major hurricanes smacked Cuba: Gustav, Ike and Paloma. The other three records are: six consecutive storms that struck the U.S. mainland; major hurricanes that formed in five consecutive months; and the longest lasting July storm, Hurricane Bertha. This year wasn't the busiest; it merely tied for the fourth most named storms, with 16. The 2005 season had 28 tropical storms and hurricanes.

Insurers estimate losses at a minimum of $10.6 billion, including $8.1 billion in insured damage from Hurricane Ike, which ranked as the seventh most expensive catastrophe in U.S. history, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

December 9, 2008