With two and a half weeks and five named storms to go..could this be the end of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. It very well could be as the hurricane season would end with a bang as extremely intense Hurricane Paloma weakened as fast as it surged to category 4 status before striking Cuba on Saturday.

In its present position as a tropical depression in the southern Bahamas...that would usually be alarming for the east coast. However...as we head deeper into November...the upper air flow pattern picks up out of the west and usually easily shreds tropical systems  if they try to head north this time of year. In Paloma's case...it will fizzle over the Bahamas... then get swept out to sea the next few days.

If another storm forms it would be Rene...the 17th named storm of the season. But 16 storms could be the limit this year.