2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Kika
On the morning of August 5, the CPHC began monitoring an area of low pressure 1,200 mi (1,930 km) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii; the system became better organized later in the day as the system was classified as a tropical disturbance and was declared Tropical Depression One-C on August 7 850 mi (1,370 km) southeast of Hilo, Hawaii. One-C was being steered toward the west due to easterly trade winds caused by large subtropical high-pressure area located northeast of Hawaii. The depression was quickly upgraded to Tropical Storm Kika later that night.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Kika
Despite strong wind shear, the storm was expected to attain winds at 60 mph (95 km/h). However, this did not occur. After turning west-northwest and attaining peak intensity, Kika became less organized the following morning and the CPHC subsequently downgraded it to a tropical depression. After a revival in convection Kika was re-upgraded to a tropical storm again that evening. Even though wind shear was significantly diminishing, the storm became even less organized was moving over cooling water.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Kika
Late on August 9, Kika weakened to a tropical depression once more, but was briefly re-upgraded into a tropical storm as it became better organized very late that night. By August 10, only isolated bursts of thunderstorms had remained around the center; as such, Kika was downgraded into a tropical depression. After a brief increase in thunderstorm activity, one Tropical cyclone forecast model showed Kika reaching hurricane status. Kika degenerated into a remnant low-pressure area that night 400 mi (645 km) away from the Johnston Atoll. The remnant low was last noted on August 14 as it crossed the International Date Line, out of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Iselle
A tropical wave left Africa on July 30 and began to show signs of organization as it crossed Central America early on August 8. It temporarily weakened thereafter, but began to coalesce again late on August 12; by 12:00 UTC the next morning, it had developed into a tropical depression. Six hours later, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Iselle. High pressure to its north directed Iselle on a northwest trajectory, while moderate easterly wind shear limited the storm peak to 50 mph (80 km/h) on the morning of August 14. Increasing upper-level winds, cooler waters, and entrainment of dry air all hindered the system, causing it to weaken to a tropical depression around 00:00 UTC on August 16 and degenerate to a remnant low a day later. The low moved south and west before dissipating on August 23.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Julio
A tropical wave moved off Africa on August 6, first spawning Tropical Storm Fay in the Atlantic before continuing into the eastern Pacific on August 17. It began to organize several days later, leading to the formation of a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC on August 23; six hours later, it intensified into Tropical Storm Julio. An area of high pressure over Mexico directed the nascent cyclone north-northwest, while moderate upper-level winds prevented Julio from strengthening beyond 50 mph (80 km/h).


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Julio
Around 00:00 UTC on August 25, the storm made landfall approximately 40 mi (65 km) west-southwest of La Paz, Baja California Sur, with winds of 45 mph (70 km/h). Slow weakening occurred as Julio entered the Gulf of California, and it fell to tropical depression intensity around 00:00 UTC on August 26 before degenerating to a remnant low eighteen hours later. The low drifted east before dissipating on the coast of mainland Mexico by 12:00 UTC on August 27.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Julio
As Julio made landfall, it produced lightning and locally heavy rainfall, which left more than a dozen communities isolated due to flooding. The flooding damaged several houses and killed one person. Winds were generally light, although strong enough to damage a few electrical poles and small buildings. Moisture from Julio developed thunderstorms across Arizona, including one near Chandler which produced winds of 75 mph (120 km/h); the storm damaged ten small planes at Chandler Municipal Airport, as well as a hangar. The storms also dropped light rainfall, reaching over 1 inch (25 mm) in Gilbert, which caused flooding on Interstate 17.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Karina
A tropical wave, the same that spawned Hurricane Gustav while in the Atlantic, crossed Central America on August 28. Convection slowly increased as it moved westward, and an area of low pressure developed just south of the Mexico coastline on August 30. Despite strong easterly wind shear, shower and thunderstorm activity formed close enough to the center for the disturbance to become a tropical depression around 06:00 UTC on September 2. A brief relaxation in upper-level winds allowed the depression to intensify into Tropical Storm Karina six hours later before wind shear once again increased, leading to a steady weakening trend and degeneration to a remnant low by 18:00 UTC on September 3.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Lowell
A tropical wave emerged from Africa on August 19, the northern half of which spawned Hurricane Hanna while the second half continued west. It entered the East Pacific by August 28, interacting with a broad cyclonic gyre spawned by a pre-existing surface trough in the region. As the wave reached the western edge of the gyre, it formed an area of low pressure that further organized into a tropical depression around 12:00 UTC on September 6. It intensified into Tropical Storm Lowell twelve hours later.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Lowell
The cyclone moved along the western periphery of an anticyclone over Mexico, and this feature imparted strong upper-level winds on Lowell that limited its peak strength to 50 mph (80 km/h). Wind shear eventually slackened, but the storm progressed into a drier environment and began to weaken. After falling to tropical depression intensity, Lowell turned east and made landfall near Cabo San Lucas around 09:00 UTC on September 11. It opened up into an elongated surface trough nine hours later.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Lowell
Lowell made landfall as a tropical depression in Baja California but its effects where felt at more inland areas. In Michoacán, Sonora, and Sinaloa, flooding from Lowell's remnants left more than 26,500 people homeless. No deaths were reported. Damage in Sonora totaled over 200 million pesos – US$15.5 million (value in 2008).


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Lowell
Moisture from Lowell eventually joined with a cold front and the remnants of Hurricane Ike and caused significant damage. As this conglomeration of moisture traveled through the United States it caused extensive flooding in Illinois. In Chicago it broke flooding records dating back to 1871.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Marie
On the heels of a record quiet September, Marie developed on October 1 from a tropical wave that departed Africa nearly a month earlier on September 6. The wave moved west with little fanfare, crossing Central America on September 24 but still remaining poorly organized. An area of low pressure formed on September 28, and it began a gradual organization trend that led to the formation of a tropical depression around 06:00 UTC on October 1, and to the designation of Tropical Storm Marie six hours later.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Marie
With light upper-level winds, Marie began a period of quick intensification on October 3, bringing it to hurricane strength at 18:00 UTC that afternoon and to a peak of 80 mph (130 km/h) the next morning. The hurricane soon began to enter cooler ocean temperatures, prompting a gradual decline in intensity before Marie degenerated to a remnant low around 00:00 UTC on October 7. The tenacious post-tropical cyclone meandered for nearly two weeks before being absorbed into the Intertropical Convergence Zone on October 19.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Norbert
The merging of two tropical waves resulted in the development of a tropical depression south of Mexico around 00:00 UTC on October 4. Steered by a mid-level ridge to its north, the depression gradually intensified, becoming Tropical Storm Norbert a day after formation and attaining hurricane strength around 06:00 UTC on October 7. The hurricane rounded the ridge and began to rapidly intensify, ultimately reaching its peak as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 mph (210 km/h) near 18:00 UTC on October 8.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Norbert
An eyewall replacement cycle weakened Norbert to Category 1 strength late on October 9, but favorable environmental conditions allowed the system to re-attain major hurricane intensity around 06:00 UTC on October 11. Norbert made landfall just southeast of Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, around 16:30 UTC on October 11 at a slightly reduced strength of 105 mph (170 km/h). An increase in wind shear caused the system to weaken to 85 mph (135 km/h) as it made a second landfall east-southeast of Huatabampo, Sonora, around 04:00 UTC on October 12. Norbert continued northeast and rapidly dissipated over the mountains of northeastern Mexico by 18:00 UTC.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Norbert
Hurricane Norbert struck Mexico's Baja California peninsula with torrential rains and winds of up to 155 km/h. Strong winds bent palm trees along coastal areas. Some streets were in knee-deep water in the town of Puerto San Carlos. Norbert ripped off roofs, knocking down trees and left one person missing and more than 20,000 homes without electricity, local authorities say. Some 2850 people were housed in temporary shelters. Forty percent of homes were totally or partially damaged on the islands of Margarita and Magdalena, mainly having lost their roofs, said a report from state protection services. La Paz international airport suspended its activities at midday local time Saturday, but the tourist resort of Los Cabos remained open. Hotel reservations were down by around 40 per cent mainly in Los Cabos and Loreto, local tourism officials said.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Norbert
Norbert was a Category 2 hurricane at landfall, which made Norbert the first October hurricane to strike the western Baja California peninsula since Hurricane Pauline forty years prior, and Norbert was the stronger of the two.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Odile
A complex series of interactions between two tropical waves, a frontal system, and a pre-existing area of vorticity led to the formation of a tropical depression just west of El Salvador around 12:00 UTC on October 8. The system moved west-northwest as it developed, steered by a large ridge over Mexico. Light upper-level winds allowed the depression to intensify into Tropical Storm Odile by 06:00 UTC on October 9 and attain peak winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) by early the next day. After maintaining its intensity for over 24 hours, increasing southeasterly wind shear prompted a rapid weakening trend. Odile fell to tropical depression strength early on October 12 as it continued to parallel the coastline of Mexico, and it degenerated to a remnant low around 00:00 UTC on October 13. The post-tropical cyclone moved south-southwest and dissipated that day.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Odile
Eighteen hours after it was named, a Tropical Storm Watch was issued from Punta Maldonado to Zihuatanejo. It was replaced with a warning 12 hours later. Before becoming a tropical wave, the precursor disturbance to Odile dumped heavy rainfall on Nicaragua, although any impact is unknown. Odile also caused heavy rain in Mexico. The system caused floods in Acapulco, which left 12 homes damaged.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Depression Seventeen-E
A slow-moving tropical wave left Africa on September 30 and crossed into the East Pacific by October 16. Convection developed and persisted as it continued west, leading to the formation of a tropical depression well south of Mexico around 06:00 UTC on October 23. As the newly formed cyclone reached the western periphery of a ridge over Mexico, it turned to the north.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Depression Seventeen-E
An approaching upper-level trough dictated the depression northwest early on October 24 while also imparting increasing upper-level winds; for this reason, deep convection never organized about the center of the system, and it failed to intensify into a tropical storm. By 18:00 UTC that day, it degenerated to a remnant area of low pressure. The post-tropical cyclone tracked west before dissipating early on October 28.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Polo
The final tropical cyclone of the 2008 season originated as a tropical wave that moved offshore Africa on October 15. The wave moved west and crossed Central America by October 29, subsequently merging with the ITCZ. A small area of low pressure developed along the wave axis, leading to the formation of a tropical depression around 12:00 UTC on November 2. Although the system never fully detached from the ITCZ, it intensified into Tropical Storm Polo twelve hours after formation, at an unusually low latitude. The development of a tiny eye-like feature signified the storm's peak strength of 45 mph (70 km/h) before increasing upper-level winds caused Polo to degenerate to an open trough by 06:00 UTC on November 5.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Storm names
The following list of names was used for named storms that form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean during 2008. No names were retired, so this list will be used again in the 2014 season. This is the same list used in the 2002 season, except for the name Karina, which replaced Kenna; the name Karina was used for the first time this year.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Storm names
For storms that form in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility, encompassing the area between 140 degrees west and the International Date Line, all names are used in a series of four rotating lists. The only name used was Kika.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Storm names, Retirement
On April 22, 2009, at the 31st session of the RA IV hurricane committee, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name Alma from the Eastern Pacific naming list due to the flooding, damage, and deaths it caused in Central America, in particular Costa Rica, and it will never be used again for a Pacific hurricane. Itwas replaced with Amanda for the 2014 season.


2008 Pacific hurricane season, Season effects
This is a table of all the storms that have formed in the 2008 Pacific hurricane season. It includes their duration, names, landfall(s), denoted in parentheses, damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all the damage figures are in 2008 US dollars.


2008 Pacific typhoon season
The 2008 Pacific typhoon season was a below average season which featured 22 named storms, eleven typhoons, and two super typhoons. The season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2008, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.


2008 Pacific typhoon season
The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the International Date Line. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 2008 Pacific hurricane season. Tropical storms formed in the entire Western North Pacific basin are assigned a name by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Tropical depressions formed in this basin are given a number with a "W" suffix by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center. In addition, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones (including tropical depressions) that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility. These names, however, are not in common use outside of the Philippines.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Seasonal forecasts
Each season several national meteorological services and scientific agencies forecast either the expected amount tropical cyclones, tropical storms, and typhoons forming in a season and/or how many tropical cyclones will affect a country or territory.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Seasonal forecasts, City University of Hong Kong
Since the 2000 typhoon season, the Laboratory for Atmospheric Research or the Guy Carpenter Asia-Pacific Climate Impact Centre (GCACIC), both of the City University of Hong Kong have issued forecasts of activity for each upcoming typhoon season. Forecasts are issued in April and June of each year and predict how many tropical cyclones, tropical storms, and typhoons there will be in a season. This season, the GCACIC is predicting a slightly more active than usual season. An average season, according to the GCACIC, has 31 tropical cyclones, 27 named storms, and 17 typhoons. In its April forecast, the GCACIC predicted 33 total tropical cyclones, 30 named storms, and 19 typhoons before predicting the same number of systems, tropical storms, and typhoons in its June forecast.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Seasonal forecasts, Tropical Storm Risk Consortium
Since the 2000 typhoon season, the Tropical Storm Risk Consortium (TSR) of the University College of London have issued forecasts of activity for each upcoming typhoon season. During 2008 forecasts were issued in early March, May, July and August and predict how many tropical storms, typhoons and intense typhoons there will be during a season. In its March forecast, TSR Predicted that the season would be about 20% below average with six intense tropical cyclones, however due to conflicting climate signals it was not possible to predict how many tropical storms and typhoons would form.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Seasonal forecasts, Tropical Storm Risk Consortium
In its May forecast, TSR were now able to predict how many tropical storms and typhoons, would form during the season. They also predicted that the season would be near normal with 28 tropical storms, 18 typhoons and 8 intense typhoons forming during the season. In their July and August forecasts, TSR predicted the same amount of tropical storms and typhoons and intense typhoons as their May forecasts.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Seasonal forecasts, National meteorological service predictions
As the name Frank was retired from PAGASA's naming lists they also released a prediction stating that there would be 16 more Tropical cyclones of any strength to pass through PAGASA'S area of responsibility which added to the six that had already moved through PAGASA's area of responsibility brought a total of 22 cyclones to pass through the PAGASA's area of responsibility during 2008.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Seasonal Summary
The first tropical depression of the season, formed in mid January to the west of the Philippines. As it moved west, the depression did not develop any further and dissipated on January 18. After two more Tropical depressions, the first named storm Typhoon Neoguri formed in April to the east of Mindanao. During May as a result of convection being enhanced within the Philippine sea and the South China Sea four named storms formed which along with 1971 and 1980 was the joint highest incidence in May since 1951. Between June and October, the region was considered to be very quiet by the JMA as they only named 13 tropical cyclones. In November and December, only four tropical cyclones were named by the JMA and all four formed within the Philippine sea and the South China Sea.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 01W
Early on January 11, the JTWC reported that an area of convection had persisted about 1010 km, (630 mi) to the southeast of Manila in the Philippines. The disturbance was located near to a developing low level circulation center which was weak and remained displaced from the deep convection whilst located in an area of low to moderate vertical windshear.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 01W
During the next 24 hours the disturbance developed further with a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert being issued the next day by the JTWC as the disturbance now had a well defined low level circulation center with convective banding on the northwestern edge. Early on January 13, both the JMA and the JTWC reported that the first depression of the season had developed about 360 km, (225 mi) to the west of Manila. Later that day the JMA reported that the depression had reached its 10-minute peak windspeeds of 55 km/h, (35 mph).


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 01W
However early on January 14 the JTWC reported that the depression had continued to intensify and upgraded the depression to a Tropical storm and then six hours later reported 1-minute peak windspeeds of 65 km/h (40 mph). Later that day it was downgraded to a Tropical depression due to weakening deep convection and a partially exposed low level circulation center. Over the next few days the depression moved towards the east until early on January 18 when both the JMA and the JTWC reported that it had dissipated off the Malaysian coastline. There were no reports of any damages or casualties associated with the depression.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Neoguri (Ambo)
On April 11, area of convection with an area of low pressure was located between Palau and Yap. Early on April 13, a low-level circulation developed near Mindanao. The JMA designated the system as a minor tropical depression on the same day, and PAGASA began warning on the system, naming it Tropical Depression "Ambo". The low continued to get better organized and early on April 14, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center began issuing advisories on Tropical Depression 02W, which was located about north of Zamboanga City, Philippines.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Neoguri (Ambo)
Later that day, the agency upgraded it to tropical storm status, based on satellite intensity estimates. The JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm, naming it Neoguri, the next day. Early April 16, the system was upgraded to severe tropical storm status, and then reached typhoon status a few hours later. The typhoon continued north, weakening as it did so. The cyclone made landfall as a weak tropical storm on Guangdong province in southern China, and the final advisories from both agencies were issued shortly after.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Neoguri (Ambo)
As the typhoon approached and passed Hainan Province, about 120,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas. According to the China Meteorological Administration, it was the earliest in the year a tropical cyclone had ever impacted China (the old record was for Typhoon Wanda on May 3, 1971). 42,000 residents were displaced in the aftermath of Neoguri. 18 Chinese fisherman and 22 Vietnamese fisherman remain missing due to the storm. Three fatalities were confirmed in China, two due to a road being covered in a mud flow, and another due to winds blowing a sheet of aluminum into a person, throwing them off the roof of a stadium.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Rammasun (Butchoy)
Early on May 7, PAGASA designated an area of low pressure which was about 790 km east of Mindanao as Tropical Depression Butchoy. Around the same time the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) also designated the area of low pressure as a Tropical depression with the JTWC assigning the number 03W to the depression.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Rammasun (Butchoy)
Later that day the JMA upgraded the Tropical Depression to Tropical Storm status with RSMC Tokyo assigning the name Rammasun to the storm. It quickly organized, intensifying into a typhoon on May 9. Rapid intensification continued and it strengthened into a Category 4-equivalent typhoon by early on May 10, and a super typhoon by midday.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Rammasun (Butchoy)
Rammasun continued on a northerly path, and reached a peak of 105 knots (194 km/h) and 915 hPa on May 10. Soon after, the typhoon began slowly weakening. The JTWC downgraded it to a typhoon on May 11. On May 12, the weakening became more rapid, and the JMA downgraded the system to a severe tropical storm, while the JTWC issued its last advisory, noting that it was extratropical. The JMA, however, held onto Rammasun until early May 13, when it downgraded the cyclone to a low and issued its final advisory. Though it never hit land, it was the second strongest May typhoon in recorded history, behind Typhoon Lola of 1986.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Rammasun (Butchoy)
Rammasun brushed the Japanese coastline as it became extratropical on May 13 delivering strong winds and high waves. Along with moderate to heavy rain, winds gusted up to 52 mph (84 km/h) as the storm moved out to sea.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Rammasun (Butchoy)
A strong storm from the "tail" of Rammasun struck the Philippines as it passed south of Japan. The winds brought by the storm caused severe damage to some buildings and numerous trees some weighing tonnes were uprooted. The damage may have been due to a possible tornado but there is no clarification for this possibility. At least 40 people were injured and damage totaled to 11 million PHP (US$280,000).


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Matmo (Dindo)
On May 13, a tropical disturbance formed about 550 km (340 mi), to the east of Manila in the Philippines. The disturbance was located in an area of low vertical wind shear and had a consolidating low-level circulation center. The JTWC then issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the disturbance early the next day, as deep convection was building near to the low-pressure area. Later that day both the JTWC and the JMA upgraded the disturbance to a tropical depression, citing good outflow.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Matmo (Dindo)
Early on May 15, as the storm was moving towards the northwest, the JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) then designated the storm as Tropical Depression Dindo. While the storm accelerated to the northwest in response to a mid-latitude trough, the JTWC upped into a tropical storm and had reached its peak intensity with winds of 75 km/h (45 mph).


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Matmo (Dindo)
Early on May 16, both PAGASA and the JTWC issued their final advisories on the storm as it approached the edge of PAGASA's Area of responsibility, with the JTWC reporting that Matmo was now extratropical. However, data from the JMa suggested that it obtained peak wind speeds of 95 km/h (60 mph) at this time, which made Matmo a severe tropical storm. Though, within their next advisory, the JMA downgraded Matmo to a tropical storm before dissipating the net day.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Matmo (Dindo)
In preparation for Tropical Storm Matmo, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued warnings for the, Naha, Moji and Yokohama areas of Japan, but in the end, there was no impact.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Halong (Cosme)
Early on May 14 PAGASA upgraded a tropical disturbance west of the Philippines to Tropical Depression Cosme. Later that day the JTWC issued a TCFA, later the first advisory on the system as Tropical Depression 05W. On May 16, the JMA upgraded 05W to Halong. Later that day, it was upgraded to a Severe Tropical Storm by JMA, and a Typhoon by JTWC, and reached its peak of 60 knots (110 km/h) early May 17. It made landfall on western Pangasinan early May 17, and weakened while crossing northern Luzon, but after reaching open waters it re-organized while accelerating northeastward. The system intensified to a severe tropical storm again, but never reached its previous peak intensity and began weakening as it moved northeast. The JTWC and the JMA issued their final advisories on May 20.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Halong (Cosme)
In Luzon, the storm caused 58 deaths and $94 million (USD) in damage. The storm destroyed 43,365 houses and damaged 188,830 more. Most of the damages reported were in Northern Luzon. Meanwhile, Mindoro and Panay islands were also affected as the storm-induced southwest monsoon brought rains and floods to those areas.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Nakri (Enteng)
A tropical disturbance formed south of Guam on May 25. On May 26, the JMA recognized it as a weak tropical depression, and later that day, the JTWC issued a TCFA on the system.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Nakri (Enteng)
Early on May 27, the JTWC issued its first advisory on Tropical Depression 06W. Hours after, the JMA designated the system as Tropical Storm Nakri. Early on May 28, the JMA upgraded it to a severe tropical storm. Twelve hours later, the JTWC upgraded 06W to a typhoon. Later that day, Nakri strengthened at a more rapid pace and the rapid intensification continued into May 29, when Nakri strengthened to a Category 4-equivalent typhoon. PAGASA then issued its first advisory on the storm on early on May 30 and named it "Enteng". By May 31 it began to weaken as it moved north. But on the next day, it started to re-intensify slightly. On June 2, it began to undergo transition to an extratropical system. And later, both JTWC and JMA stopped issuing advisories as it already degenerated to an extratropical low.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Nakri (Enteng)
The name Nakri was submitted by Cambodia and refers to a type of flower found in the country.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Fengshen (Frank)
On June 18, an area of low pressure that the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had been monitoring for a few days was upgraded to Tropical Depression Frank. Later that day both the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) started issuing full advisories on Frank with the JTWC designating it as Tropical Depression 07W. Early the next day the JMA upgraded the tropical depression to a tropical storm and assigned the name Fengshen. Tropical Storm Fengshen then rapidly intensified that day by becoming a severe tropical storm and then intensifying into a typhoon later that day. The next day Typhoon Fengshen made landfall in eastern Samar in the central Philippines and travelled northwest over the islands.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Fengshen (Frank)
Fengshen was initially forecast to go through Bicol Region but later on shifted its course further westward, eventually going towards the direction of Mindoro Province. However, before even reaching Mindoro it again shifted its direction northward towards the direction of Metro Manila, mainly because of the weakening of the High Pressure area system in the northern part of the Philippines.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Fengshen (Frank)
Typhoon Fengshen, after creating havoc in the Philippines, emerged into the South China Sea on the 22nd of June and moved northwards towards China. After moving into the South China Sea both the JMA and PAGASA downgraded it to a severe tropical storm while the JTWC downgraded Fengshen from a Typhoon to a Tropical Storm. PAGASA then issued its final advisory on Tropical Storm Fengshen (Frank) due to Fengshen leaving PAGASA's Area of Responsibility. Late in the evening of the 24th June Tropical Storm Fengshen made landfall on Shenzhen, Guangdong, before moving into mainland China. The next day the JTWC downgraded Fengshen to a tropical depression and issued their final warning on the system. The JMA then announced their final warning as they downgraded Fengshen to a tropical depression.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression Gener
On July 4, PAGASA reported that Tropical Depression Gener formed in the South China Sea to the west of the Philippines. The precursor to Gener earlier moved across Luzon, producing 13 mm (0.51 in) of rain in the Ilocos Region. The system had deep convection persisting on the western side of its developing low level circulation center, although it was in an area of moderate wind shear, and rapid development was not expected. On July 7, Gener left the PAGASA area of responsibility.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression Gener
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on July 7 as the circulation strengthened, despite the convection being disorganized due to the shear. Later that day the JMA reported that the system become a minor Tropical Depression, although the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) did not follow suit. The system rapidly weakened as it moved ashore on China to the east of Hong Kong. Early on July 8 the JMA issued their last advisory on the depression. There was no damage reported in China, although the system produced heavy rainfall in Guangdong Province.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Kalmaegi (Helen)
Early on July 13, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), began to issue full advisories on a Tropical depression, which was located to the east of the Philippines. Later that day PAGASA allocated the name Helen to the depression, followed the next day by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) designating the number 08W. Early on the 15th July both the JTWC, and the JMA upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm status, with RSMC Tokyo assigning the name "Kalmaegi" to the storm. Early on the 17th, Kalmaegi began rapidly intensifying; both the JTWC and JMA upgraded Kalmaegi to a Typhoon.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Kalmaegi (Helen)
In the Philippines, it passed over Northern Luzon (mostly affecting Ilocos and Cagayan Valley), where it killed two people, left more than 31,129 people affected and damaged ₱ 7 million worth of property.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Kalmaegi (Helen)
The storm also hit 82 villages (all in Northern Luzon) and caused around ₱45,000 worth of damage to farmland and livestock, Typhoon Kalmaegi, which was downgraded to tropical storm status by Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau while still east of the country, made landfall at Ilan County in northeast Taiwan in the evening of July 17 at 19:40 local time (13:40 UTC) and emerged into the Taiwan Strait at 7:20 in the morning local time (01:20 UTC) on July 18. At least nineteen lost their lives due to the storm and six are currently reported as missing. Tainan County (now part of Tainan City) in southern Taiwan reported more than 1100 mm of rainfall in some mountain regions. The storm caused NT$ 300 million worth of damage, including an estimated US$16 million in agricultural losses, and the typhoon destroyed about 5,100 hectares of orchards and crops.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Kalmaegi (Helen)
From Taiwan, the typhoon, now downgraded to a tropical storm, turned toward southeast China. In Xiapu County of Fujian Province, the tropical storm made landfall at 17:50 local time (0950 UTC), with winds of about 90 miles per hour (140 km/h). In that province and in neighboring Zhejiang Province, 360,000 residents left coastal and low-lying homes to escape the storm. Schools and many businesses remained closed, and the storm was expected to travel northwest. Early on July 19, the JTWC issued its final advisory on Kalmaegi and downgraded it to a tropical depression. However, the JMA continued to issue advisories and maintained Kalmaegi a tropical storm as it moved to Yellow Sea. Late the next day, the JMA downgraded Kalmaegi to a Remnant Low (Extratropical cyclone) as it moved in land over North Korea.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Fung-wong (Igme)
On July 23 the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) started to issue WWJP25 warnings on a minor Tropical Depression which was located to the east of the Philippines. Early the next morning PAGASA named the depression as Igme. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) then initiated issuing advisories on the Tropical Depression designating it as Tropical Depression 09W. Later that day the JMA began to issue full advisories on the tropical depression whilst the JTWC upgraded the depression to tropical storm status. The JMA then designated it as Tropical Storm Fung-wong on July 25.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Fung-wong (Igme)
Fung-wong then carried on intensifying and during the morning off July 26 Fung-wong became a severe tropical storm. Later that day both the JTWC and PAGASA upgraded Fung-wong to Typhoon status. However the JMA did not upgrade Fung-wong to Typhoon Status until early the next morning. Late on July 27 Fung-wong reached its peak wind speeds of 95 kn (110 mph, 170 km/h) which is equivalent to a strong category two Typhoon on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale. Later that day Fung-wong made landfall on Taiwan near the border of Hualien County and Taitung County as a Typhoon. PAGASA then released their final advisory on Fung-wong as it had moved out of PAGASA's area of responsibility.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Fung-wong (Igme)
Early on July 28 Fung-wong it then emerged into the Taiwan Strait from Changhua County early the next morning by this time however Fung-wong had weakened into a Severe Tropical Storm whilst the JTWC had downgraded Fung-wong to a Tropical Storm. Fung-wong then made its second landfall later that day over mainland China. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center then released its last warning on Tropical Storm Fung-wong. However the JMA continued to issue advisories on Fung-wong weakening Fung-wong into a tropical storm on July 29. The JMA then terminated issuing full advisories later that day as Fung-wong weakened into a Tropical Depression, However the JMA continued to monitor the Depression within their WWJP25 warnings until later the next day when they issued their last warning on Fung-wong.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Kammuri (Julian)
On August 3 at 1500 UTC, PAGASA identified a Tropical Disturbance located to the north of Luzon island in the Philippines and designated it as Tropical Depression Julian. Later that day the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) designated Julian as a minor Tropical Depression and initiated advisories on the Tropical Depression.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Kammuri (Julian)
Early the next day the JMA started to issue full advisories on the Tropical Depression with the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) starting to issue warnings on the Tropical Depression with the JTWC designating it as Tropical Depression 10W. Furthermore, later that day both PAGASA and the JTWC upgraded the Tropical Depression to a Tropical Storm. On August 5 RSMC Tokyo upgraded the depression to a Tropical Storm and named it Kammuri. PAGASA then released their last advisory on Tropical Storm Kammuri (Julian) as it moved out of PAGASA's Area of responsibility and headed towards Mainland China. The Hong Kong Observatory then upgraded Kammuri to a Severe Tropical Storm, with the JMA upgrading it to a severe tropical storm early the next morning.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Kammuri (Julian)
However, Kammuri started to weaken after making landfall along the south coast of China in the Western Guangdong Province at about 12pm UTC on August 6. After Kammuri had made landfall the JMA downgraded Kammuri to a Tropical Storm, whilst the JTWC issued their final advisory later that day on Tropical Storm Kammuri. Early the next day Tropical Storm Kammuri emerged into the Gulf of Tonkin, however later that day Kammuri made landfall again in the Guangxi Province of China. After making landfall Kammuri weakened to a tropical depression as the JMA issued its last advisory on August 7. However the JMA continued to monitor the depression in their WWJP25 warnings until early on August 8.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Phanfone
Late on August 9, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) started to issue full advisories on a Tropical Depression which was located southeast of Japan. Early the next day, the depression intensified into a tropical storm and was named Phanfone by the JMA as it moved northwards. Late on August 10, Phanfone reached its maximum wind speeds of 40 knots (75 km/h, 45 mph) as it was becoming extratropical. Early the next day Phanfone became an extratropical low as the JMA issued their final advisory.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Phanfone
Phanfone was upgraded to a severe tropical storm in post-storm analysis.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Phanfone
The name Phanfone was submitted by Laos and is the name of an animal.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 11W
Early on August 12 the JMA identified a weak tropical depression which was located to the northwest of the Ryukyu Islands, and initiated warnings on it. Early the next day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center initiated warnings on the depression designating it as Tropical Depression 11W. Early the next day as Tropical Depression 11W approached Korea the depression reached its maximum wind speeds of 30 kn (55 km/h, 35 mph) However, later that day the JTWC issued its final advisory as due to land interaction the depressions wind speeds would weaken to below warning level. The next day the JMA released their final advisory on the depression.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Vongfong
Early on August 13, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, noted that an area of convection had persisted approximately 370 nautical miles (690 km) to the southeast of Okinawa, Japan and designated it as a Tropical Disturbance. The JTWC at this time also assessed the disturbances chances of forming into a significant tropical cyclone within 24 hours as fair. This was due to the tropical disturbance having a broad Low Level Circulation Center however the strongest winds were displaced on the eastern side of the disturbance. Early the next morning the JTWC reassessed the disturbances chances of forming into a significant tropical cyclone within 24 hours as good and issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the developing disturbance. This was because the Low Level Circulation Center had become well defined.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Vongfong
Later on August 14, the Japan Meteorological Agency designated the tropical disturbance as a minor tropical depression whilst the JTWC also upgraded the disturbance and designated it as Tropical Depression 12W. Early the next day the JMA designated the depression as a full tropical depression, whilst the JTWC upgraded the depression to a tropical storm. Later that day the JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm, and assigned the name Vongfong to the storm.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Vongfong
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center then reported that Vongfong had reached its peak winds of 50 knots (60 mph, 95 km/h1-Min) whilst it was located approximately 390 nautical miles (720 km) to the southwest of Tokyo, Japan. The JMA also then reported that it Vongfong had reached its operational peak winds of 40 knots (45 mph 75 km/h 10-Min) however this was later revised in its best track when the JMA upgraded Vongfong peak winds to 50 knots (60 mph 110 km/h 10-Min). Later on August 15, the JTWC reported that Vongfong had started to weaken from its peak.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Vongfong
During the next day Vongfong carried on weakening. The JTWC then issued its final warning on Vongfong later that day as it had begun its extratropical transition. whilst the JMA kept issuing warnings on Vongfong until early on August 17 when they downgraded it to an extratropical low. The extratropical low of Vongfong then crossed the International Date Line and moved out of the JMA's area of responsibility and moved into the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility but they did not issue any warnings on Vongfong as it was extratropical.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Vongfong
As Vongfong brushed by Japan, heavy rains triggered flood which killed one person. A total of 523 homes and 39 hectares (96.3 acres) were damaged by the storm and 15,520 people were left without power. The storm also damaged 139 roads and caused 54 landslides.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression Kika
Shortly after crossing the dateline, the remnants of Kika entered the western Pacific basin and regenerated into a tropical depression. The depression continued to move towards the west-southwest before dissipating on August 16.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Nuri (Karen)
On August 17 the Joint Typhoon Warning Center identified a tropical depression located to the east of the Philippines and designated it as 13W. Later that day both the JMA and PAGASA identified the tropical depression and started to issue full advisories on the depression with PAGASA naming the depression Karen. Also later that day the JTWC upgraded Karen to a Tropical Storm.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Nuri (Karen)
The next day, both PAGASA and the JMA upgraded the depression to a Tropical Storm with RSMC Tokyo naming it as Nuri. It then intensified rather quickly with the JMA designating it as a Severe Tropical Storm with the JMA, PAGASA, and the JTWC upgrading Nuri to a Typhoon later that day. Late on August 19 Typhoon Nuri made landfall on the Philippines and then over the next day moved across northern Luzon causing 12 deaths and 461.3 million PHP in damage.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Nuri (Karen)
that day Nuri entered the Babuyan Channel early the next day and started to move northwestwards towards Hong Kong and China. On August 21 PAGASA then issued its final advisory on Nuri as it was moving out of PAGASA's Area of Responsibility. The JMA then downgraded Nuri to a Severe tropical storm with the JTWC also downgrading Nuri to a Tropical Storm later that day as it was approaching Hong Kong. However the JMA did not downgrade Nuri to a tropical storm until the next morning after Nuri had made a rare direct hit on Hong Kong. The JTWC then issued its final advisory later on tropical storm Nuri and the JMA then downgraded Nuri to a weak tropical depression early the next day and issued its last full advisory on Nuri as it was just moving into the Chinese mainland.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 14W (Lawin)
On August 24, a tropical disturbance formed to the east of Luzon in the Philippines. Early the next day PAGASA designated it as Tropical Depression Lawin. However, the JMA did not designate it as a Minor Tropical depression until early on August 26, with the JTWC issuing a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert at the same time. PAGASA then hoisted Public storm Signal number 1 for parts of Luzon which meant that wind speeds of 30–60 km/h were expected within 36 hours in the warning areas.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 14W (Lawin)
Later that day both the JMA and the JTWC, started to issue full advisories on the tropical depression, with the JTWC designating it as Tropical Depression 14W. Early the next day the JTWC upgraded the tropical depression to a tropical storm, Despite of the fact that neither the JMA nor PAGASA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm at this time (or at any time during Lawin's existence), the JTWC then weakened the cyclone back into a tropical depression within their next advisory.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 14W (Lawin)
The JMA then terminated issuing full advisories later that day as it was no longer expected to develop into a tropical storm. On August 28 the JTWC issued its final advisory on the Tropical depression followed by the JMA and PAGASA later that day. There were no reported casualties from Tropical Depression 14W (Lawin).


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Sinlaku (Marce)
On September 8 the JMA and PAGASA started to issue advisories on a tropical depression which was located to the north of Manila with PAGASA designating it as Tropical Depression Marce. During that afternoon the JTWC designated the depression as Tropical Depression 15W. Later that day the depression intensified into a Tropical Storm as was named Sinlaku by the JMA. During the next day Sinlaku firstly rapidly intensified into a Severe Tropical Storm and then into a Typhoon. On September 10 Sinlaku reached its peak 1 minute sustained winds of 125 knots (145 mph).


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Sinlaku (Marce)
During September 11 Sinlaku, started to weaken as it went under an eyewall replacement cycle. On September 13 Sinlaku made landfall on Taiwan with winds of 90 knots (170 km/h) which made Sinlaku a category two typhoon. As Sinlaku moved through Taiwan Sinlaku turned to the Northeast and moved back into the South China Sea and started moving towards Japan. The next day as Sinlaku moved towards Japan it weakened into a Severe Tropical Storm and exited PAGASA's area of responsibility whilst the JTWC did not downgrade Sinlaku to a tropical storm until late on September 15.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Sinlaku (Marce)
By then they were followed by the JMA which downgraded Sinlaku to a tropical storm early the next day. On September 16 the JTWC reported that Sinlaku had restrengthened into a Typhoon whilst the JMA reported that Sinlaku had strengthened into a Severe Tropical Storm. However the JTWC Quickly downgraded Sinlaku back down into a Tropical Storm whilst the JMA kept Sinlaku at Severe tropical Storm strength. The next day the JTWC reported that Sinlaku had intensified into a typhoon for a third time however later that day the JTWC downgraded Sinlaku to Tropical Storm. On September 17 the JTWC issued its final advisory on Sinlaku as it became extratropical. However the JMA kept issuing advisories on Sinlaku until early on September 21 when it became an extratropical low.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 16W
Late on September 8, a tropical disturbance formed to the southeast of Japan. It then formed into a tropical depression during the next afternoon, with the JMA designating it as a Minor Tropical Depression with wind speeds of 25 knots (46 km/h). However the JTWC did not designate the depression as 16W until the morning of September 10. At that time the JTWC reported the depression had intensified into a Tropical Storm. However, later that day the JTWC lowered the storm back down to a Depression and then re-upgraded the Depression to a tropical storm. However early the next day the storm was downgraded by the JTWC for the last time as it had started its extratropical transition. Later that day as the depression raced into the Baroclinic Zone the JTWC issued its final advisory on Tropical storm 16W.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 17W
On September 13 the Japan Meteorological Agency started issuing advisories on a tropical depression located to the east of Japan and designated it as a minor tropical depression with wind speeds of 25 knots (46 km/h). The following morning the Joint Typhoon Warning Center assigned the number 17W to the depression. However, as it had already begun its extra tropical transition, this was the only JTWC warning issued on the system.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Hagupit (Nina)
On September 14 a tropical disturbance formed to the northeast of Guam. Over the next few days it slowly developed, with the JMA designating it as a minor tropical depression on September 17. Later that day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) then issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the developing tropical depression. Late the next day the JTWC designated the depression as 18W as it began to issue advisories on the depression.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Hagupit (Nina)
Early on September 19 the JMA began to issue full advisories on the depression as it moved into PAGASA's Area of Responsibility and was named Nina by PAGASA. Later that day both the JMA & the JTWC upgraded the depression to a tropical storm. The JMA named the storm as Hagupit, and assigned the international number of 0814. Early the next day Hagupit intensified into a severe tropical storm, and a category 3 typhoon later that day. It reached maximum intensity with 140 mph (230 km/h) winds on September 23, and made landfall at that strength the next day. It then dissipated over land, thus late on September 24 JTWC issued its final advisory on the system followed by JMA early the next day.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Jangmi (Ofel)
Forming south of Guam on September 22. JTWC issued a TCFA and upgraded the low-pressure area to a tropical depression on the next day. Both JTWC and JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm named Jangmi on September 24, as well as it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, earning the name Ofel from the PAGASA. On September 25, Jangmi intensified into a typhoon for its developing eye. On September 26, Jangmi formed an cirrus-filled and ambiguous eye, as the typhoon gradually intensified owing to strong radial outflow.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Jangmi (Ofel)
On September 27, JTWC upgraded Jangmi to a super typhoon with a round eye; at noon, the typhoon attained peak intensity by the ten-minute maximum sustained winds reaching 115 knots (215 km/h, 130 mph) and the atmospheric pressure decreasing to 905 hPa (26.7 inHg). On September 28, after JTWC downgraded Jangmi to a typhoon, it made landfall over Yilan, Taiwan at 15:40 TST (07:40 UTC). Jangmi weakened significantly by the mountainous terrain of Taiwan after landfall, and it arrived at the Taiwan Strait from Taoyuan County (now Taoyuan City) at 04:20 TST on September 29 (20:20 UTC on September 28).


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Jangmi (Ofel)
On September 29, both JMA and JTWC downgraded Jangmi to a tropical storm in the East China Sea. On September 30, Jangmi underwent extratropical transition and became fully extratropical near the Ōsumi Islands on the next day. It ultimately dissipated near Iwo Jima on October 5.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Storm Mekkhala
On September 25 a tropical disturbance formed to the south of China, in the Gulf of Tonkin. Over the next few days it gradually intensified and late on September 27 the JMA designated it as a tropical depression. Early the next day the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the developing depression and then later that day, designated the depression as Tropical Depression 20W. Early on September 28 the JMA reported that the depression had intensified into a tropical storm and named it as Mekkhala. Later that day the JTWC upgraded Mekkhala to a Tropical Storm. However, on the 30th it began to move inland and thus, early that day, JTWC issued its final advisory on Mekkhala as it is expected to dissipate within a short time. Later that day, the JMA downgraded the storm to a tropical depression and issued the final advisory.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Storm Mekkhala
At least 21 people have been killed due to Tropical Storm Mekkhala. Damages from the storm totaled to $6.6 million (USD)


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Storm Higos (Pablo)
On September 27 a tropical disturbance formed in the Philippine Sea to the east of Mindanao, in the Philippines. During the next day the JTWC issued a TCFA on the tropical disturbance. Early on September 29 the JMA designated the disturbance as a tropical depression. Later that day both PAGASA and the JTWC designated the disturbance as a tropical depression, with PAGASA naming the depression as Pablo whilst the JTWC designated it as Tropical Depression 21W. The JTWC upgraded the depression to a tropical storm early in the afternoon.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Storm Higos (Pablo)
The JMA followed shortly after and upgraded the system to Tropical Storm Higos early on September 30. Higos tracked towards the northwest and made landfall in the eastern Philippines (on Samar island) on October 1. Higos tracked over the Philippines as a tropical storm (but PAGASA downgraded it as a tropical depression) for most of the day before moving out over open waters. Once out over water, the JTWC downgraded Higos to a tropical depression, however, the JMA kept it as a tropical storm. As Higos neared landfall, it suddenly relocated, paralleling the northeastern coast of Hainan, China. The storm later made landfall on October 4 around 2 a.m. (CST) on the northern coastline of the island. JMA then issued its final advisory as Higos weakened to a tropical depression. The JTWC followed 12 hours later.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 22W
On October 13 the Japan Meteorological Agency designated a low-pressure area in the Gulf of Tonkin as a minor tropical depression with wind speeds of 25 knots (46 km/h). The China Meteorological Administration and Hong Kong Observatory both declared this system a tropical depression that day as it moved slowly towards northern Vietnam. On October 14, the JMA notes that the depression has strengthened to 30 knots (56 km/h) with little northwestward movement.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression 22W
Joint Typhoon Warning Center begun issuing warnings late morning as a tropical depression and in the evening upgraded it to a tropical storm forecasting it to strengthen even further before making its landfall over northern Vietnam. The system didn't gain anymore strength in the Gulf of Tonkin and on October 15 made landfall over northern Vietnam. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued its final advisory on this system expecting it to dissipate near Laos by October 16.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Storm Bavi
On October 18 an area of low pressure well to the southeast of Japan quickly strengthened to become a Tropical Storm, and the JMA named it Bavi. Bavi strengthened to gain 50 mph (80 km/h) winds, but transitioned into an extra-tropical cyclone on 21 October, while still well to the east of Japan.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Maysak (Quinta-Siony)
On November 5, a tropical disturbance formed in the Philippine Sea to the northeast of Zamboanga, in the Philippines. Later that day the JTWC assessed the disturbance chances of forming into a Significant Tropical cyclone within 24 hours as poor. Early the next day PAGASA designated the disturbance as a Tropical Depression and named it as Quinta, whilst the JTWC still monitored it as a disturbance.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Severe Tropical Storm Maysak (Quinta-Siony)
Later that day the JTWC upgraded the disturbances chances of forming into a significant tropical cyclone to Good and issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the disturbance and then designated the disturbance as Tropical Depression 24W as they issued their first advisory on the Depression. On November 12, PAGASA issued their final warning as it transform into a low-pressure area. PAGASA renamed the system as Siony on November 12 as it redeveloped. Later that day, they issued their final advisory again as it moved out of their area of responsibility.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression Rolly
Early on November 7 a Tropical disturbance formed about 475 nm to the east of Zamboanga in the Philippines. Animated multi-spectral imagery at this time showed that the disturbance had disorganized convection which was located near to a developing low level circulation center and was located within a favorable upper-level environment for development. An anticyclone was providing vertical wind-sheer however the disturbance was already interacting with land as it was rapidly approaching Mindanao.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Depression Rolly
Later that day after it had moved through parts of Mindanao it was named as Tropical Depression Rolly by PAGASA as they placed several parts of Mindanao and Visayas under public storm signal number one. All signals were then canceled the next morning as PAGASA released their final advisory on Rolly as it had weakened into an area of low pressure over Palawan. The JTWC then declared that the low-pressure area had dissipated later that morning. Rough seas produced by the depression capsized a vessel carrying eleven people. The Philippine Coast Guard quickly responded to the incident and rescued all crew members.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Storm Haishen
On November 14, the JMA reported that tropical depression formed 490 km (300 mi) to the southeast of Iwo To, despite the JTWC noting the tropical cyclone formation was unlikely within the next 24 hours due to lack of deep convection. Later that day, deep convection began to persist near the center, indicating the storm developed a fully warm tropical core. Despite increased vertical wind shear, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the system. During that evening, the JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm while the JTWC designated Haishen as a tropical depression.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Storm Haishen
Early on November 16, Haishen attained its peak intensity of 75 km/h (45 mph). Traveling along the north portion of a subtropical ridge to the southeast of the system, dry air began to take toll on the system. The JTWC then issued their final warning later that day, as Haishen rapidly transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. The JMA followed suit 24 hours later. The extratropical low of Haishen accelerated towards the International Date Line, where it briefly reintensified.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Storm Noul (Tonyo)
On November 12 a tropical disturbance formed to the east of Mindanao in the Philippines. Later that day the JTWC assessed the disturbances' chances of forming into a significant tropical cyclone within 24 hours as Poor. The next day as it moved towards Mindanao, PAGASA designated it as Tropical Depression Tonyo. Early on November 16, the JTWC declared the system Tropical Depression 26W. On November 16, PAGASA issued their final warning as the Depression moved to South China Sea. On November 17 the storm dissipated over Cambodia and both the JMA and JTWC issued their final warnings later that day.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Tropical Storm Noul (Tonyo)
A landslide triggered by Noul killed a schoolteacher as she was heading home in Quảng Ngãi Province. At least 50 rescue workers searched for her through the debris before finding her body several days later. At least 20,000 people were in need of emergency assistance in the form of food, shelter, and water following the storm. Several other people were killed by landslides and flooding. In all, Tropical Storm Noul killed 21 people in southern Vietnam. During the storm, more than 2,000 people were isolated by floodwaters. A total of 200 homes were destroyed, another 13,500 were damaged 8,879 hectares of crops were destroyed and 60 km (37 mi) of roads were submerged. Damages from the storm were estimated at VND143 billion (US$8.4 million). Offshore, a total of 115 boats sank due to the storm.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Dolphin (Ulysses)
A small circulation formed over in a developing extratropical cyclone east of Japan on December 2. This type of formation is really rare, as the circulation moved east away from the developing cyclone and moved south on December 5. Dolphin was formerly an area of convection that had formed on the tail end of a shearline on December 7. On December 8, the storm gained more tropical characteristics, thus JMA defined it as a tropical depression. The storm then moved westward during the following days.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Dolphin (Ulysses)
On December 10, the JTWC upgraded the storm to Tropical Depression 27W when it was east of Guam. On December 12, 27W was upgraded to Tropical Storm Dolphin by the JMA. The name Dolphin was submitted by Hong Kong. Later that day, Dolphin entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility and named Ulysses. On December 15, the JTWC upgraded Dolphin to a typhoon. The JMA also upgraded Dolphin to a typhoon several hours later. On December 16, the JMA downgraded Dolphin to a severe tropical storm. Both agencies issued their final advisories on Dolphin on December 18 as it transitioned into an extratropical cyclone.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Other systems
Many weak tropical depressions are left unmonitored, or left unnamed.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Other systems
A tropical depression existed in the central Pacific Ocean from January 22–23. It didn't affect any landmasses.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Other systems
On May 27, an unmonitored tropical depression affected the Philippines. It dissipated the next day.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Other systems
Another tropical depression affected Japan and Ryukyu Islands on June 6.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Other systems
2 more unmonitored tropical depressions existed from July 6–9 and July 13–15. It didn't affect any landmasses.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Other systems
2 more unmonitored tropical depressions formed from August 10–12 and August 11–15. The first depression affected China and the latter affected Japan and South Korea.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Other systems
A tropical depression was left unmonitored on November 11–12. It stayed well from land.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Other systems
The last unmonitored tropical depression existed on December 2. It stayed well from land as it dissipated.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Storm names
Within the North-western Pacific Ocean, both the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration assign names to tropical cyclones that develop in the Western Pacific, which can result in a tropical cyclone having two names. The Japan Meteorological Agency's RSMC Tokyo — Typhoon Center assigns international names to tropical cyclones on behalf of the World Meteorological Organization's Typhoon Committee, should they be judged to have 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 65 km/h, (40 mph).


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Storm names
While the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°N-25°N even if the cyclone has had an international name assigned to it. The names of significant tropical cyclones are retired, by both PAGASA and the Typhoon Committee. Should the list of names for the Philippine region be exhausted then names will be taken from an auxiliary list of which the first ten are published each season. Unused names are marked in gray.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Storm names, International names
During the season 22 named tropical cyclones developed in the Western Pacific and were named by the Japan Meteorological Agency, when it was determined that they had become tropical storms. These names were contributed to a list of a 140 names submitted by the fourteen members nations and territories of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. The names Matmo, Nuri, Noul and Dolphin were used for the first time as it was replaced from Chataan, Rusa, Pongsona and Yanyan.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Storm names, Philippines
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration uses its own naming scheme for tropical cyclones in their area of responsibility. PAGASA assigns names to tropical depressions that form within their area of responsibility and any tropical cyclone that might move into their area of responsibility. Should the list of names for a given year prove to be insufficient, names are taken from an auxiliary list, the first 10 of which are published each year before the season starts. The names not retired from this list will be used again in the 2012 season. This is the same list used in the 2004 season, except for Ulysses, Vicky and Warren, which replaced Unding, Violeta and Winnie respectively. The name Ulysses is the only name which used for the first time. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Storm names, Retirement
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that the names Cosme and Frank would be retired due to extensive damage and loss of life. In June 2012 the names  Carina and Ferdie was chosen by PAGASA to replace Cosme and Frank.


2008 Pacific typhoon season, Season effects
This table will list all the storms that developed in the northwestern Pacific Ocean west of the International Date Line and north of the equator during 2008. It will include their intensity, duration, name, areas affected, deaths, and damage totals. Classification and intensity values will be based on estimations conducted by the JMA. All damage figures will be in 2008 USD. Damages and deaths from a storm will include when the storm was a precursor wave or an extra tropical low.


2008 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2008 Pacific Life Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was held between March 12 and March 15, 2008 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. All ten schools in the conference qualified for the tournament. Number one seed UCLA defeated number two seed Stanford 67–64 to win the conference tournament. It was the first time since 2005 that the top two seeded teams were in the final game. UCLA was the regular season champion. A record crowd of 18,997 (Staples Center capacity for Basketball) was on hand to watch UCLA defeat USC 57–54 in the semi finals. On January 3, 2010, USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett announced that the school was to vacate the 2007–08 season's victories for NCAA violations by the basketball team.


2008 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, Seeds
All Pacific-10 schools played in the tournament. Teams were seeded by conference record, with a tiebreaker system used to seed teams with identical conference records.


2008 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, Bracket
* Denotes a vacated win, as the result of a January 3, 2010 announcement that USC has vacated all wins during the 2007–2008 season, including its Pac-10 Conference Tournament victory over Arizona State (therefore, USC finished the season with a record of 0–12).


2008 Pakistani general election
General elections were held in Pakistan on 18 February 2008 to elect members of the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies.


2008 Pakistani general election
On 3 November 2007, President Pervez Musharraf enacted a state of emergency; elections were initially postponed indefinitely. However, it was later stated they would be held as planned. On 8 November 2007 Musharraf announced that the elections would be held by 15 February 2008, before suggesting a date of 8 January. Following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the Election Commission conducted a meeting and announced that 8 January was no longer a feasible date and the elections would be held on 18 February.


2008 Pakistani general election
The elections saw the resurgence of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), which emerged as the two largest parties in the National Assembly. Following Bhutto's death, the PPP had come under the leadership  of her nineteen year-old son Bilawal. However, the party's election campaign was led by Benazir's husband and Bilawal's father Asif Ali Zardari, in his capacity as the co-chairman of the party. The PML-N was under the leadership of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan as Nawaz Sharif was still in exile. At the provincial level, the PPP won in Sindh, the PML-N dominated in Punjab, the Awami National Party emerged as the largest party in North-West Frontier Province, and Musharraf's Pakistan Muslim League (Q) won the most seats in Balochistan. Around 35.2 million people voted, with voter turnout just 44%.


2008 Pakistani general election
Musharraf conceded the defeat of his party and pledged to work with the new Parliament. Due to a common mistrust of Musharraf, the PPP and PML-N initially formed a coalition government. Although Ameen Faheem was expected to lead the new government, PPP leaders agreed to appoint Yousaf Raza Gillani as Prime Minister. Within a week, the PML-N left the coalition to lead the impeachment movement and a campaign to restore the judiciary. The PPP instead formed a government with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Awami National Party, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F).


2008 Pakistani general election
By-elections for 28 seats (23 provincial and five national) were delayed numerous times, with most of them held as late as 26 June 2008.


2008 Pakistani general election, Terrorism
Since 2004, there was a sharp rise of terrorism incidents took place during the presidency of General Pervez Musharraf. A serious incident took place in Red Mosque located in Islamabad when Police's special forces conducted an armed raid in the Mosque. The general elections were dealt with a great shock on 27 December 2007 when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated while leaving a rally in Rawalpindi. Bhutto's assassination raised many questions as to whether the general election would be postponed. Following the fatal attack, Pervez Musharraf held an emergency meeting with other government officials, but stated that "no decision had been made on whether to delay the national elections."


2008 Pakistani general election, Terrorism
Benazir Bhutto had "become an appealing solution" to United States officials frustrated with President Musharraf's failure to restore democracy to Pakistan, The New York Times said.


2008 Pakistani general election, Terrorism
The PML(N) stated after the assassination that his party would boycott the election. The PML(N) later stated that the party would take part if PPP contests the election. The PPP then decided to name Benazir Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the new party leader with his father Asif Ali Zardari as co-leader, as asked for in Benazir Bhutto's testament. The party also decided that it would contest the elections and stated that the elections should be held as planned.


2008 Pakistani general election, Terrorism
The Election Commission announced after a meeting in Islamabad that an 8 January vote was no longer possible and the election would take place on 18 February.


2008 Pakistani general election, Pre-election violence
In the weeks preceding the election, there were several attacks targeting leftist politicians and political rallies. On 9 February, a suicide car bomb killed 27 and injured 37 attending a political rally for the Awami National Party in Charsadda. On 16 February, another suicide car bomb that killed 37 and injured 93 outside the residence of PPP candidate Riaz Shah in Parachinar. The same day, a suicide attack on an army  outpost in Swat Valley killed two civilians and injured eight people. A polling location in Bajaur was destroyed by militants earlier.


2008 Pakistani general election, Issues, Code of conduct
Code of conduct for the election has been proposed by the Citizens' Group on Electoral Process (CGEP) to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the political parties. This suggests that all stakeholders should agree on a set of rules as early as possible, in order to provide a level playing field for a fair general election.


2008 Pakistani general election, Issues, Terrorism
There have been concerns from the United States that Pakistan has not been doing enough to assist in their war on terrorism. Musharraf has rejected such claims, stating "The fight against terrorism and extremism, whether it is al-Qaeda or Taliban, can never succeed without Pakistan's cooperation and Pakistan is the only country that has delivered the maximum on both. We are tackling them with 30,000 troops. If there is anybody who is not doing enough, it is others who are not doing enough."


2008 Pakistani general election, Issues, Terrorism
Opposition parties, especially the religious Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal coalition, are opposed to Pakistan's role as ally of the United States in the War on Terrorism. A car bomb killed 40 people and wounded 90 16 February 2008 in northern Pakistan when it exploded in front of an election office of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party.


2008 Pakistani general election, Issues, Fairness of elections
To ensure the transparent elections the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) played a vital role in election monitoring. A part from this number of opposition parties called for the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf to ensure free and fair elections under a caretaker government. On 8 July 2007, opposition parties issued a declaration of their demands for the elections. The parties included were the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League (N), and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal. Regarding the election, the declaration had the following clauses:Former Prime Minister Pakistan Ch. Shujaat claimed that United States managed results of 2008 general elections.


2008 Pakistani general election, Issues, Fairness of elections
In a  on 31 March 2017, Ch. Shujaat claimed that American authorities along with the then Senator (who became vice-president thereafter) Joe Biden visited him two days before general elections of 2008 at his (Shujaat) residence in Lahore and said that US would not accept election results if his (Shujaat) party won


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Party alliances
Thirty-two parties opposed to Musharraf have joined together in a loose political alliance called All Parties Democratic Movement; the PPP, one of the main parties, was not a part of this alliance.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Party alliances
As Musharraf had stated that the elections would be held under the state of emergency, at least three parties stated they will boycott such elections, fearing that they would not be free and fair: the PML (N), Jamaat-e-Islami and Tehreek-i-Insaaf.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Party alliances
The opposition parties jointly stated that the elections could not be fair, as most opposition candidates were in jail under the state of emergency and thus unable to file nomination papers for the election.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Party alliances
On 23 November 2007, PPP members were given the go-ahead to register for the elections, while still reserving the decision to boycott the election.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Party alliances
Imran Khan, the Tehreek-i-Insaaf leader, restated his call for a boycott on 23 November 2007, the day the APDM was to decide on whether to boycott the elections jointly.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Party alliances
Upon his return to Pakistan on 26 November 2007, Nawaz Sharif stated he would run in the elections only if the state of emergency was lifted before the polls, and that he would not serve as Prime Minister under Musharraf. However, Sharif's candidacy was rejected on 3 December due to his prior criminal conviction.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Party alliances
On 10 December 2007, Sharif and Bhutto finally announced they would not boycott the election, despite their fears that the election would be neither free nor fair.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) campaigned on wide range of issues, including country's role in terrorism, nationalization, immigration, and foreign policy. The PPP is a centre-left political party and promotes the proponents of social democracy. During the election campaign, Benazir highlighted the success of computer literacy programme that was launched in 1993, and gas pipelines infrastructure that was initiated in 1995.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Pakistan Muslim League (N)
The Pakistan Muslim League-N's political campaign was led by Nisar Ali Khan, in the absence of Nawaz Sharif. The PML(N) is a centre-right political party and primarily targeted the Pervez Musharraf and PML(Q)'s government initiatives to resolve the law and order situation in the country. Due to Pervez Musharraf baring Nawaz Sharif to return to the country, the PML-N's campaign was restricted in all over the country.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Electoral support
In a poll from the International Republican Institute conducted from 19 to 29 January, the PPP led with 50.0%, followed by PML-N with 22.0%, and Musharraf's PML-Q with 14.0%. The ultraconservative Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) had 1.0% and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) 1.0%. Due to its unprecedented lead in the opinion polls, most commentators believed PPP could win a landslide victory. However, the actual results were much smaller for PPP.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Electoral support
In the first three counts to finish, the opposition did well: The provincial assembly seat in Baluchistan went to the PPP—the party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto—while two independent candidates won seats from the northern tribal areas. Unofficial returns 19 February 2008 showed huge wins for the opposition parties of former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and the slain Benazir Bhutto, one day after a pivotal vote that could threaten Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's political viability.


2008 Pakistani general election, Campaign, Electoral support
Pakistan's two main opposition parties, the PPP and the PML (N) announced 21 February 2008 they would form a new government together after their victory over President Pervez Musharraf's allies in elections the week of 18 February 2008. Shortly after making their coalition official, Pakistan's main opposition parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N), on 9 March 2008 called on President Pervez Musharraf to immediately convene parliament (Majlis-e-Shoora).


2008 Pakistani general election, Results
Results indicated that PPP and PML(N) secured the largest popularity votes in the elections– both campaigned on targeting Musharraf and had been politically active against Musharraf since 2003. The PML(Q) of Musharraf eminently faced the defeat, including 22 higher officials of the PML(Q) who were the cabinet ministers which constituted a bulk of the previous federal cabinet.


2008 Pakistani general election, Results
The PML(Q)'s president, Shujaat Hussain, and chief minister, Punjab Pervez Illahi lost their respected seats. Others belonging to PML(Q) who also lost the elections includes:


2008 Pakistani general election, Results
On 21 February, it was announced that the PPP and the PML (N) would form a coalition government. The coalition would also include the Awami National Party.


2008 Pakistani general election, Results, National Assembly
Following the election, seven independents joined the PPP, whilst three joined PML-N.


2008 Pakistani general election, Results, By-elections
By-elections for 28 seats (23 provincial and 5 national) were delayed numerous times and were being contested, among others, by Nawaz Sharif (who initially stated he had withdrawn, but then appeared to be contesting the election nonetheless; his brother Shehbaz Sharif will also run in the by-elections) and Asif Ali Zardari.


2008 Pakistani general election, Results, By-elections
The by-elections had originally planned for 3 June 2008, then postponed to 18 June 2008; a further planned postponement to 18 August 2008 due to security reasons met with large-scale opposition, leading to a rescheduling at the time to 26 June 2008. PPP announced it would not run in the by-elections which prominent leaders of the PML-N would contest.


2008 Pakistani general election, Results, By-elections
On 23 June 2008, Sharif was again banned from the election due to his earlier court conviction, leading the Supreme Court on 25 June 2008 to postpone the by-election for Sharif's seat until after appeal deliberations which begin on 30 June 2008 are concluded. By-elections for the other seats were held as planned on 26 June 2008.


2008 Pakistani general election, Results, By-elections
59 candidates contested the five national seats, while the 282 candidates contesting the provincial seats were divided as follow:


2008 Pakistani general election, Results, By-elections
Unofficial results showed that PML-N had won three national seats and PPP the other two; of the provincial seats, PML-N won eight, PPP seven, the Awami National Party two and independents six. Turnout was reportedly low.


2008 Pakistani general election, Government formation
Due to a common mistrust on Pervez Musharraf, the PML(N) agreed to form a coalition government after succeeding with an agreement reached in March 2008. The PPP appointed Yousaf Raza Gillani as Prime Minister over the populist Amin Fahim. After taking the oath and appointing a cabinet, Prime Minister Gillani worked toward consolidating the power to weakened Pervez Musharraf.


2008 Pakistani general election, Government formation
The PML(N) on the other hand consistently worked towards building efforts to lead a successful movement to impeach President Pervez Musharraf. Supported by MQM and ANP, Asif Zardari was endorsed to the presidency in 2008. The PML(N) left the coalition government over the multiple disagreement on the issue of restoring of deposed judiciary, national amnesty, the nationalization, and the policies in regards to the War on Terror. The PML(N) also had clash over the socialist ideas and centralizing of leftist forces on a common ground. In 2009, Prime Minister Gillani approved the PML(N) departure, and instead, named a new cabinet with a new and more prudent leftist alliance consisting of MQM, ANP, JUI(F).


2008 Pakistani general election, Government formation
In December 2010 the MQM withdrew from the ruling coalition, including its 2 cabinet ministers Babar Ghauri, the ports and shipping minister, and Farooq Sattar, minister for overseas Pakistanis. Amongst their reasons for withdrawing were corruption, law and order and rising prices. However, the MQM returned to the government in matter of weeks with the PML(Q) also joining the Coalition government in 2012.


2008 Pakistani presidential election
An indirect presidential election was held on 6 September 2008 in Pakistan. The Electoral College of Pakistan – a joint sitting of the Senate, National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies – elected a new president after the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf. As required by the constitution, Muhammad Mian Soomro (in his position as Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan) automatically became acting president on 18 August 2008, upon the resignation of Musharraf. The constitution required that a new president be elected by Parliament within 30 days; Soomro was considered loyal to Musharraf, and it was considered certain that he would be replaced in that election.


2008 Pakistani presidential election, Composition of the Electoral College
The Electoral College of Pakistan is formed by a joint sitting of the six leading political bodies in Pakistan:


2008 Pakistani presidential election, Composition of the Electoral College
So that each province has an equal vote, all provincial assemblies are given exactly 65 votes in the electoral college. This mean that the each member of the Punjab Assembly has 65/370 = 0.176 votes, each member of the Sindh Assembly has 65/166 = 0.392 votes, each member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has 65/124 = 0.524 votes and each member of the Balochistan Assembly has 65/65 = 1 vote.


2008 Pakistani presidential election, Composition of the Electoral College
The political composition of these bodies at the time of the election was:


2008 Pakistani presidential election, Result
Asif Ali Zardari was elected President of Pakistan, as Chief election commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq announced that "Asif Ali Zardari secured 241 votes out of the 426 valid votes polled in the parliament," In Sindh, Zardari had 62 of the 65 electoral votes while his 2 main opponents, got zero vote; in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zardari got 56 votes against 25 by Siddiqui and one by Hussain; in Baluchistan, 49 votes while Siddiqui and Hussain got 5 and 2 respectively. BBC reported that Zardari "won 419 votes, far more than the 372 votes that would have guaranteed him victory." The New York Times said that Zardari would be sworn in "as soon as Saturday night or as late as Monday or Tuesday, diplomats and officials said."


2008 Pakistani presidential election, Result
The new president, who obtains the largest number of votes, will serve for 5 years as Pakistan's 11th since 1956, when the country became a republic, excluding acting presidents. Voting was in progress at the Parliament House, while the Senate members finished casting their votes, amid the death of 12 people, after a suicide car bomber blasted a security checkpoint on the outskirts of Peshawar.


2008 Pakistani presidential election, Result, Violaion of rules in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
A number of MPAs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly including the Chief Minister violated the secret ballot by displaying the stamped ballot papers in the presidential elections. So these votes have to be subtracted from the vote count.


2008 Pakistani presidential election, Reaction
Pakistan Peoples Party activists in Pakistan held rallies and distributed sweets when the results were announced. The main opposition party, PML-N, said it was the "success of the democratic process in the country" but said he should resign as PPP co-chairman, as the President has traditionally been apolitical, and to transfer Presidential powers back to parliament. The newspaper 'Dawn' described Zardari as the most controversial President of Pakistan at the time of his election, and urged him to "dispel the impression of a political wheeler-dealer and rise to the requirements of statesmanship".


2008 Pakistani presidential election, Reaction
The Regional Times of Sindh said Zardari had one of the stiffest jobs in the world as leader of the world's only nuclear-armed Islamic country, a frontline war on terror state and facing "growing militancy" and "crippling economic woes". However, they said his "years of suffering have made him wiser and headstrong" and he has "displayed great acumen and maturity since returning to the political scene". Privately, the Pakistan military, bureaucracy and business elite were said to be "aghast" at the result given past corruption allegations.


2008 Pakistani presidential election, Reaction
The United States Secretary of State welcomed Zardari's victory, praising his "emphasis on fighting terrorism" and "very strong words of friendship and alliance with the United States".


2008 Palanca Awards
The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature winners for the year 2008 (rank, name of author, title of winning entry (italicized, in parentheses)). The awarding ceremonies were held on September 1, 2008.


2008 Palau Soccer League
The 2008 season of the Palau Soccer League was the fifth season of association football competition in Palau. Kramers FC won the championship, their first title.


2008 Palauan general election
General elections were held in Palau on 4 November 2008 to elect the President and members of the National Congress. The presidential election was won by Johnson Toribiong. Incumbent President Tommy Remengesau was ineligible to run because he had served the maximum two consecutive terms allowed and announced that he would run for a seat in the Senate.


2008 Palauan general election
This was the first election in Palau in which presidential candidates ran with a declared vice-presidential candidates. In previous elections, the President and Vice-Presidents had been elected separately, and the winners of those elections served as a "national leadership team".


2008 Palauan general election, Presidential candidates
Primary elections were held on 23 September, with two candidates progressing to the general election in November. Four candidates registered for the primary elections:


2008 Palauan general election, Campaign
All four presidential candidates and their running mates held rallies throughout Palau. Campaigning also took place in overseas Palauan communities in the mainland United States, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.


2008 Palauan general election, Campaign
A total of 43 candidates ran for the thirteen seats in the Senate, while 44 candidates contested the sixteen seats in the House of Delegates. A record ten women were competing for seats in the Senate and House of Delegates, with seven women running for the at large Senate race.


2008 Palauan general election, Results, President
Elias Chin and Johnson Toribiong were the top two vote-getters in the primary elections. Chin and Toribiong then faced each other in the general election. In early, preliminary results Toribiong held a 130-vote lead over Chin, with 1,629 votes to Chin's 1,499. Toribiong and his running mate, Kerai Mariur, were declared the winner of the election on 7 November. It was reported that Toribiong had received a concession phone call from Vice-President Chin.


2008 Palauan general election, Results, Senate
Surangel Whipps, Jr. has made history by becoming the first Senator to win by write-in and he also led all Senators with highest percentage (65.2%) of votes since his father achieved 73.5%.


2008 Palauan referendum
A twenty-three-part referendum was held in Palau on 4 November 2008 alongside the country's general elections. Voters were asked questions on requirements of citizenship to hold office, government provision of primary school and health care, the definition of marriage and term limits for Parliament. Only the proposal permitting naturalization for certain adoptees failed to obtain the requisite majority of the vote and majority in 3/4th of the states.


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, No dual citizenship for President
A popular initiative proposed amending the constitution to prohibit dual citizens from being eligible to hold the office of President or Vice President. It would amend Article VIII, Section 3 of the Constitution to read:


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, No dual citizenship for President
Any citizen of Palau who is not a citizen of another country and who is not less than thirty-five (35) years of age and who has been a resident of Palau for the five (5) years immediately, preceding the election shall be eligible to hold the office of President or Vice President.


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, Separate election of President and Vice President
A popular initiative proposed amending the constitution to permit the President and Vice President to be elected separately. It was meant to undo joint election, which was passed by referendum in 2004. It would amend Article VIII, Section 4 of the Constitution to read:


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, Separate election of President and Vice President
The President and Vice President shall be elected in a nationwide election for a term of four years. The President and Vice President shall be chosen jointly by the casting by each vote of a single vote applicable to both officers. A person may not serve as a President for more than two consecutive terms.


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, Definition of the inauguration of President and Vice President
A popular initiative proposed amending the constitution to specifically define the end date of a Presidential and Vice Presidential term and the inauguration of a new one. It would add a new paragraph to Article VIII, Section 4 of the Constitution which read:


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, Definition of the inauguration of President and Vice President
The terms of the incumbent President and Vice President shall end at the time of the installation of the President and Vice President-elect Which shall take place on the third Monday of January after the general election, at eleven o'clock am


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, Right to trial by jury for serious crimes
A popular initiative proposed amending the constitution to require a trial by jury for serious crimes. It would add a new section to Article IV of the Constitution which would read:


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, Right to trial by jury for serious crimes
Section 14: The Olbiil Era Kelulau may provide for a trial by jury in criminal and civil cases, as prescribed by law, provided, however, that where a criminal offense is to have been committed after December 31, 2009, and where search criminal offense is punishable by a sentence of imprisonment of twelve (12) months or more, the accused shall have the right to a trial by a jury, as prescribed by law.


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, No dual citizens as members of Parliament
A popular initiative proposed amending the constitution to prevent dual citizens from being elected to Parliament. It would amend Article IX, Section 6 of the Constitution to read as follows:


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, No dual citizens as members of Parliament
To be eligible to hold office in the Olbiil Era Kelulau, a person must be:


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, No dual citizens as members of Parliament
a citizen of Palau only;not less than twenty-five (25) years of age;a resident of Palau for not less than five (5) years immediately, preceding the election, and


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, No dual citizens as members of Parliament
a resident of the district in which he wishes to run for office for not less than one (1) year immediately, preceding the election.


2008 Palauan referendum, Results, Limits on compensation for members of Parliament
A popular initiative proposed amending the constitution to limit the compensation paid to members of Parliament. It would amend Article IX, Section 8 of the Constitution to read as follows: