How Are Hurricane Names Retired?

Each year, meteorologists and researchers closely monitor the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico for signs of tropical cyclone formation. These storms, known as hurricanes, can bring devastating winds, rain, and flooding to affected areas. When a hurricane has a significant impact, it’s not just its destructive power that’s remembered – its name often becomes synonymous with the devastation it caused.

But what happens to a hurricane’s name when it’s no longer considered active? In this article, we’ll explore the process of retiring hurricane names and what it means for the storms that earn this distinction.

Why Retire Hurricane Names?

Hurricane naming was introduced in the 1950s to simplify communication during severe weather events. Assigning human-like names to storms made it easier for people to remember and track storms as they approached. However, over the years, some names have become infamous due to the high level of destruction or loss of life they caused.

Retiring a hurricane’s name acknowledges the severity of the damage it inflicted and serves as a nod to the survivors and victims. It also helps to avoid reusing the name in the future, avoiding any unintended emotional trauma for those affected by the storm.

The Retiring Process

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is responsible for maintaining the list of hurricane names and coordinating the name-retiring process. The WMO has a specific criteria for retiring hurricane names:

1. Significant Impact: The storm must have caused significant loss of life (100 or more fatalities) or widespread damaging winds (category 3 or higher).
2. Long-term Impact: The impact of the storm must still be felt years after the event, either through ongoing recovery efforts or continued commemoration of the disaster.

When a hurricane meets these criteria, the WMO will remove its name from the rotation list. The process for retiring a hurricane name involves:

1. Recommendation: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) submits a recommendation to the WMO to retire the hurricane name.
2. Review: The WMO reviews the recommendation and confirms the criteria are met.
3. Announcement: The WMO officially announces the retirement of the hurricane name.

Examples of Retired Hurricane Names

Some examples of retired hurricane names include:

• Andrew (1992): 26 deaths and $26 billion in damages in Florida
• Katrina (2005): 1,800 deaths and $108 billion in damages in the Gulf Coast
• Sandy (2012): 148 deaths and $71 billion in damages in the Northeast
• Harvey (2017): 88 deaths and $125 billion in damages in Texas and Louisiana

Conclusion

Retiring hurricane names is an important process that acknowledges the severity of the damage caused by these powerful storms. By removing recognizable names from the rotation list, the WMO helps to prevent reopening old wounds and promotes a more respectful approach to discussing severe weather events.