10 catastrophic Atlantic hurricane names you’ll never see again
Frances, Otto, Gustav and Charley each share a common trait: they are among 82 deadly and destructive Atlantic hurricanes whose names will never be re-used.
Since the official naming system began in 1954, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has rotated storm names every seventh year, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The names of particularly lethal or costly storms, such as 1989’s Hurricane Hugo, are replaced by the WMO Tropical Cyclone Committees.
“There’s a factor there in which they’re afraid if they use the name again that it will spark old memories [among people who’ve experienced the storm],” said AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.
In this Aug. 13, 2016, file aerial photo, a boat motors between flooded homes after heavy rains inundating the region, in Hammond, La. Hurricane Katrina exposed huge gaps in the disaster response plans of Louisiana and the nation. (Photo/Max Becherer/AP)
Three or more names were retired during certain years including 1995, 2004 and 2005, which suggested higher-than-normal activity, according to NHC Hurricane Specialist Eric Blake.
“Those years tended to have very warm tropical Atlantic waters and low shear in the Caribbean Sea and tropical Atlantic,” said Blake.
Shear is the variation in wind speed or direction over a short distance within the atmosphere.
Below are 10 of the most catastrophic hurricanes, in terms of damage and/or loss of life, whose names have been retired.
Agnes (1972)
Agnes, one of the largest-ever hurricanes in June, still ranks among the 10 costliest hurricanes to impact the United States.
This June 23, 1972, file photo shows people being rescued by boat from their homes to dry ground after Hurricane Agnes forced the Susquehanna River to overflow its banks, causing heavy flooding in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Paul Vathis, File)
It drenched Northeastern states including Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey with up to 19 inches of rain.
The resulting severe flooding claimed most of the 122 lives taken by the $16 billion hurricane.
Andrew (1992)
The third-most intense U.S. hurricane on record killed 26 people, pummeling the Bahamas and South Florida as a Category 4 storm.
A 17-foot storm surge impacted Florida, while storm tides of 8 feet inundated parts of Louisiana’s coast, according to the NHC. Andrew resulted in $26.5 billion in damage.
This water tower, shown Aug. 25, 1992, a landmark at Florida City, Fla., still stands over the ruins of the Florida coastal community that was hit by the force of Hurricane Andrew, which left about 50,000 homeless. (AP Photo/Ray Fairall)
Audrey (1957)
As the only June Category 4 storm ever recorded, Audrey produced tremendous devastation as it barreled into the border of Texas and Louisiana.
According to the NHC, Audrey’s storm surges reached heights of 12 feet, penetrating as far as 25 miles inland over Louisiana. More than 390 people were killed.
Camille (1969)
In August of 1969, Camille rapidly intensified from a Category 3 to a Category 5 by the time it pounded Mississippi’s coast with powerful 200-mph winds.
Strong winds, lethal storm surge, heavy rainfall and catastrophic flooding resulted in 256 deaths in the U.S.
Irene (2011)
This photo taken Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011, shows a house that was destroyed by hurricane-turned-tropical-storm Irene, in Rochester, Vt. (AP Photo/John Curran)
Irene caused phenomenal flood and wind damage through the Caribbean, the eastern coast of the U.S. and parts of Canada in August of 2011. More than 17 inches of rain was recorded in some areas.
The storm left more than 3 million people without power, damaged homes, downed trees and eroded beaches in its wake.
Before making landfall in North Carolina as a Category 1 storm, Irene spawned several tornadoes. Forty-five people died.
Katrina (2005)
More than 1,800 people died during Katrina, the costliest and most destructive U.S. hurricane on record. Catastrophic damage totaled an estimated $75 billion in New Orleans and along Mississippi’s coast.
Storm surge caused flooding up to 28 feet along parts of Mississippi’s coast and several miles inland. It breached levees and inundated a large portion of New Orleans.
Matthew (2016)
In this Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, photo, shoes are scattered among the debris of a home destroyed by Hurricane Matthew, in Port-a-Piment, a district of Les Cayes, Haiti. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)
Hurricane Matthew reached Category 5 intensity at the lowest latitude ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin. It first made landfall as a major Category 4 hurricane along the coasts of southwestern Haiti, eastern Cuba and western Grand Bahama Island.
It was the first October hurricane since 1954’s Hazel to make landfall in the U.S. north of Florida.
It struck along South Carolina’s central coast as a weakened Category 1 storm. Heavy rainfall totals reached more than 17 inches in Savannah, Georgia. Matthew inflicted more than $10 billion in damage and killed 585 people.
Rita (2005)
The deadly Hurricane Rita was the third Category 5 storm of 2005. It ravaged parts of southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana with devastating storm surge flooding and wind damage. The Florida Keys were also impacted.
Rita drenched Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas with up to 15 inches of rain and spawned about 90 tornadoes. It caused $10 billion in damage and seven deaths.
Sandy (2012)
In this Nov. 15, 2012, file photo, Dean Rasinya poses with a street sign for Irving Walk salvaged from wreckage in Queens, New York. A fire destroyed more than 100 homes in the area during Superstorm Sandy. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
The 2012 Atlantic hurricane season’s 18th named storm caused substantial damage upon landfall along New Jersey’s coast on Oct. 29.
Despite its weakened tropical-storm status, Sandy’s massive storm surge caused record tide levels and created $50 billion in damage in the U.S., including parts of New Jersey, Connecticut and eastern New York.
At least 147 people died.
Wilma (2005)
Wilma, one of the Atlantic Basin’s strongest-ever hurricanes, made initial landfall with Category 4 strength over Cozumel, Mexico, in October of 2005.
After weakening in the Gulf of Mexico to a Category 2, it later intensified and accelerated toward southern Florida, where it spawned 10 tornadoes.
Wilma’s widespread damage cost an $16.8 billion and killed 22 people, according to the NHC.
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