A hurricane name is retired?

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What does it mean when a hurricane name is "retired?"

In the Atlantic Ocean, a hurricane's name is "retired" (that is, not to be used again in the official naming scheme) if it caused many deaths or property damage.

Here are the hurricane names for the 2006 through the 2011 hurricane seasons:

Hurricane names for 2006:
Alberto
Beryl
Chris
Debby
Ernesto
Florence
Gordon
Helene
Isaac
Joyce
Kirk
Leslie
Michael
Nadine
Oscar
Patty
Rafael
Sandy
Tony
Valerie
William

Hurricane names for 2007:
Andrea
Barry
Chantal
Dean
Erin
Felix
Gabrielle
Humberto
Ingrid
Jerry
Karen
Lorenzo
Melissa
Noel
Olga
Pablo
Rebekah
Sebastien
Tanya
Van
Wendy

Hurricane names for 2008:
Arthur
Bertha
Cristobal
Dolly
Edouard
Fay
Gustav
Hanna
Ike
Josephine
Kyle
Laura
Marco
Nana
Omar
Paloma
Rene
Sally
Teddy
Vicky
Wilfred

Hurricane names for 2009:
Ana
Bill
Claudette
Danny
Erika
Fred
Grace
Henri
Ida
Joaquin
Kate
Larry
Mindy
Nicholas
Odette
Peter
Rose
Sam
Teresa
Victor
Wanda

Hurricane names for 2010:
Alex
Bonnie
Colin
Danielle
Earl
Fiona
Gaston
Hermine
Igor
Julia
Karl
Lisa
Matthew
Nicole
Otto
Paula
Richard
Shary
Tomas
Virginie
Walter

Hurricane names for 2011:
Arlene
Bret
Cindy
Don
Emily
Franklin
Gert
Harvey
Irene
Jose
Katia
Lee
Maria
Nate
Ophelia
Philippe
Rina
Sean
Tammy
Vince
Whitney

Here is the list of retired hurricane names, and the year they were retired with the most recent year at the head of the list:

A's Allison (2001), Andrew (1992), Alicia (1983),
    Allen (1980), Anita (1977), Agnes (1972),
    Audrey (1957)


B's Bob (1991), Beulah (1967), Betsy (1965)


C's Charley (2004), Cesar (1996), Carmen (1974),
    Celia (1970), Camille (1969), Carol (1965),
    Cleo (1964), Carla (1961), Connie (1955)


D's Dennis (2005), Diana (1990), David (1979),
    Dora (1964), Donna (1960), Diane (1955)


E's Elena (1985), Eloise (1975), Edna (1968)


F's Frances (2004), Fabian (2003), Floyd (1999),
    Fran (1996), Frederic (1979), Fifi (1974),
    Flora (1963)


G's Georges (1998), Gilbert (1988), Gloria (1985),
    Gracie (1959)


H's Hortense (1996), Hugo (1989), Hilda (1964), 
    Hattie (1961), Hazel (1954)


I's Ione (1955), Ivan (2004),  Isabel (2003),
    Isidore (2002), Iris (2001),  Inez (1966)


J's Jeanne (2004), Juan (2003), Joan (1988),
    Janet (1955)


K's Katrina (2005), Keith (2000), Klaus (1990)


L's Lili (2002), Lenny (1999), Luis (1995)


M's Michelle (2001), Mitch (1998), Marilyn (1995)


O's Opal (1995)


R's Rita (2005) Roxanne (1995)


S's Stan (2005)


W's Wilma (2005)

They retire certain hurricane names if they were particularily destructive out of respect for the victims and families.

i wonder what would happend if they had to retire one of the greek letter hurricanes? you know, when they get to the end of the list and have to resort to alpha, beta, gamma, etc? would they just skip it?

Think that hurricane Debby will hit Dallas this year? Wonder what the news reports would be if she does a lot of damage to the town?

OMG...

I laugh now... I mean, really.... but if Debby does hit Dallas this year I'll feel bad for laughing.

Maxmm wrote:
Think that hurricane Debby will hit Dallas this year? Wonder what the news reports would be if she does a lot of damage to the town?

lol...too funny... Very Happy

Did anyone notice that my name was on the list that they could never use again? I think my husband would agree that there are times I could be dubbed "Hurricane Betsy", especially if I had drank a few. Laughing

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