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Atlantic Tropical Storm Names

The Naming of Storms

Experience shows that the use of short, distinctive given names in written as well as spoken communications is quicker and less subject to error than the older more cumbersome latitude longitude identification methods. These advantages are especially important in exchanging detailed storm information between hundreds of widely scattered stations, coastal bases, and ships at sea.

Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists originated by the National Hurricane Center and now maintained and updated by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization. The lists featured only women's names until 1979, when men's and women's names were alternated. Six lists are used in rotation. Thus, the 2007 list of last year will be used again in 2013 with the exception of; Dean, Felix and Noel which were retire due to producing offending destruction and deaths.

The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity. If that occurs, then at an annual meeting by the WMO committee (called primarily to discuss many other issues) the offending name is stricken from the list and another name is selected to replace it.

Name Retiring and Changes

Several names have been changed since the lists were last used. In recent times, four names from the 1995 list, which then became the 2001 list , which then became the 2007 list, have been retired. On the 2001 list, Lorenzo has replaced Luis, Michelle has replaced Marilyn, Olga has replaced Opal, and Rebekah has replaced Roxanne from offending storms in 1995 and Andrea replaced Allison from an offending storm in 2001. Three names from the 1996 list have been retired from the 2002 list; Cristobal has replaced Cesar, Fay has replaced Fran, and Hanna has replaced Hortense. Two names from the 1998 list have been retired from the 2004 list; Gaston has replaced Georges and Matthew has replaced Mitch. From the 2000 list that was to be used in 2006, Kirk has replaced Keith. From the 2002 list, Ike has replaced Isidore for the 2008 list along with a Laura for Lili. Three storms from 2003 have been retire; Fabian, Isabel and Juan, which will be replaced in the 2009 list with Fred, Ida and Joaquin. At least four storms from 2004; Charley has been replaced with Colin, Frances with Fiona, Ivan with Igor and Jeanne with Julia. From 2005, these storms were retired and replaced; Dennis with Don, Katrina with Katia, Rita with Rina, Stan with Sean, and Wilma with Whitney. Name retired from the 2007 list (which will be used again in 2013), Dorian has replaced Dean, Fernand has replaced Felix, and Nestor has replaced Noel. No storms were retired from 2006.

2004 & 2005 Name changes

Four storms from 2004 were retired for the 2010 list; Charley (Colin), Frances (Finoa), Ivan (Igor) and Jeanne (Julia). The record breaking 2005 season retired four more storms. The replacements for the 2011 list: Dennis (Don), Katrina (Katia), Rita (Rina) and Wilma (Whitney).

2006 - 2008 Name changes

There were no names retired in 2006. From 2007; Dorian has replaced Dean, Fernand has replaced Felix, and Nestor has replaced Noel
From 2008, the 2014 names will have Gustav replaced by Gonzalo, Ike, by Isaias and Paloma by Paulette.

Source: National Hurricane Center ( http://www.nhc.noaa.gov )