How Do Hurricanes Get Their Names?
Hurricane Names
Hurricanes receive names because it reduces confusion when two or more tropical storms are happening at the same time. It’s a pretty simple concept -- Names help people remember storms and create a more effective communication process. The World Meteorological Organization is responsible for the alphabetical list of names given to tropical storms as they develop each hurricane season. Six different lists of names are used with one list getting repeated every seventh year for Atlantic hurricanes. The only time a change is made to a list is if a storm causes particularly severe damage. The name will then be retired and replaced by a new one. For example, Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate have been retired following the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season due to the extreme impact each storm left behind.
Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, & North Atlantic Names
The six lists are used in rotation and the 2018 list will be used again in 2024.
2018: Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sara, Tony, Valerie, William
2019: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van, Wendy
2020: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, Wilfred
2021: Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Elsa, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Julian, Kate, Larry, Mindy, Nicholas, Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, Teresa, Victor, Wanda
2022: Alex, Bonnie, Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Ian, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Martin, Nicole, Owen, Paula, Richard, Shary, Tobias, Virginie, Walter
2023: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince, Whitney
For more information on the procedure of naming tropical cyclones Click Here