Retired Hurricane Names 2024

Four Hurricane Names Retired: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) retired the names Beryl, Helene, Milton, and John from its Atlantic and East Pacific storm lists.

• Why: These names are retired due to the significant devastation and trauma caused by the hurricanes in 2024, making their reuse insensitive.

Specific Storm Impacts:

• Beryl: Became the earliest Category-5 hurricane on record, impacting the Caribbean.
• Helene and Milton: Caused catastrophic damage in the United States.
• John: Resulted in deadly flooding in Mexico.

Replacement Names: The WMO has selected Brianna, Holly, and Miguel as replacements in the Atlantic, and Jake in the eastern Pacific.

Name Reuse Policy: Typically, storm names are reused every six years unless retired due to their severe impact.

India’s Cyclone Naming System: India employs a one-time naming system for cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, never reusing names.

Regional Coordination: The India Meteorological Department collaborates with a regional body of 13 countries to name cyclones, including India and neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Maldives, etc.