The World Meteorological Organization Hurricane Committee has retired the names Beryl, Helene, Milton, and John from its hurricane name lists due to the significant death and destruction these storms caused in 2024.
The names Brianna, Holly, and Miguel will replace Beryl, Helene, and Milton on the Atlantic basin list, while Jake will replace John on the eastern Pacific list.
This decision follows the WMO’s practice of retiring names of storms that have been particularly deadly or destructive, to avoid confusion and sensitivity in future seasons.
“The work of the Hurricane Committee is critical to ensuring that everyone in the region across the Atlantic and east Pacific basins is ready for the upcoming 2025 hurricane season,” said Michael Brennan, Chair of the Hurricane Committee and Director of the Regional Meteorological Specialized Center Miami.
Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Atlantic basin Category 5 hurricane on record, causing major impacts in the Caribbean. Hurricanes Helene and Milton brought catastrophic damage to the United States, with Helene being the deadliest U.S. hurricane since Katrina in 2005, resulting in over 248 fatalities.
Hurricane John caused deadly flooding in the Mexican state of Guerrero. The retirement of these names underscores the severity of their impacts.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was notably active, with 18 named storms, 11 of which became hurricanes, and five reaching major hurricane status. This marked the ninth consecutive above-average season.
The WMO Hurricane Committee also updated the Region IV Hurricane Operational Plan, enhancing the criteria for issuing Potential Tropical Cyclone advisories to provide earlier warnings.
The retirement of these hurricane names reflects the ongoing efforts by the WMO to improve public safety and preparedness in the face of increasingly severe tropical cyclones.
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