Name that Hurricane

Since 1953, the National Hurricane Center has compiled lists of hurricane names for Atlantic tropical storms. This list of names is now maintained and updated by the World Meteorological Organization. Scientists began naming hurricanes to avoid confusion when two or more tropical storms occurred at the same time.

The National Hurricane Center used only women’s names until 1979. Now the lists alternate between male and female names.  Names are designated for six years, and are rotated, so that the names for 2003 will be used again in 2009. When a hurricane is very severe, its name is “retired” and a new name is picked. Some of the most recent retired names are Allen, Andrew, Camille, Gilbert and Hugo.

2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Alex Bonnie Charley Danielle Earl Frances Gaston Hermine Ivan Jeanne Karl Lisa Matthew Nicole Otto Paula Richard Shary Tomas Virginie Walter	Arlene Bret Cindy Dennis Emily Franklin Gert Harvey Irene Jose Katrina Lee Maria Nate Ophelia Philippe Rita Stan Tammy Vince Wilma	Alberto Beryl Chris Debby Ernesto Florence Gordon Helene Isaac Joyce Kirk Leslie Michael Nadine Oscar Patty Rafael Sandy Tony Valerie William	Andrea Barry Chantal Dean Erin Felix Gabrielle Humberto Ingrid Jerry Karen Lorenzo Melissa Noel Olga Pablo Rebekah Sebastien Tanya Van Wendy	Arthur Bertha Christobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gustav Hanna Isidore Josephine Kyle Lili Marco Nana Omar Paloma Rene Sally Teddy Vicky Wilfred	Ana Bill Claudette Danny Erika Fabian Grace Henri Isabel Juan Kate Larry Mindy Nicholas Odette Peter Rose Sam Teresa Victor Wanda