World Meteorological Organization retires four hurricane names

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has made an announcement regarding the retirement of four hurricane names from its 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Dorian, Laura, Eta, and Iota will no longer resurface as a selection on rotating hurricane name lists because of the death tolls and financial destruction each caused.

“Hurricanes don’t care about international boundaries. We all face similar dangers from tropical systems. Impacts from a single storm can affect multiple countries, so it is critical we have a plan, coordinate our efforts, and share challenges and practices,” said Ken Graham, Hurricane Committee Chair and National Hurricane Center Director.

Hurricane Dorian made landfall as a Category 5 storm with 185 mile per hour winds in the Bahamas during September 2019. It has gone down in history as the country’s worst national disaster.

Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Category 4 storm with 149 mile per hour winds in Cameron, Louisiana during August 2020. It has gone down in history as the state of Louisiana’s strongest hurricane landfall ever recorded.

Hurricane Eta made landfall as a Category 4 storm with 140 mile per hour winds in Central America during November 2020 two weeks prior to Hurricane Iota.

Hurricane Iota made landfall as a Category 4 storm with 155 mile per hour winds in Central America, again devastating Nicaragua and Honduras.

Hurricanes Iota and Eta are just two of many, historically, that remind us Hurricane Season does not end until November 30th. Even sadder, both storms made landfall in incredibly crose proximity of each other, 15 miles apart.

Hurricane Eta is the 5th Category 4 hurricane in November on record. This is also the fastest intensifying November storm on record, as its pressure dropped 55 millibars in 18 hours. Eta’s windspeeds went from 70 miles per hour at its 1AM Advisory Monday, November 2, 2020 to 150 miles per hour by its 7PM Advisory.

The latest Category 4 hurricane on record is Hurricane Lenny, which made landfall on November 17, 1999. The 2020 season broke 2005’s record for most named storms, with 2005’s last storm of the season having been December 30, 2005.

Fast forward 21 years, and Hurricane Iota made landfall as a Category 4 just one day earlier than the standing record on November 16, 2020. Before downgrading to a Category 4 storm with 155 mile per hour winds, Iota reached Category 5 intensity with 160 mile per hour winds, making it the first storm to do so during the 2020 season and the latest Category 5 on record. Plus, it was only the second Category 5 to ever make landfall in November.

In addition to having broken that record, Iota’s 160 mile per hour intensity achieved a different one, marking the first time the Atlantic has seen 5 consecutive years with a Category 5 hurricane.