Cotillion's WunderBlog

As is custom, there is debate surrounding which storms this year will be retired. Gustav and Ike seem almost certain, with Hanna probable. Dolly, Fay and Paloma also appear to be possibilities.

However, should the WMO have the right to retire hurricane names? Although they have to have a request for retirement from the affected country - a plea which to my thinking has never been turned down - are some hurricanes really needed to be retired? On the flipside, are some storms remaining in circulation that should have been retired?

Should there be a specific 'quota' to fulfill when it comes to damage, fatalities, loss of economic production etc?

Here is a comprehensive list of all hurricanes that have been retired to this date; sorted by year, highest attained category, fatalities (overall), damage (In brackets is 2008 estimation). Feel free to add other notable events (I.e. Hattie required then-British Honduras [Belize] to relocate its capital from Belize City to Belmopan.)

1954:
Carol (Cat 3) 68, $460 million. ($3.7 billion.)
Edna (Cat 3) 29, $40 million. ($321 million.)
Hazel (Cat 4) 600-1,200, $381 million. (3.1 billion.)

1955:
Connie (Cat 4) 20, $50 million. ($402 million.)
Diane (Cat 3) 200, $832 million. ($6.7 billion.)
Ione (Cat 3) 7, $88 million. ($708.2 million.)
Janet (Cat 5) 700+, $48 million. ($386 million.)

1957:
Audrey (Cat 4)600+, $147 million. ($1.1 billion.)

1960:
Donna (Cat 5) 364, $900 million. ($6.5 billion.)

1961:
Carla (Cat 5) 43, $325 million. ($2.34 billion.)
Hattie (Cat 5) 275, $60 million. ($432 million.)

1963:
Flora (Cat 4) 8,000, $528 million. ($3.72 billion.)

1964:
Cleo (Cat 4) 217, $198 million. ($1.38 billion.)
Dora (Cat 4) 3, $280 million. ($1.9 billion.)
Hilda (Cat 4) 38, $126 million. ($875 million.)

1965:
Betsy (Cat 4) 76, $1.42 billion. ($9.7 billion.)

1966:
Inez (Cat 4) 1,000+, $222 million. ($1.5 billion.)

1967:
Beulah (Cat 5) 58, $217 million. ($1 billion.)

1969:
Camille (Cat 5) 259, $1.42 billion. ($8.3 billion.)

1970:
Celia (Cat 3) 20, $453.8 million. ($2.5 billion.)

1972:
Agnes (Cat 1) 129, $2.1 billion. ($10.8 billion.)

1974:
Carmen (Cat 4) 4, $152 million. ($664 million.)
Fifi (Cat 4) 10,000, $900 million. ($4 billion.)

1975:
Eloise (Cat 3) 80, $2.1 billion. ($8.4 billion.)

1977:
Anita (Cat 5) 10, Unknown.

1979:
David (Cat 5) 2,000+, $1.54 billion. ($4.6 billion.)
Frederic (Cat 4) 14, $2.3 billion. ($6.8 billion.)

1980:
Allen (Cat 5) 260, $2.6 billion. ($6.8 billion.)

1983:
Alicia (Cat 3) 21, $2.6 billion. ($5.6 billion.)

1985:
Elena (Cat 3) 4, $1.25 billion. ($2.5 billion.)
Gloria (Cat 4) 8, $900 million. ($1.8 billion.)

1988:
Gilbert (Cat 5) 341, $5.5 billion. ($10 billion.)
Joan (Cat 4) 334, $2 billion. ($3.6 billion.)

1989:
Hugo (Cat 5) 76, $10 billion. ($17.4 billion.)

1990:
Diana (Cat 2) 139, $90.7 million. ($150 million.)
Klaus (Cat 1) 11, $1 million. ($1.6 million.)

1991:
Bob (Cat 3) 20, $1.5 billion. ($2 billion.)

1992:
Andrew (Cat 5) 65, $26.7 billion. ($40.7 billion.)

1995:
Luis (Cat 4) 17, $2.5 billion. ($4 billion.)
Marilyn (Cat 3) 13, $1.5 billion. ($2 billion.)
Opal (Cat 4) 69, $3.9 billion. ($6 billion.)
Roxanne (Cat 3) 14, $1.5 billion. ($2 billion.)

1996:
Cesar (Cat 1) 67, $39 million. ($53.6 million.)
Fran (Cat 3) 26, $3.2 billion. ($4 billion.)
Hortense (Cat 4) 39, $158 million. ($217 million.)

1998:
Georges (Cat 4) 604, $5.9 billion. ($8 billion.)
Mitch (Cat 5) 18,000, $6.2 billion. ($8 billion.)

1999:
Floyd (Cat 4) 87, $4.5 billion. ($6 billion.)
Lenny (Cat 4) 17, $330 million+. ($427 million+.)

2000:
Keith (Cat 4) 40, $319 million. ($399 million.)

2001:
Allison (TS) 55, $5.5 billion. ($6.7 billion.)
Iris (Cat 4) 31, $150 million. ($182 million.)
Michelle (Cat 4) 40, $2 billion. ($2.44 billion.)

2002:
Isidore (Cat 3) 7, $970 million. ($1.2 billion.)
Lili (Cat 4) 15, $882 million. ($1.06 billion.)

2003:
Fabian (Cat 4) 8, $300 million. ($351 million.)
Isabel (Cat 5) 51, $3.6 billion. ($4.22 billion.)
Juan (Cat 2) 8, $150 million. ($175.7 million.)

2004:
Charley (Cat 4) 35, $16.3 billion. ($18.6 billion.)
Frances (Cat 4) 49, $12 billion. ($13.69 billion.)
Ivan (Cat 5) 124, $19.2 billion. ($21.9 billion.)
Jeanne (Cat 3) 3,000+, $7 billion. ($8 billion.)

2005:
Dennis (Cat 4) 89, $4 billion. ($4.41 billion.)
Katrina (Cat 5) 2,541+, $81.2 billion. ($90 billion.)
Rita (Cat 5) Unknown, $10 billion. ($11 billion.)
Stan (Cat 1) 2,080, $1 billion. ($1.1 billion.)
Wilma (Cat 5) 63, $29.1 billion. ($32.1 billion.)

2007:
Dean (Cat 5) 45, $1.5 billion. ($1.6 billion.)
Felix (Cat 5) 133, $50.4 million. ($52 million.)
Noel (Cat 1) 170, $580 million. ($603 million.)

There we go, took some work.

Now, let's say.. A hurricane needed to cause 100+ deaths and/or $2 billion+ damage. A fair few wouldn't be retired.

Is it a right, or a privilege to get a name retired?

I'd like to hear your thoughts.