What Storms Should Have Been Retired?

[hurricaneCW]

There have been many storms that have been retired over the years, but I know there are plenty of storms that wrecked havoc but were never retired. Can anyone think of a few storms that should have been retired, but weren't. This includes the Atlantic and the Eastern Pacific, any landfall, (Canada, Mexico, Central America, ext).

[Macrocane]

Hurricane Francelia (1969), more than 100 people died in Central America but it was never retired.
Hurricane Gordon (1994), it caused more than 1100 deaths in Haiti.
Hurricane Hanna (2008), more than 500 people died in Haiti because of this hurricane.

[Hurricanehink]

Juan 85 (caused $1.5 billion in damage in Louisiana and 24 deaths) - sure, it was retired in 2003, but I think it should've been retired its first time around. At the time, it was the 8th costliest US hurricane.
Alberto 94 (caused $1 billion in damage and 30 deaths) - really severe damage in Florida/Georgia. If it had happened after Allison, I'm sure it would've been retired, but I think because Alberto was a tropical storm, it wasn't properly considered.
Emily 05 (caused $988 million in damage, was a Cat. 5, heavy damage in Mexico) - Mexico focused on Stan and Wilma for retirement, but that doesn't mean Emily shouldn't have been retired.

[Ptarmigan]

Agree with all of them above, especially Gordon and Hanna. Juan was pretty bad in 1985 and I don't know why it was not retired.

[Cyclone1]

Agreed with the above. Also, the following have a case for retirement. (My standards for retirement may be a tad lower, because I think retirement is important) I may be overestimating a few, but just for the sake of argument.

For the Atlantic we have:
Hurricane Hilda (1955). Killed over 300 in Mexico, got retired later.
Hurricane Gracie (1959). This might have been retired, but no one really knows for sure. It definitely should have been, and was never used again, so.
Hurricane Alma (1966). I would have retired it. Notable damage, unusually early major hurricane.
Hurricane Edith (1971). Again, not much of a case, but I would have retired it for aesthetics mainly. Category 5 landfall, and all.
Tropical Storm Claudette (1979), one of those popular half-billion tropical storms. Extensive flood damage.
Hurricane Kate (1985) was a damaging hurricane and a record setting major hurricane in late November that hit Florida.
Tropical Storm Isabel (1985), very damaging flooding in Puerto Rico.
Hurricane Juan (1985), mentioned above. 1985 was a powerhouse season.
A case could be made for Hurricane Grace (1991), or maybe "Henri", which was never actually named. Talking of course about the Halloween Nor'easter "Perfect Storm".
Hurricane Gordon (1994) mentioned above. Really there is no excuse.
Hurricane Erin (1995), could have unarguably been retired.
Hurricane Bertha's (1996) damage was mixed in with and eclipsed by Fran's. I've often wondered if it would have been retired if Fran hadn't happened.
Hurricane Bonnie (1998): Actually fairly considerably damaging. Certainly puts this year's Bonnie to shame
Hurricane Irene (1999): Maybe. A retirement of this one wouldn't have been argued.
Hurricane Emily (2005): see above posts
Hurricane Ernesto (2006): just kidding.
Hurricane Hanna (2008): I honestly thought this WAS retired.
Tropical Storm Fay (2008): Flooded Melbourne out.

For the Pacific we have:

Hurricane Liza (1976). Not officially retired, despite heavy loss of life. They get a free pass though, because it was never used again.
Hurricane Paul (1982). Deadliest named storm in the basin, unretired because it was only a depression when it did it's damage.
Hurricane Tico (1983). Hundreds dead.
Hurricane Norbert (2008). Extensive damage, no retirement.

I would also be disappointed if Alex and Agatha are not retired next year. Both were highly damaging billion dollar storms. If Alma got retired in 2008, Agatha gets retired.

[Macrocane]

I agree with you about Agatha and Alex. Agatha was a record breaking storm in El Salvador and caused several floods in the country and it was very deadly in Guatemala. Alex has been one of the worst disasters in northeastern Mexico so it needs to be retired.

[Florida1118]

I Certainly agree with you about most of the storms. I dont know about Fay, but then again I wasnt in Melbourne so I really dont know the Extent of the flooding.

[CrazyC83]

If all those names were retired, the lists today would look totally different...and even some later retired storms would have different names.

[HurricaneRyan]

Hurricane Dolly of 2008: Ike pretty much overshadowed her though!
Hurricane Emily of 2005: Overshadowed by Wilma
Tropical Storm Lee of 2011: Overshadowed by Irene

[AJC3]

Using Haiti as a benchmark for retirement of a TC name is somewhat problematic for several reasons. The island is so, so succeptible to catastropic losses from even the most milquetoast tropical entity for several reasons, including...

1) Overpopulation and extreme poverty
2) Havng an almost completely denuded topography, resulting in the lack of ablity for any agrarian economic contributiion of significance, and also resulting in a country obscenely prone to flash flooding and mudslides,
3) Unstable governmental infrastructure incapable of dealing with warning dissemination, protection, and disaster response.

Couple that with the country sitting pretty close to climatological bullseye of TC track swaths and you have a ready-made recipe for calamity.

IIRC, about 6-12 years ago, there was a strong Caribbean tropical wave that unleashed torrents of rain on the nation over the course of a few days, resulting in devastating flash floods that claimed hundreds of lives.

Obviously, other nations (e.g. many CENTAM countries) are also more succeptible than others to TC impacts, however, Haiti is a very, very extreme case of several unfortunate factors coming together.

[Hammy]

Karl from 2010 should have been retired as it caused ~$5.6 billion in damages to Mexico

[Cyclenall]

Obviously, other nations (e.g. many CENTAM countries) are also more succeptible than others to TC impacts, however, Haiti is a very, very extreme case of several unfortunate factors coming together.

Something I just thought of, what was the deadliest tropical cyclone to ever hit Haiti? It seems like a obvious question but I can't think of it.

The biggest TC name for me that should have been retired ages ago is Emily!!!

[HurricaneRyan]

Karl from 2010 should have been retired as it caused ~$5.6 billion in damages to Mexico

Actually I read that it was only did like 200 million or so.

[HurricaneBill]

Something I just thought of, what was the deadliest tropical cyclone to ever hit Haiti? It seems like a obvious question but I can't think of it.

The biggest TC name for me that should have been retired ages ago is Emily!!!

Hurricane Flora killed at least 5000 in Haiti in 1963.

[HurricaneBill]

Typhoon Fengshen (2008) should have been retired.

All models were forecasting recurvature over the open Pacific. Instead, Fengshen trekked across the Philippines.

Claimed nearly 1400 lives in the Philippines, including more than 800 on a ship that sank during the storm.

At the time, it was the costliest typhoon in the Philippines. It has since been surpassed by Parma (2009) and Nesat (2011).

[Yellow Evan]

Karl from 2010 should have been retired as it caused ~$5.6 billion in damages to Mexico

Actually I read that it was only did like 200 million or so.

Nope. "Damage $5.6 billion (2010 USD)"

From the EPAC, I would have retired
Hurricane Tara (1961) 436-500 dead, but only 16 mil in damage
Hurricane Birdigt (1971)-Like Tara, one of Acapulco's worst hurricanes, fewer death, but more damage
Hurricane Olivia (1975)-costly storm, 30 dead, one of Mazaltan worst systems
Hurricane Kathleen (1976)-10 dead, 2 missing, $160 mil in damage, Octillo's worst flood ever
Hurricane Liza (1976)-killed anywhere from 650 to 7,000, likely Baja California's worst system
Hurricane Norman (1978)-California's costliest TC, killed several people
Tropical Storm Lidia (1981)-73 dead, 81 mil in damage in Sinaloa
Tropical Storm Aletta (1982)-308 dead, 547 mil in damage, one of Nicaragua worst systems
Hurricane Paul (1982)-1,696 dead, 668 missing, $1.56 billion in damage, was only a TD when it did most of its damage, but was El Salvador worst disaster in 17 years
Hurricane Tico (1983)-record flooding in Texas/Oklahoma, one of Mazaltan;s worst systems 141 deaths (mostly from Mexico), 284 mil in damage
Hurricane Odile (1984)-40 dead, hundreds missing, similar to Bridget and Tara
Tropical Storm Beatriz (1993)-Technically a billion dollar storm combined with Arlene 93
Hurricane Linda (1997)-only because of it's intensity
Hurricane Nora (1997)-similar to Kathleen
Tropical Storm Erick (2007)-just kidding
Hurricane Norbert (2008)-700+ mil in damage and 24 deaths should do it
Hurricane Jimena (2009)-similar to Norbert, but did less deaths and damage.
Tropical Storm Agatha (2010)-billion dollar storm

[HurricaneRyan]

Karl from 2010 should have been retired as it caused ~$5.6 billion in damages to Mexico

Actually I read that it was only did like 200 million or so.

Nope. "Damage $5.6 billion (2010 USD)"

From the EPAC, I would have retired
Hurricane Tara (1961) 436-500 dead, but only 16 mil in damage
Hurricane Birdigt (1971)-Like Tara, one of Acapulco's worst hurricanes, fewer death, but more damage
Hurricane Olivia (1975)-costly storm, 30 dead, one of Mazaltan worst systems
Hurricane Kathleen (1976)-10 dead, 2 missing, $160 mil in damage, Octillo's worst flood ever
Hurricane Liza (1976)-killed anywhere from 650 to 7,000, likely Baja California's worst system
Hurricane Norman (1978)-California's costliest TC, killed several people
Tropical Storm Lidia (1981)-73 dead, 81 mil in damage in Sinaloa
Tropical Storm Aletta (1982)-308 dead, 547 mil in damage, one of Nicaragua worst systems
Hurricane Paul (1982)-1,696 dead, 668 missing, $1.56 billion in damage, was only a TD when it did most of its damage, but was El Salvador worst disaster in 17 years
Hurricane Tico (1983)-record flooding in Texas/Oklahoma, one of Mazaltan;s worst systems 141 deaths (mostly from Mexico), 284 mil in damage
Hurricane Odile (1984)-40 dead, hundreds missing, similar to Bridget and Tara
Tropical Storm Beatriz (1993)-Technically a billion dollar storm combined with Arlene 93
Hurricane Linda (1997)-only because of it's intensity
Hurricane Nora (1997)-similar to Kathleen
Tropical Storm Erick (2007)-just kidding
Hurricane Norbert (2008)-700+ mil in damage and 24 deaths should do it
Hurricane Jimena (2009)-similar to Norbert, but did less deaths and damage.
Tropical Storm Agatha (2010)-billion dollar storm

You read that from Wikipedia didn't you? Karl definitely Did not do that much damage.

[Cyclenall]

Something I just thought of, what was the deadliest tropical cyclone to ever hit Haiti? It seems like a obvious question but I can't think of it.

The biggest TC name for me that should have been retired ages ago is Emily!!!

Hurricane Flora killed at least 5000 in Haiti in 1963.

Thanks.

[Yellow Evan]

You read that from Wikipedia didn't you? Karl definitely Did not do that much damage.

What makes you think that?

[senorpepr]

What Storms Should Have Been Retired?

None.

Honestly, I feel we over-retire names today. Sure, the Katrinas and Andrews... whatever. But frankly, naming storms and retiring them seems a bit excessive here lately.