Not retired, but should have been?

[HurricaneBill]

Looking at past hurricanes, there are a few that make me wonder if they should have been retired but were kept on anyway.

Although some names were not used afterwards, they were never officially retired.

Here are some Atlantic storms that have not been retired, but probably should have been:

Hurricane Hilda (1955) Hilda struck Mexico as a Category 3, killing more than 300 people. My guess is that Hilda was overshadowed by the far more destructive and deadlier Hurricane Janet.

My solution: None needed. Hilda was retired in 1964 after striking the Gulf Coast as a major hurricane. Hilda is now used in the Eastern Pacific.

Hurricane Alma (1966) Alma struck Cuba as a Category 3 and Florida as a Category 2. Alma killed 90 and holds the distinction of being the earliest hurricane to strike the U.S. (Although some may debate about Hurricane Allison in 1995)

Many fatalities occured in Honduras due to 30 inch rainfalls. Alma also struck New England as a tropical storm.

Alma was not retired and was used again in 1970 and 1974. She has since been transferred over to the Eastern Pacific name lists.

My solution: Belatedly retire Alma in the Atlantic officially.

Hurricane Francelia (1969) Francelia was a Category 3 hurricane that skirted Honduras and made landfall in Belize. More than 100 people died during Francelia.

Francelia was most likely overshadowed by Hurricane Camille. In fact, any storm in 1969 probably didn't stand a chance.

1969 was the first and only time Francelia was used.

My solution: Belatedly retired Francelia.

Hurricane Edith (1971)
Apparently, making landfall at around Category 5 intensity was not enough to get Edith retired. But that's what Edith did at the border of Honduras and Nicaragua.

Edith also struck Belize as a tropical storm and also Mexico as a tropical storm. Edith then ricocheted off Mexico and moved into the Gulf. Edith strengthened back up to hurricane status, and made landfall on Louisiana as a Category 2.

Edith left 30 dead. Although Edith was never used in the Atlantic again, she was never officially retired. Seeing how she was at or near Category 5 intensity at landfall, that is kind of a travesty.

My solution: Retire Edith belatedly!

Hurricane Juan (1985) Juan struck Louisiana as a Category 1 and stayed around a few days, dumping torrential rains. Juan moved over the eastern U.S. causing flooding in many places. Ultimately, Juan killed 61 and caused around $2 billion in damage.

My solution: Juan will most likely be retired for striking Halifax in 2003, so I don't think any solution is necessary.

Hurricane Kate (1985) A late November Category 3 hurricane that moved through Cuba and Florida as a Category 2. Kate caused nearly $900 million in damage and claimed 24 lives (7 in the U.S.). Kate is probably the worst hurricane to strike the U.S. in November.

My solution: Retire Kate belatedly.

Hurricane Gordon (1994)
Gordon only achieved Category 1 hurricane status for a short period of time, but still managed to affect Honduars, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, and the U.S. This was due to his bizarre path.

Gordon did a figure 8 and struck Florida 3 times. Gordon killed 1,145 people (most in Haiti) and caused nearly $600 million in damage. I fail to see why Gordon was not retired, seeing as it was a memorable storm.

My solution: Belatedly retire Gordon.

[Guest]

I agree with all of them except Gordon.

Gordon was a nuisance but was never all that strong & didn't cause much damage.

[Derek Ortt]

<i>Gordon was a nuisance but was never all that strong & didn't cause much damage.</i>


I have to say that is the most mis-informed statement that has ever been posted on a message board, to be perfectly honest. The thing killed more than 1,000 people! The second deadliest storm since Fifi in 1974. 3rd most deadly in the last 40 years. Haiti was devestated by the storm. The UN should have been flogged for not retiring that storm (but coming from the UN, nothing surprises me. The NHC should make the final determination of the storm names)

As for some of the others, Edith, I am sure is going to be dropped to a cat 3 when the re-analysis is finished. The reason why I say this is because it was made a cat 5 due to 141KT winds at the 850mb flight level. This needs to be reduced by 20-25% due to lower-lvel boundary layer friction. This yields a strong cat 3 at landfall. But still, it should be retired (hasn't been used since, so its been a "de facto retirement"). I agree with you about Juan, but I wouldnt retire it for 2003 an I doubt that it will be retired. However, it was the most destructive of 1985, more so than Elena and that weak cat 1, Gloria. Gloria should not have been retired and Juan should have been. Kate, I am not sure about. If I'd retire that storm, it owuld be more for its Cuban effects as it tracked nearly the entire length of the island as a strong cta 2. It probably should have been retired as well, and definately over Gloria

[PTrackerLA]

When did Hurricane Alma strike land? You said it was the earliest hurricane to strike the US.

[Guest]

<i>Gordon was a nuisance but was never all that strong & didn't cause much damage.</i>


I have to say that is the most mis-informed statement that has ever been posted on a message board, to be perfectly honest. The thing killed more than 1,000 people! The second deadliest storm since Fifi in 1974. 3rd most deadly in the last 40 years. Haiti was devestated by the storm. The UN should have been flogged for not retiring that storm (but coming from the UN, nothing surprises me. The NHC should make the final determination of the storm names)

As for some of the others, Edith, I am sure is going to be dropped to a cat 3 when the re-analysis is finished. The reason why I say this is because it was made a cat 5 due to 141KT winds at the 850mb flight level. This needs to be reduced by 20-25% due to lower-lvel boundary layer friction. This yields a strong cat 3 at landfall. But still, it should be retired (hasn't been used since, so its been a "de facto retirement"). I agree with you about Juan, but I wouldnt retire it for 2003 an I doubt that it will be retired. However, it was the most destructive of 1985, more so than Elena and that weak cat 1, Gloria. Gloria should not have been retired and Juan should have been. Kate, I am not sure about. If I'd retire that storm, it owuld be more for its Cuban effects as it tracked nearly the entire length of the island as a strong cta 2. It probably should have been retired as well, and definately over Gloria

Sorry I didnt mean to "mis-inform" anyone,I dont recall that about that storm.

I didnt see that in Bill's post.

& I find it hard to believe that you find that the most "mis-informed" statement you've ever read on a message board.

Give me a break!

Why dont you read some of my other threads where I'm actually trying to inform people?

Nevermind I forgot you already know everything.

[Rainband]

No the most misinformed message should be "It's Turning" or "Recon is looking in the wrong spot"

[Derek Ortt]

Saying that 1100 people are alive that are dead is misinformed. And please, Mia. This is not a flame board. Lets not make it into one

[Guest]

IT WAS A MISTAKE!

Now move on.

[Derek Ortt]

<i>No the most misinformed message should be "It's Turning" or "Recon is looking in the wrong spot</i>

Nah, that would put it in the Great One class, so far off of the scale that I will not even waste my time commenting on it, lol (Amazing that I even get some of those statements showing up in my work e-mail)

[chadtm80]

Its ok MIA. I do appreciate your informative post here

[Rainband]

Its ok MIA. I do appreciate your informative pots here

I agree

[chadtm80]

Same goes for Derek Ortt. Very informative posts as well

[Matthew5]

How do you guys feel about Isabel?

[rainstorm]

Its ok MIA. I do appreciate your informative pots here

pots??

[rainstorm]

How do you guys feel about Isabel?

isabel was very destructive for an east coast cane. should have been retired

[Matthew5]

Good one rainstorm

[WXBUFFJIM]

Isabel must be retired. It was very bad not only for the Carolina and Virginia Beaches, but up the Chesapeake Bay too with record storm surge on parts of Chesapeake Bay. Annapolis, MD had a 7.7 foot storm surge, which flooded the entire Naval Academy as the Chesapeake Bay overflowed in storm surge. 7.7 foot surge beats the record of nearly 6.5 feet set back in the 1933 Chesapeake/Potomac Hurricane in Annapolis, Maryland. Needless to say, a very destructive coastal erosion event. Plus Isabel was a category 5 for 35 hours consecutive. Needless to say, a storm to remember and a rare track for hurricanes!!

Jim

[george_r_1961]

Isabel caused massive damage, injuries, and fatalities from NC thru MD. Here in southeastern Va this was the worst storm I had experienced in the 40 years I lived here...even worse than Floyd.

[HurricaneBill]

As for some of the others, Edith, I am sure is going to be dropped to a cat 3 when the re-analysis is finished. The reason why I say this is because it was made a cat 5 due to 141KT winds at the 850mb flight level. This needs to be reduced by 20-25% due to lower-lvel boundary layer friction. This yields a strong cat 3 at landfall. But still, it should be retired (hasn't been used since, so its been a "de facto retirement"). I agree with you about Juan, but I wouldnt retire it for 2003 an I doubt that it will be retired. However, it was the most destructive of 1985, more so than Elena and that weak cat 1, Gloria. Gloria should not have been retired and Juan should have been. Kate, I am not sure about. If I'd retire that storm, it owuld be more for its Cuban effects as it tracked nearly the entire length of the island as a strong cta 2. It probably should have been retired as well, and definately over Gloria

Do you think Hurricane Ethel (1960) will be lowered from a Category 5 to a lower intensity? It seems odd how it intensified to Category 5 so quickly and then dropped to a Category 1 just as quick. Besides, it was so close to Louisiana as a Category 5 that some effects must have been felt.

I have to disagree about Gloria. Although I was only 4 and Peabody, MA was far from the eye, it was a bad storm. Peabody was definitely in the upper-right quadrant of the storm.

But for a storm that happened when I was only 4, I remember it quite well. In Peabody, it knocked down a lot of trees and stuff. One of my mom's friend's husband was at a marina in Old Lyme, CT and said all the boats and docks in the marina were blown onshore.

Gloria was only a flop in regards to the media. Gloria HAD the potential to be destructive. Had Gloria struck at high tide, damage could've matched or even exceeded that of the 1938 hurricane.

Gloria killed at least 8 people and caused around $900 million in damage. For a storm that struck at low tide, that's still a lot of damage.

[Derek Ortt]

Gloria could have been much worse had it hit at high tide, but quite unlikely to have been worse than 1938. The reason is that is made landfall as a cat 1 storm with winds having decreased to a "mere" 75 KT at landfall. This is why wind damage was much less than Bob, 6 years later, which came in as a cat 2 and caused all of that wind damage to SNE and 600 million more worth of damage, without moving just offshore of Hatteras north before landfall. Had Gloria came in as a cat 3 or higher, it likely wouldn't have mattered if it had made landfall at high or low tide as the winds themselves would ahve done the trick very well.

As for Edith, I suspect this will be lowered substantially to no more than a cat 3 at max intensity, likely a 2, IMO