Judging Retired Names

Hello HHW!

I'm Sassmaster15, and in this article we will go in depth to determine whether the following hurricane names deserved retirement. This article examines retired names as well as potential reitrement candidates.

* '''PLEASE NOTE THIS IS JUST AN OPINION. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO OFFEND OR DISRESPECT ANYONE'S OPINION. THE SCOPE OF THIS ARTICLE IS LIMITED TO THE ATLANTIC, STARTING WITH EVERY NAME SINCE 1979.*'''

What Deserved It
David - David definitely deserved retirement as it killed over 2,000 and left over $1.5 billion in damage in its wake. Not to mention, it is the only Category 5 to make landfall on the Dominican Republic and the strongest to hit the island of Dominica. Overall, the WMO made the right choice in retiring this storm.

Frederic - Frederic also deserved retirement. Having caused over $2 billion in damage, this makes it the costliest of that year's hurricane season. In addition, it made landfall along the Gulf Coast of the United States as a Category 4 - the strongest hurricane landfall in the United States that year. Like David, the WMO made the right choice in retiring this name.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1979 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

What Deserved It
Allen - An extremely powerful Category 5 hurricane, Allen devastated multiple countries as a major hurricane. Causing the majority of that year's damage total at $1.5 billion, Allen also killed nearly 300 people. Plus, it was extremely strong - the second-strongest Atlantic hurricane on record at the time. The WMO was absolutely right in retiring this storm name.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1980 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

What Deserved It
No storm names deserved retirement in 1981.

What Didn't Deserve It
Since no names were retired in 1981, there are no names that didn't deserve retirement.

What Deserved It
 No storm names deserved retirement in 1982.

What Didn't Deserve It
Since no names were retired in 1982, there are no names that didn't deserve retirement. 1983

What Deserved It
Alicia - Striking Texas as a major hurricane and claiming all responsibility for that year's cumulative damage total at $2.6 billion, Alicia was one that deserved retirement.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1983 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

1984

What Deserved It
No storm names deserved retirement in 1984.

What Didn't Deserve It
Since no names were retired in 1984, there are no names that didn't deserve retirement.

1985

What Deserved It
Elena - Elena caused well over $1 billlion in damages to the United States after slamming it as a strong Category 3 hurricane. Despite causing no direct fatalities, Elena's damage definitely made it a qualifier for retirement. Overall, the WMO was definitely right in retiring this one.

Gloria - I'm neutral on this one. Despite causing almost $1 billion in damage, it had a relatively low death toll in relation to its intensity. However, I am fine that the WMO retired this one.

Isabel - Also iffy on this one. Even though it wasn't retired, it definitely could have been contender especially considering the fact it killed 180 people, making it the deadliest that year. This one could've stayed or gone.

Juan - I don't know why this one wasn't retired. Despite being only a Category 1, it was the costliest that year having caused $2.3 billion in damages. In addition, it killed 24 in the same areas Elena plowed through earlier that year. Juan definitely should have been retired.

Kate - Affected multiple areas as a hurricane; some as a major. Caused over $800 million in damage and killed 23. Probably should have been retired.

What Didn't Deserve It
 Overall, none of the retired names in 1985 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

1986

What Deserved It
No storm names deserved retirement in 1986.

What Didn't Deserve It
Since no names were retired in 1986, there are no names that didn't deserve retirement.

1987

What Deserved It
No storm names deserved retirement in 1987.

What Didn't Deserve It
Since no names were retired in 1987, there are no names that didn't deserve retirement.

1988

What Deserved It
Gilbert - Gilbert definitely deserved it. Devastating a multitude of countries as a Category 4/5 hurricane, Gilbert ended up causing $5 billion in damages and killing over 300. Even it wasn't destructive, it could have been retired due to its extreme intensity. Nevertheless, the WMO did right by retiring this name.

Joan - Joan also deserved it. Causing $2 billion in damages and killing 216, Joan was generally very destructive. Like Gilbert, the WMO made the right choice by retiring Joan.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1988 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

1989

What Deserved It
Hugo - Hugo deserved it for causing an astounding $10 billion in damage. If that weren't enough, it killed over 100 people while plowing across the Leeward Islands, Greater Antilles, and South Carolina as an extremely powerful major hurricane. The worst for South Carolina on record, it made landfall as a Category 4. Hugo is one that deserved it and the WMO made the right choice in retiring it.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1989 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

1990

What Deserved It
Diana - A little on the fence with this one. Caused less than $100 million in damage, but killed 139. Either way, it could have stayed or gone. Nevertheless, I am fine with the WMO retiring this one.

What Didn't Deserve It
Klaus - THIS one did absolutely nothing to warrant retirement! It killed only eleven people and caused $1 million in damage. Klaus should have stayed, no contest.

1991

What Deserved It
Bob - Bob did deserve to be retired. Caused over $1 billion in damage and is one of the worst for New England on record. Despite having a low death toll, its damage helped to solidify its retirement. The WMO made the right choice reitiring it.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1991 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

1992

What Deserved It
Andrew - Costliest Atlantic hurricane on record at the time and one of the worst for Florida ever. Striking multiple countries and states as a Category 5 hurricane, Andrew is one that should have gone. Good choice, WMO!

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1992 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

1993

What Deserved It
No storm names deserved retirement in 1993.

What Didn't Deserve It
Since no names were retired in 1993, there are no names that didn't deserve retirement.

1994

What Deserved It
Alberto - Caused over $750 million in damages to Florida and killed 30 people. Probably should have been retired.

Gordon - I am honestly surprised this one was not retired. Caused nearly $600 million in damage and killed well over 1,000 people while a tropical storm across multiple countries. Shows why you should never underestimate a weak storm. Definitely deserved it.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, every other name in 1994 should have stayed, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

1995

What Deserved It
Luis - A serious storm, killed 19 people and caused $3 billion in damages while sweeping across the Leeward Islands as a Category 4 hurricane. The WMO made the right choice in retiring this name.

Marilyn - Plowed through the same areas Luis did only weeks after it first struck, Marilyn caused heavy damage totaling $2.5 billion. Like Luis, the WMO did good by retiring it.

Opal - The costliest that year, with damages rising as high as $4 billion, Opal definitely deserved to be retired. Not mention the fact it killed 59 people and plowed into Florida as major hurricane. WMO made a good decision by retiring it.

Roxanne - Like the other names listed above, Roxanne deserved to be retired since it caused $1 billion in damage and killed over 20 people. WMO made a good decision by retiring it.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1995 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">1996

What Deserved It
Fran - Fran was the only name in 1996 that deserved retirement. Having been very damaging to North Carolina, it caused nearly $7 billion in damage and killed almost 40 people. The WMO definitely made the right choice by retiring this name.

What Didn't Deserve It
Cesar - Cesar didn't deserve retirement. It wasn't very destructive, only causing $200 million in damage, while there were other storms that same year that were more destructive, yet, they weren't retired (Bertha and Lili).

Hortense - This name definitely should have stayed. I acknowledge it was Guadeloupe's most destructive hurricane ever, but it caused around $158 million in damage, so it wasn't destructive enough to be retired.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">1997

What Deserved It
No storm names deserved retirement in 1997.

What Didn't Deserve It
Since no names were retired in 1997, there are no names that didn't deserve retirement.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">1998

What Deserved It
Bonnie - This name was snubbed of retirement. Despite having a low death toll, it struck North Carolina as a borderline Category 2/3 hurricane and caused $1 billion in damage. Most likely should have gone.

Georges - Definitely deserved to be retired. An extremely powerful Cape Verde major hurricane, Georges swept across multiple countries as a major hurricane, causing up to $10 billion in damages and killing over 600. WMO did a great job of getting this name off the list.

Mitch - Responsible for the highest amount of storm-related fatalities in over 200 years with a death toll exceeding 19,000. Not to mention it was a very powerful Category 5 hurricane that caused $6 billion in damages.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1998 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">1999

What Deserved It
Floyd - Floyd definitely deserved to go after causing $4.5 billion in damages and killing over 50 people, not to mention the hype it caused for the potential Category 4 hurricane landfall in Florida. The WMO definitely made the right choice getting rid of this name.

Irene - I am a little surprised this name didn't go. The second-costliest that year behind Floyd, it swept across Florida and the eastern United States, racking up damages totaling $800 million. Probably should have been retired.

Lenny - Lenny also deserved retirement. Almost a November C5, it took an erratic track to the east across the Caribbean and caused $685 million in damages while also claming 17 lives. The WMO was right in retiring this storm.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 1999 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2000

What Deserved It
Leslie - Despite being a tropical storm, it caused up to $950 million in damage throughout its trek across the Atlantic. Having been very costly, it probably should have gone. However, I am fine with it staying considering it caused no direct deaths.

What Didn't Deserve It
<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2001