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 truly 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.

Cesar - I am on the fence with this one. Its damage toll was not extensive, especially compared to other storms that year that were more destructive, yet were not retired (Bertha and Lili). However, it did manage to kill over 100 people. Either way, this name could have stayed or gone.

What Didn't Deserve It
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
Keith - I am unsure with this one. Having only a moderately high impact in Mexico with a damage total of $300 million and killing around 40, I think this name was fine being retired, but could've stayed either way.

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
Overall, none of the retired names in 2000 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2001

What Deserved It
Allison - Costliest tropical cyclone of the 2001 season. Caused major flooding across Texas and Louisiana as a marginal tropical storm, racking up damages equating to $9 billion and killing 55 people. The WMO made the right decision retiring this storm.

Michelle - Also deserving of retirement, it was the third costliest hurricane in Cuban history after making landfall as a Category 4 major hurricane; causing up to $2 billion in damages. WMO definitely did good by retiring it.

What Didn't Deserve It
Iris - This one may cause some controversy, and I am neutral on it being retired. I acknowledge it was one of the most destructive for Belize since Hattie, but its damage totals only $200 million and it killed around 36 people. In my opinion, this name most likely should have stayed, but had it been more destructive, I definitely would have been fine with it being retired. Keep in mind there were other storms that year that were more destructive and weren't retired, such as Gabrielle, whose damage exceeds $230 million.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2002

What Deserved It
Isidore - Caused up to $1.3 billion in damage and killed 19 people after striking multiple countries, especially the Yucatán, as a major hurricane. The WMO definitely did good by retiring this name.

Lili - Compounding damage up to $900 million in the same areas in the wake of Hurricane Isidore, Lili also deserved to be retired. The WMO made the right choice by taking it off the list.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 2002 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2003

What Deserved It
Isabel - This name was the only one in 2003 that truly deserved retirement. Struck North Carolina as a large Category 2 hurricane, causing well over $5 billion in damages while claiming 50 lives. The WMO made a good choice by retiring it.

What Didn't Deserve It
Fabian - This one may start some drama, but I do not think it should have been retired. I understand it was the strongest to hit Bermuda since 1963 and the first to cause a death in the territory since 1926, but it had a relatively low death toll of 8 and caused around $300 million in damage. I simply don't think it meets the qualifications for retirement.

Juan - This one didn't deserve retirement. Despite striking Halifax, Nova Scotia as a Category 2 hurricane, it had a damage total of $200 million - which is low, especially by today's standards. Not to mention it caused only five deaths. I realize it was the most destructive for Halifax on record, but I think they need to get their act together and educate themselves on what a really destructive storm is before they start claiming that [insert storm name here] needs to be retired.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2004

What Deserved It
Charley - Extremely powerful Category 4 hurricane that struck Florida at maximum intensity. Definitely deserved retirement for being one of the costliest Atlantic hurricanes at the time and the strongest to hit Florida since Andrew. Causing up to $16 billion in damages and killing 15, Charley definitely deserved retirement by the WMO.

Frances - Another name truly deserving of retirement. After causing nearly $10 billion in damages and killing 7 upon plowing through the Bahamas and Florida, Frances was another one that deserved to be retired.

Ivan - The strongest and costliest hurricane of the season, Ivan devastated several islands, countries, and states as major hurricane as it tracked through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Causing damages totaling $23 billion, this makes it one of the costliest on record at the time, not to mention it had a death toll near 100. No contest, it deserved to be retired.

Jeanne - One of the deadliest of the modern era, killed over 3,000 people in Haiti after striking as a tropical storm that caused catastrophic flooding. In addition, it struck Florida as a major hurricane - the third major strike that year, the fourth hurricane strike, and fifth tropical cyclone landfall in the state. Causing damages exceeding $8 billion, Jeanne was the final storm name deserving of retirement that year.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 2004 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2005

What Deserved It
Dennis - The earliest Category 4 hurricane on record, Dennis definitely deserved it. Causing damages exceeding $3 billion while also killing 88 people, it was the worst hurricane to strike Cuba in over 40 years after making two landfalls in the state as a strong Category 4 hurricane - and was much worse than Charley a year prior. In addition, it struck the Florida panhandle as a major hurricane less than a year after Ivan, compounding damage.

Emily - I was more than a little surprised this name wasn't retired. Not only was it the earliest Category 5 on record, it caused up to $1 billion in damage and killed 17 people. In addition, it compounded damage in Grenada less than a year after Ivan and was the worst hurricane to hit the Yucatán since Gilbert after making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane.

Katrina - Obviously deserving retirement due to it being the costliest tropical cyclone record and killing over 1,000 people in New Orleans with a 30 foot storm surge. No name deserves retirement more than this.

Rita - Also deserving of retirement after making landfall in the United States as a major hurricane, causing up to $12 billion in damages and killing well over 100, not to mention it re-flooded New Orleans weeks after Katrina did so and furthering damage caused by the hurricane.

Stan - Despite being a minimal Category 1 hurricane, it was one of the worst for Guatemala on record after bringing flooding rains to Central America. Causing damage up to $4 billion while also killing nearly 2,000 people, Stan definitely deserved its retirement.

Wilma - The strongest Atlantic hurricane on record, Wilma furthered damage in Cozumel and Quintana Roo months after Emily by seriously compounding the damage after lashing these places as a large and powerful Category 4 hurricane. In addition, it plowed straight across Florida as a major hurricane, causing additional destruction. The second-costliest of the season behind Katrina, Wilma also deserved its retirement.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 2005 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2006

What Deserved It
No storm names deserved retirement in 2006.

What Didn't Deserve It
Since no names were retired in 2006, there are no names that didn't deserve retirement.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2007

What Deserved It
Dean - The strongest and most destructive of the season, Dean carved a long swath of damage throughout its march across the Caribbean Sea. Making several destructive landfalls, one as a Category 5, along its path, Dean's finalized damages equal $1.5 billion, with up to 32 deaths. Definitely deserved to be retired.

Felix - Made landfall in Nicaragua as a Category 5 hurricane, causing up to $780 million in damages while killing 133 people. Like Dean, Felix deserved to be retired.

Noel - Despite being only a Category 1 hurricane, Noel's damage primarily comes from it striking the Greater Antilles while a tropical storm. Overall, it caused nearly $600 million in damage and killed over 200 people. Deserved to be retired due to its destruction in Haiti.

What Didn't Deserve It
Overall, none of the retired names in 2007 didn't deserve retirement, and, as a result, none will be listed here.

<h2 style="font-weight:normal;">2008

What Deserved It
Dolly - Probably deserved to be retired. One of the Top 4 most destructive hurricanes to make landfall in Texas, Dolly caused over $1 billion in damages and was the worst hurricane to hit the Rio Grande Valley since 1967, the most destructive Brownsville hurricane since Allen, and overall the worst Texas hurricane landfall since Alicia.

Gustav - The second-most destructive hurricane of the season, Gustav struck Cuba full force and later Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane. Damage totals $6 billion, with $4 billion in the U.S. and the remaining $2 billion in Cuba. In addition, Gustav caused well over 100 deaths and was definitely deserving of its retirement.

Hanna - When considering its death toll, one might be surprised it wasn't retired. The deadliest of 2008, Hanna caused over 500 deaths, the majority of them in Haiti - making it the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Stan. Despite having a relatively low damage total of $160 million, Hanna's death total makes up for that and solidifies the fact it should have been retired.

Ike - The costliest hurricane of the season and the third-most destructive in Atlantic history, Ike definitely deserved its retirement. Ravaging Haiti, Cuba, and the U.S. State of Texas as a large and powerful hurricane, Ike caused nearly $40 billion in damage and killed 100 people. In addition, it was the worst for Texas on record and brought a storm surge that rivaled that of Hurricane Katrina.

What Didn't Deserve It
Paloma - A little neutral on this one, I don't think Paloma deserved to be retired. Despite causing $400 million in damage, it was responsible for only one death and was not very destructive, especially when put up against other storms in the season. To be honest, there's nothing really significant about it with the exception of its strength for the time of year.

What Deserved It
No storm names deserved retirement in 2009.

What Didn't Deserve It
Since no names were retired in 2009, there are no names that didn't deserve retirement.