Sandy retired from list of Atlantic Basin tropical cyclone names

April 11, 2013

This NOAA GOES-13 satellite image taken on October 29, 2012 shows the storm as it is centered off of Maryland and Virginia. 

Download here. (Credit: NOAA.)

Sandy has been retired from the official list of Atlantic Basin tropical cyclone names by the World Meteorological Organization’s hurricane committee because of the extreme impacts it caused from Jamaica and Cuba to the Mid-Atlantic United States in October 2012.
Storm names are reused every six years for both the Atlantic and eastern North Pacific basins. If a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of the name would be insensitive or confusing, the WMO hurricane committee, which includes personnel from NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, may retire the name. Sandy is the 77th name to be retired from the Atlantic list since 1954. The name will be replaced with “Sara” beginning in 2018.
Sandy was a classic late-season hurricane in the southwestern Caribbean Sea. The cyclone made landfall as a category 1 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) in Jamaica, and as a 115 mph category 3 hurricane in eastern Cuba.  Hurricane Sandy merged with a frontal system hours before making landfall as a post-tropical cyclone near Brigantine, N.J., and its size and strength caused catastrophic damage all along the mid-Atlantic shoreline.

Because of its tremendous size, Sandy drove a catastrophic storm surge into the New Jersey and New York coastlines. Preliminary U.S. damage estimates are near $50 billion, making Sandy the second-costliest cyclone since Katrina to hit the United States. There were at least 147 direct deaths recorded across the Atlantic basin due to Sandy, with 72 of these fatalities occurring in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States. Sandy caused the greatest number of U.S. direct fatalities related to a tropical cyclone outside of the southern states since Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

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Hurricane and Tropical Storm Names (ContributorNetwork)

Every year we hear about hurricanes and tropical storms named as if they were guests, but for the most part these tropical cyclones are unwanted visitors arriving at our shores. Let's take a look at some of the history behind the naming of tropical storms.

Why do hurricanes get names?

The main purpose of naming tropical storms and hurricanes, says the World Meteorological Organization, is to make it easier to communicate about a particular storm. Using longitude and latitude can be confusing especially for people who don't use geographical coordinates on a regular basis. Using a short common name for these storms makes it easy for everyone to know which hurricane is being discussed. This can be particularly important when issuing warnings in advance of the arrival of a dangerous storm.

When does a storm get named?

Tropical cyclones are named once they achieve tropical storm status with a sustained wind speed of 39 mph, says the National Hurricane Center. After that, each storm system will keep that name even if it strengthens to become a hurricane. In some cases, a tropical storm will weaken again after being named to the point where it wouldn't deserve its own name before strengthening once again to regain named status. These storms, so long as they remain a cohesive system will get the same name back again once they regain strength.

When did hurricanes first get names under the modern system?

The current naming system for Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes started with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the United States in 1953. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the National Hurricane Center both agree on that point, but they differ in their stories of the earliest examples of naming hurricanes. A phonetic system using terms like Able, Baker, and Charlie, was used in the U.S. for a couple of years before the current system. Before that says the National Hurricane Center, women's names were used from about 1941 to 1950 in the U.S. In 1978, male and female names began to be used, alternating gender with each named storm. Earlier storm names might have been associated with the nearest saint's day, says the NHC, while the WMO suggests they might have been named even more capriciously, such as after the name of a ship that was damaged by the storm.

Who decides what names to use for hurricanes and tropical storms?

The National Hurricane Center in the United States came up with the original lists of names for tropical cyclones that originate in the Atlantic, but currently these lists are maintained and updated by the WMO.

Are names used more than once?

Yes. There are six separate lists of tropical cyclone names reserved for the Atlantic. Each list is used once every six years in rotation so the names used in 2011 will again be used in 2017.

Why are some names removed from the list?

The names of hurricanes that were particularly destructive in terms of either human lives or property damage retired from the list permanently. Although both agencies say this is due to sensitivity for those affected by the storm, as a practical matter, some of these larger storms might still be actively discussed six years later when the same name comes around again leading to some confusion if they were to remain on the list. So far, 76 names have been permanently removed from circulation says the Weather Underground.

What happens if the list of tropical storm names for a given year runs out?

Each year 21 names are allotted to be used for tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic. If there should be more than 21 names required, letters of the Greek alphabet are used beginning with the 22nd named storm of the calendar year.

What are the names for this year's hurricanes?

For 2011, the following names will be used in order as required: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harvey, Irene, Jose, Katia, Lee, Maria, Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince and Whitney.

Why aren't all of the names common English names?

Tropical cyclones that originate in the Atlantic often affect many different countries, such as those in the Caribbean or Central American. As a result, meteorologists responsible for selecting the names to be used try to use names that represent the people of the entire region.

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Joplin Tornado: 232 People Still Missing, Names to Be Released (ContributorNetwork)

JOPLIN, Mo. -- The deadly tornado that struck here on Sunday killed 125 people as of the most recent count. In the days that followed, speculation was rampant as to how many people were missing after the tornado. Some media reports stated 1,500 people were missing.

The Missouri Department of Public Safety has been directed to keep track of missing persons following the tornado. At this time, there are 232 known people who are missing and have had reports filed with the state. Names have been released and the list of missing are posted here.

CNN reports deputy director Andrea Spillars led the press conference in announcing their findings. A 24-hour effort of combing through hospital reports, cell phone records, shelter counts and talking to family members has led to the number of missing persons. Over 60 members of the Department of Public Safety worked around the clock to check on family members who are still looking for someone in the aftermath of the deadly tornado.

If someone is found or known to have been found, the local number to call in Joplin is (417) 895-6868.

The temporary morgues are being processed as thoroughly as possible. DNA samples and tests, as well as talking to potential family members of the deceased, are being taken as seriously and deliberately as possible to ensure a correct match. They've been working on the process for 24 hours, and things should speed up now that they have more staff and resources with which to work.

Spillars reiterated the names on the official missing list will be used to help find those individuals. She also stated regular briefings will be held regarding the progress that is being made to find all the missing.

A reporter at the briefing asked whether or not there is any overlap between the number of deceased and the number of missing. Spillars did clarify that some of the missing may indeed simply be those who are dead but not yet identified due to the painstaking process used to make sure the names are place with the right families of the dead.

Technically, the maximum amount of dead will be 357. It depends upon how much overlap there exists between the two numbers of dead and missing. The death toll could go much higher than what was feared before.

To put the numbers in perspective, National Weather Service records state the second deadliest single tornado in the United States is 317 from back in 1840. The fourth deadliest on record is 216.

No matter how many missing turn into a list of dead persons, the tragedy in Joplin will be one of the worst in modern record-keeping.

William Browning lives in Branson, Mo.

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