Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, and Wilma, all from the historic 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, were retired by an international hurricane committee of the World Meteorological Organization, which includes the NOAA National Hurricane Center, during their annual meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Now retired, these five storms, part of last season's record-setting 27 named storms and 15 hurricanes, will not reappear on the list of potential storm names that is otherwise recycled every six years.
Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, and Wilma represent the type of devastating storm that is "retired" for causing a large loss of life and property. These names will not be used again for sensitivity reasons and to establish distinction within the scientific and legal communities.
For 2011, Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, and Wilma have been replaced with Don, Katia, Rina, Sean, and Whitney, respectively.
Since tropical cyclones were first named in 1953, 67 names have been retired (the first being Carol and Hazel in 1954), and with a total of five, 2005 has the most retired storm names in a single season (previous record: four in 1955, 1995, and 2004).
More information is available at www.nhc.noaa.gov.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.