BREAKING: WMO Retires Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate

news image
Special Stories
12 Apr 2018 9:00 AM
We knew the 2017 hurricane season was bad. So bad, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced Thursday that it will retire the names Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate from its rotating list of hurricane names. This happens frequently when tropical systems are particularly deadly or destructive. https://twitter.com/WMO/status/984394745865822209 In a press release they stated, "Due to the extensive damage caused in the United States and Caribbean last year, the World Meteorological Organization’s Region IV Hurricane Committee has officially retired these names. Storm names are retired if they were so deadly or destructive that the future use of the name would be insensitive - otherwise names are reused on a six-year cycle." Adding these four now takes the number of retired names up to 86. Storms began receiving names from the WMO in 1954. 2017 comes in a close second to the 2005 hurricane season, which had the most retired names for one season (five). Harold, Idalia, Margot, and Nigel will take the place of the retired four. The next time this name list will be used will be in 2023.  
All Weather News
More
Rachel Spreading Moisture Across the Southwest

Rachel Spreading Moisture Across the Southwest

Rachel came ashore in far northwestern Mexico

12 Oct 2026 6:20 PM
Tropics: Another Area in the Atlantic, Pacific Stays Hyperactive

Tropics: Another Area in the Atlantic, Pacific Stays Hyperactive

Isaias ended the late-season streak of no hur

12 Oct 2026 6:15 PM
Severe Storms and Flooding Return to the Plains & Midwest

Severe Storms and Flooding Return to the Plains & Midwest

Severe weather looks to return to parts of th

12 Oct 2026 6:05 PM
Digging Trough Brings Wind and Snow to the Rockies this Week

Digging Trough Brings Wind and Snow to the Rockies this Week

A strong upper-level trough digging south fro

12 Oct 2026 5:30 PM
Isaias Makes Landfall as A Category 2, Recapping it's Impacts

Isaias Makes Landfall as A Category 2, Recapping it's Impacts

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, F

12 Oct 2026 11:20 AM
Hot Weather Baking the Heartland This Week

Hot Weather Baking the Heartland This Week

More records were broken across the central p

12 Oct 2026 11:05 AM
Flooding, Tornadoes Target Central Florida Thursday

Flooding, Tornadoes Target Central Florida Thursday

Deep tropical moisture streaming north from t

8 Oct 2026 1:00 PM