WMO Retires Three Atlantic Hurricane Names

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has retired three names from the 2024 hurricane name list. Beryl, Helene, and Milton are being replaced by Brianna, Holly, and Miguel on the rotating list. The WMO retires names of storms that were especially impactful and deadly.  

During the 2024 season, the Atlantic Basin went through 18 named storms, 11 of which reached hurricane status. Five of those storms, Beryl, Debby, Francine, Helene, and Milton, impacted the continental United States.  

Hurricane Beryl 

Beryl was the earliest Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic basin on record. The storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Grenada. Torrential rains and power winds brought widespread devastation to Carriacou and Petite Martinique, with upwards of 98% of homes damaged or destroyed. 

Beryl went on to impact Jamaica and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico before making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in the U.S. 

The hurricane was directly responsible for 34 direct fatalities.  

Hurricane Helene 

Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm on the Florida Gulf Coast before pushing into the southern Appalachians. Widespread wind and flooding brought by Helene left scars across the West Coast of Florida and into Western North Carolina. 

Helene was the deadliest hurricane to affect the continental U.S. since Katrina in 2005. At least 248 fatalities are attributed to Helene.  

Damage estimates were estimated at $78.7 billion making it the seventh costliest U.S. hurricane. 

Hurricane Milton 

Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, FL, as a Category 3 hurricane in early October. Milton’s rapid intensification was among the highest ever observed. Milton peaked as a Category 5 storm over the Gulf of Mexico a few days before making landfall.  

Milton caused 15 fatalities, 12 in the United States, and an estimated $34.3 billion in damages.  

Now that the National Hurricane Center has finished their final Tropical Cyclone reports for each of the storms in 2024, you can get a sense of how deadly and dangerous the year was.

Pacific Hurricane Names 

Only one name is being retired on the Pacific list. Hurricane John is being retired after hitting the state of Guerrero, Mexico, in late September. John is responsible for 29 deaths, and damaging more than 150,000 homes. 

John was the third most expensive hurricane, striking the Pacific coast of Mexico at $2.45 billion. The name John is being replaced by Jake for the Pacific list.