PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – The last time a storm named Arlene swirled into the eastern Gulf of Mexico was in June of 2005. Arlene will be making a comeback as the first named tropical season storm in 2023.
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. On Thursday, federal forecasters predicted near-normal hurricane activity.
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So why will Arlene and the rest of the list, which includes Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince and Whitney be coming around again?
Atlantic hurricanes are named according to six rotating alphabetical lists, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms had been named from lists originated by the National Hurricane Center, but they are now maintained and updated by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization.
The six lists above are used in rotation and recycled every six years.
Why aren’t all letters of the alphabet represented?
“Difficult” letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are omitted.
Wasn’t there a time when there were only female names used?
Up until 1979, hurricanes and tropical storms were not given masculine names. The naming for females may have been influenced by a sailors’ tradition. Traditionally, ships were given female names from a time when ancient vessels were once dedicated to goddesses and, later, named after important mortal women.
[RELATED: Download the Local 10 Weather Authority Hurricane Survival Guide]
What happens if a storm forms during the off-season?
It will take the next name in the list based on the current calendar date. For example, if a tropical cyclone formed on Dec. 28, it would take the name from the previous season’s list of names. If a storm formed in February, it would be named from the subsequent season’s list of names.
What if names on the year’s list run out?
In the event that more than 21 named tropical cyclones occur in the Atlantic basin in a season, storms will take names from an alternate list of names approved by the WMO.
Can I get a tropical cyclone named after me?
While your name may come up on one of the lists, there isn’t a way to actually get a cyclone named after you.
How does a name get retired?
The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name for a different storm would be “inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity,” according to the NOAA. Several names have been retired since the lists were created.
Alphabetical list of retired Atlantic names
Agnes 1972
Alicia 1983
Allen 1980
Allison 2001
Andrew 1992
Anita 1977
Audrey 1957
Betsy 1965
Beulah 1967
Bob 1991
Camille 1969
Carla 1961
Carmen 1974
Carol 1954
Celia 1970
Cesar 1996
Charley 2004
Cleo 1964
Connie 1955
David 1979
Dean 2007
Dennis 2005
Diana 1990
Diane 1955
Donna 1960
Dora 1964
Dorian 2019
Edna 1954
Elena 1985
Eloise 1975
Erika 2015
Eta 2020
Fabian 2003
Felix 2007
Fifi 1974
Fiona 2022
Flora 1963
Florence 2018
Floyd 1999
Fran 1996
Frances 2004
Frederic 1979
Georges 1998
Gilbert 1988
Gloria 1985
Greta 1978
Gustav 2008
Harvey 2017
Hattie 1961
Hazel 1954
Hilda 1964
Hortense 1996
Hugo 1989
Ian 2022
Ida 2021
Igor 2010
Ike 2008
Inez 1966
Ingrid 2013
Ione 1955
Iota 2020
Irene 2011
Iris 2001
Irma 2017
Isabel 2003
Isidore 2002
Ivan 2004
Janet 1955
Jeanne 2004
Joan 1988
Joaquin 2015
Juan 2003
Katrina 2005
Keith 2000
Klaus 1990
Laura 2020
Lenny 1999
Lili 2002
Luis 1995
Maria 2017
Marilyn 1995
Matthew 2016
Michael 2018
Michelle 2001
Mitch 1998
Nate 2017
Noel 2007
Opal 1995
Otto 2016
Paloma 2008
Rita 2005
Roxanne 1995
Sandy 2012
Stan 2005
Tomas 2010
Wilma 2005
Looking for more information? Click here for the history of naming tropical cyclones and retired names.