Names For Hurricanes Otis, Dora 'Retire' After Being Deadly, Costly

Weather experts said that the hurricane names of Otis and Dora would retire following their deadly or costly effects.

'Retire' Following Life-Threatening Risks

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Hurricane Committee has retired Otis from the rotating list of names used in the eastern North Pacific basin because of the death and destruction it had caused when it made landfall in the Mexican resort city of Acapulco in October 2023.

In addition to that, the Committee also retired Dora from the eastern North Pacific name list, not because of its direct damage, but because of sensitivities to the name Dora and the indirect meteorological role it played in the devastating wildfires that took place in Maui, Hawaii, in August 2023.

Further, the name Dora was also retired from the Atlantic basin name list in 1964.

As replacements, Otilio and Debora will be used in the lists of names, which are overseen by WMO to help in the communication of storm warnings. This will also help alert people about potentially life-threatening risks.

Experts pointed out that the names are repeated every six years, unless a storm is so deadly that its name is retired from the list.

The Committee did not retire any Atlantic basin names and this is the first time that this has happened since 2014. The naming convention - while attracting the most public attention - is only a small part of the life-saving work of the Hurricane Committee.

So far, retired names are not used for at least a decade, which preserves historic references, insurance claims and other legal actions.

Dr. Michael Brennan, chairman of the Hurricane Committee and Director of the Regional Meteorological Specialized Center Miami, said that the work of the Hurricane Committee is critical and significant to ensuring that everyone in the region across the Atlantic and east Pacific basins is ready for the upcoming 2024 hurricane season.

This will also help in reducing the impacts to life and property from these destructive storms.

Experts further mentioned that the Hurricane Committee embodies the spirit of cooperation and service delivery that is so essential to WMO as it rises to the greatest challenge of the era, which is the climate crisis.

According to WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, 2023 was the hottest year on record.

''The development of El Niño in the Pacific Ocean played a role. But we also observed unprecedented levels of ocean warming in the North and tropical Atlantic. This is continuing in 2024," Saulo said.

Hurricane Season

Meteorologists earlier said that the average Atlantic basin hurricane season produces 14 named storms, seven of which go on to become hurricanes, and three would normally reach major hurricane status with winds of at least 115 mph.

The average from the last five years with an atmospheric state similar to what 2024 could be have produced 19 named storms and nine hurricanes.

Of the nine hurricanes, four went on to become major cyclones of at least Category 3 strength or stronger.