The National Hurricane Survival Initiative

Each year the World Meteorological Organization appoints a list of names for the upcoming year’s potential hurricanes. These names are sometimes recycled in later years; however, if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity, the name is struck from the list. So far, since the first retired name in 1954, 68 names will never be heard again.

National Weather Service/ National Hurricane Center

Nine to Fourteen Named Storms Predicted

Experts at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center are projecting a 50 percent chance the Atlantic Hurricane Season will be near-normal this year. With the start of hurricane season upon us, NOAA recommends those in hurricane-prone regions begin their preparation plans. For the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, NOAA scientists predict nine to fourteen named storms, with four to seven becoming hurricanes, of which one to three could become major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher. An average Atlantic hurricane season brings 11 named storms, with six becoming hurricanes, including two major hurricanes.