Hurricanes Helene, Milton, and Beryl: A Look Back at the Devastating 2024 Storms
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hurricanes Helene, Milton, and Beryl were so nasty last year that their names are being retired.
The World Meteorological Organization on Wednesday officially replaced the names of the trio of 2024 storms that killed more than 300 people and caused more than $119 billion in damage.
Brianna, Holly, and Miguel take their place in the rotating six-year list of names for Atlantic storms set in advance by a committee of international meteorologists. Retiring the names of killer storms is a regular practice, and the list of retired names is approaching 100.
The Impact of the Storms
Helene was by far the deadliest and most expensive of the trio, with its flooding claiming 249 lives, the most in the United States since 2005’s Katrina.
It also was the seventh most expensive storm in American history, with damages reaching $78.7 billion, according to the National Hurricane Center. While it came out of the Gulf and hit Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4, most of the deaths and damage were inland in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Milton came on the heels of Helene, bringing high winds, flooding, and tornadoes to cause $34.3 billion in damage, almost all of it in Florida.
Beryl, which in June became the earliest Category 5 storm to form in a season, killed 68 people in the United States, Grenada, Venezuela, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Related Storms
In the Pacific region, the name Jack is replacing John, a Category 3 storm that killed 29 people in Mexico.
Related:Helene’s death toll climbs to 56. Others left stranded, homeless, without power
Related:‘Extremely dangerous’: Beryl makes landfall as Category 4 hurricane on island near Grenada
Understanding the Storms
The World Meteorological Organization uses a rotating list of names for Atlantic storms, which are set in advance by a committee of international meteorologists. This list is used to identify and track storms, and to help warn people in the affected areas.
When a storm is particularly deadly or destructive, its name is retired from the list as a sign of respect for the victims and their families. This is why the names of Helene, Milton, and Beryl are being retired.
The New Names
The new names, Brianna, Holly, and Miguel, will be used in the future to identify storms in the Atlantic. These names will be used in rotation with other names on the list, and will help to identify and track storms as they form and move through the region.
Conclusion
The 2024 storms were some of the most devastating in recent history, causing widespread damage and loss of life. By understanding the impact of these storms, and by using a rotating list of names to identify and track them, we can better prepare for and respond to future storms.
FAQs
Q: Why are the names of Helene, Milton, and Beryl being retired?
A: The names of these storms are being retired because they were particularly deadly and destructive, and as a sign of respect for the victims and their families.
Q: What are the new names that will be used to replace Helene, Milton, and Beryl?
A: The new names are Brianna, Holly, and Miguel.
Q: How are the names of storms chosen?
A: The names of storms are chosen by a committee of international meteorologists, and are used in rotation to identify and track storms in the Atlantic.
