Why have so many hurricane names starting with "I" been retired?
AccuWeather · Just In
AccuWeather
Just In
Thankfully, Imelda isn't causing major impacts this year, but over the decades, more "I"-named storms have been catastrophic enough to never be used again than names starting with any other letter.
Breakdown
- Thirteen hurricane names starting with 'I' have been retired, more than any other letter. 24s
- Names are retired when storms cause catastrophic damage or significant deaths. 39s
- Recent examples include Hurricane Ida and Hurricane Ian, both retired after major impacts. 47s
- The timing of peak hurricane season means stronger storms often receive 'I' names. 1m 4s
- The World Meteorological Organization manages and replaces retired hurricane names. 1m 42s