Running Out of Storm Names?

Today, we have Tropical Storm Ophelia. It is the earliest on record for the 15th named storm of the season. Which brings up the obvious question: Will we run out of names?

As of today, we have six more names ending with the "w" storm, Wilma. Some have wondered if we would start over or skip over and start using the 2006 names.

Neither.

Instead, we would shift to the Greek alphabet. Some of the first names on that would be Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon.

Let's hope and pray that we don't even get to Alpha (or even to Wilma)

By the way, you will never hear of Hurricane Katrina again. When a hurricane is major, major in strength, the names are retired forever just like a super sports star occasionally has his jersey number retired.

Just a few examples of that: there will be no more Hugo, Camille, Opal, Andrew, Katrina, to name a few.

(Thanks to Shayne Hardesty for suggesting this story.)
Posted by  
on September 7, 2005, 12:35 pm
Really interesting that they would go to the greek alphabet, hopefully they won't have to do that..

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Posted by  
on September 7, 2005, 2:48 pm
J.B.,
I seem to remember an article Bill Murray posted here several weeks ago concerning the fact that no name from the current group of Atlantic storm names had ever been retired. Am I correct in what I think I am remembering? Can that post be re-posted? Certainly, Katrina has seen to it that the streak will be broken (if I'm right that it existed at all!)

Thanks

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Posted by  
on September 19, 2005, 5:04 pm
Hi there. What happens when we get a catastrophic storm named Alpha? Will the name be retired? If so, how will this be replaced should we have another 22 storm season? Or will Alpha be skipped to allow the 22nd storm to be called Beta?

Regards,
JJ

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