Miami, FL – Four hurricane names—Beryl, Helene, Milton and John—have officially been retired by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) following a deadly and destructive 2024 season that impacted both the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins.
Beryl made history as the earliest Atlantic Category 5 hurricane on record, unleashing catastrophic damage across the Caribbean. Helene and Milton brought widespread destruction to the southeastern United States, while John caused severe flooding in Mexico after landfall in late September.
According to the WMO and the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the decision was announced Tuesday and reflects the significant loss of life and economic damage caused by these storms. The names will be replaced in future storm cycles by Brianna, Holly, Miguel and Jake.
Beryl struck in July with winds exceeding 157 mph, leveling parts of the Windward Islands and heavily damaging Jamaica and Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula before weakening. Helene made landfall in October on Florida’s Gulf Coast and was the deadliest U.S. hurricane since Katrina, with more than 2,400 lives lost—mostly in the Carolinas. Milton, also a Category 4 storm, brought deadly tornadoes to Florida, killing at least 15 people and causing $14.3 billion in damage.
Hurricane John, a Category 3 Pacific storm, hit Guerrero, Mexico on September 24 and was linked to 72 fatalities and over 150,000 evacuations due to extreme flooding and mudslides. It dumped more than 14 inches of rain in just three days.
WMO officials emphasized that the storm name retirement process plays a vital role in public communication and safety. The reuse of names occurs every six years unless a storm’s impact is considered so severe that it would be inappropriate to use the name again.
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