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Dec 4, 2009
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Atlantic Hurricane Names

Because hurricanes often occur at the same time, officials assign short, distinctive names to the storms to avoid confusion among weather stations, coastal bases, and ships at sea. Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists created by the National Hurricane Center and now maintained and updated by the World Meteorological Organization. The lists featured only women's names until 1979, when men's and women's names were alternated. Six lists are used in rotation. Thus, the 2007 list will be used again in 2013. If all the names in a season's list have been used, later storms are named for Greek letters, in alphabetical order. (This has happened only once, in 2005.) A storm is given a name once its winds reach a speed of 40 mph. In addition to the Atlantic list of names, there are ten other lists corresponding to other storm-prone regions of the world.

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Andrea Arthur Ana Alex Arlene Alberto
Barry Bertha Bill Bonnie Bret Beryl
Chantal Cristobal Claudette Colin Cindy Chris
Dean Dolly Danny Danielle Don Debby
Erin Edouard Erika Earl Emily Ernesto
Felix Fay Fred Fiona Franklin Florence
Gabrielle Gustav Grace Gaston Gert Gordon
Humberto Hanna Henri Hermine Harvey Helene
Ingrid Ike Ida Igor Irene Isaac
Jerry Josephine Joaquin Julia Jose Joyce
Karen Kyle Kate Karl Katia Kirk
Lorenzo Laura Larry Lisa Lee Leslie
Melissa Marco Mindy Matthew Maria Michael
Noel Nana Nicholas Nicole Nate Nadine
Olga Omar Odette Otto Ophelia Oscar
Pablo Paloma Peter Paula Philippe Patty
Rebekah Rene Rose Richard Rina Rafael
Sebastien Sally Sam Shary Sean Sandy
Tanya Teddy Teresa Tomas Tammy Tony
Van Vicky Victor Virginie Vince Valerie
Wendy Wilfred Wanda Walter Whitney William
Source: National Hurricane Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Web: www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml .

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