Why Hurricane Isaac Should Have Been Retired

Hurricane Isaac should have been retired along with Sandy in 2012, in my opinion.  

First, some background.

Each year, a meeting of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Tropical Cyclone Committees convenes to discuss, among many other issues, tropical cyclone names. The Atlantic and eastern Pacific name lists, chosen by these committees, typically repeat every six years.  

If, however, a given tropical cyclone is so deadly and/or costly such that using its name for a future cyclone would be insensitive – not to mention, confusing – the committee decides to strike the name from future lists, analogous to retiring a number of a famous athlete.

(Note: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) does not have any control over the name lists or whether a certain name will be retired. However, some NHC staff members are on the committee.)

Since 1950, 77 names have been retired by the committee, ending most recently with Sandy in 2012. Ike, Katrina, Charley, Andrew, Hugo, and Camille are some of the infamous names retired.

In April 2013, Isaac was not submitted to be retired by any of the representatives of the WMO Region IV Hurricane Committee. This region includes representatives from the U.S., Canada, Central America and the Caribbean.

The Case For Retiring Isaac

Hurricane Isaac's damage in the U.S. was estimated at $2.35 billion, according to the NHC's final report.

Not accounting for inflation, there have been only 30 other U.S. tropical cyclones responsible for at least $1 billion in damage, according to the definitive list from the NHC, adding damage estimates from 2011's Irene and Lee, as well as 2012's Sandy.  

(MORE: 10 Costliest U.S. Hurricanes)

Of those U.S. billion-dollar tropical cyclones, only three others were not retired:  

• Tropical Storm Lee (2011)
• Hurricane Dolly (2008)
• Hurricane Juan (1985) (Note: A 2003 version of Juan, which hammered Nova Scotia, was retired.)

While Isaac struggled until near landfall to become a hurricane, its large wind field generated an extensive storm surge along the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to parts of Florida.

Hardest hit was parts of Plaquemines Parish, La., where storm tides up to 17 feet above ground level spilled over a back levee, swamping the community of Braithwaite, La., requiring some rescues from rooftops. One year later, Braithwaite is still largely a ghost town.

Major surge flooding also swamped unprotected parts of seven other Louisiana parishes, inundating parts of the cities of Slidell and LaPlace.

Surge flooding up to 9 feet above ground was estimated in southern Mississippi, and was believed to have pushed north of Interstate 10, in some spots.

Amazingly, the Mississippi River in southeast Louisiana flowed backwards for almost a full day due to both storm surge and high winds, triggering an 8-foot rise in river levels in Baton Rouge, La.

More than a foot of rain in parts of south Florida and more than 20 inches in parts of Mississippi and Louisiana added rainfall flooding to Isaac's impacts.

Fortunately, Isaac was not a particularly deadly hurricane. Officially 34 deaths have been directly attributed to Isaac, five of those in the U.S. This, along with the Isaac's long struggle to finally become a hurricane, may have worked against its retirement. 

Nevertheless, an estimated 59,000 homes in Louisiana and at least another 6,000 homes in southern Mississippi were damaged by Isaac. More than 1 million were without power at some point during Isaac in South Florida and Louisiana, combined.

Perhaps Isaac was merely overshadowed in 2012 by Sandy?

Stan likely didn't stir your memory. At least 80 were killed in Mexico by inland flooding from Stan. However, there may have been up to 2,000 killed in Mexico and Central America because of  flooding not directly associated with Stan's circulation.

(MORE:  10 Most Forgotten U.S. Hurricanes)

What do you think? Should Isaac have been retired? Leave a comment below.

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