These are the last 8 original hurricane names yet to be used
There are just a handful of names left from the original hurricane list created in 1979 that have survived all those years without being used.
Hurricane Sam spins in the Atlantic Ocean.
(NOAA)
MIAMI -- When Hurricane Sam and Subtropical Storm Teresa formed earlier this month, it was the first time in the 42 years of naming tropical storms that those names were used despite being on the list for all those years.
And now there are just a handful of names left that have survived all those years without being used.
Tropical storms began receiving names in 1979. The World Meteorological Organization created six lists of names using 22 letters (leaving out Q, X, Y and Z), and then the lists would rotate through the six years.
The inaugural list used in 1979 was used again in 1985, then again in 1991, etc. That list has come around to the current list in use for the 2021 season.
But before now, this list had never had a season where storms made it past the "R" name (Rose). That changed with the arrival of Hurricane Sam and Subtropical storm Teresa.
According to University of Miami research meteorologist Brian McNoldy, only eight names on the original rotation announced in 1979 are left unused. Victor and Wanda survive from the first list, while Virginia and Walter remain on List No. 2; Valerie and William remain on List No. 4, and Van and Wendy have not been used on list No. 5. All names in lists 3 and 6 were previously used.
I guess it's time to refresh this chart already... of the 126 original names on the modern set of 6 lists, only 8 have been unused now. The blue colors on here indicate that the name has been used at some point, and red indicates that it has been retired. #Sam #Teresa #wxhistory pic.twitter.com/bjoCVEkIQ9
— Brian McNoldy (@BMcNoldy) September 25, 2021
However, with plenty of hurricane season left on the clock (until Nov. 1) and more tropical activity budding in the Atlantic, the odds are we'll use Victor and Wanda later this year, leaving just six of the "OG" names on the board.
41% of original names retired
The six lists today look quite different than the original six lists published in 1979. Each time a storm is strong enough to cause significant damage and loss of life, its name is retired and replaced with a new name the following season.
McNoldy found that of the 126 names on the original list, 52 have been retired, including all the initial "F" names. Five of the six "I" names have also been retired, but currently, "I" holds the record for most retired names at nine.