Melissa Retired from Hurricane Naming Lists After Devastating Impact on Jamaica The World Meteorological Organization Hurricane Committee has officially retired the name "Melissa" from future hurricane naming lists following the catastrophic destruction it caused in the Caribbean. The name will be replaced by "Molly," which will appear on the list in 2031. Melissa, which struck Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane on October 28, 2025, is now tied with Hurricane Dorian in 2018 and the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane as the strongest storm ever recorded in the Atlantic. Melissa’s landfall in Jamaica marked the most severe hurricane to hit the island, with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph at the time of impact. The National Hurricane Center’s Tropical Cyclone Report confirmed that the storm’s wind speeds are now matched only by Dorian and the 1935 hurricane, setting a new benchmark for Atlantic storms. The hurricane’s devastation extended beyond Jamaica, affecting Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and other Caribbean nations. At least 95 people died across these regions, with Jamaica alone reporting 45 fatalities. The storm’s destruction was compounded by its extreme wind gusts, with a dropsonde deployed during a Hurricane Hunters mission recording a 252 mph gust inside the storm. This broke the previous record set by Typhoon Megi in 2010 for the strongest wind gust ever measured in a tropical system. The NHC report also noted that Melissa caused at least $8.8 billion in damage to Jamaica, making it the costliest hurricane to ever strike the island. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo highlighted the profound impact of the storm, stating, “The risks associated with tropical cyclones are both real and increasing. It only takes one landfalling tropical cyclone to roll back years of development.#world_meteorological_organization #hurricane_melissa #jamaica #celeste_saulo #hurricane_dorian
Fearsome Melissa Retired as Hurricane Name; Say Hello to Molly Goodbye to Hurricane Melissa, and hello to Molly. The name Melissa has been retired from the Atlantic Ocean’s hurricane naming list following the devastation caused by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa in October 2025. The World Meteorological Organization’s hurricane committee approved the decision this week, citing the widespread destruction, loss of life, and flooding that the storm inflicted across the Caribbean. Evan Thompson, principal director at Jamaica’s Meteorological Service and president of the WMO’s Regional Association IV, emphasized the lasting impact of Melissa. “After more than four months since the storm passed over Jamaica, stories about the impacts and recovery continue to dominate the news and media. Melissa has now been engraved in the collective memory of the nation,” he said. Thompson had previously requested the retirement of the name, expressing gratitude for the committee’s unanimous approval. “Jamaica would not have liked to constantly recount the trauma that was visited on us in 2025,” he added. Molly will replace Melissa on the naming list. The new name will be used if there are at least 13 named storms during the 2031 hurricane season. The WMO’s hurricane committee, which includes experts from national meteorological services across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, is currently meeting in Mexico City. The group is reviewing the 2025 season and preparing for the 2026 hurricane season, which begins on June 1. Names are reused every six years unless retired, and the lists alternate between male and female names. The names are chosen to be easy to pronounce and culturally representative of the region.#world_meteorological_organization #hurricane_melissa #evan_thompson #jamaica #mexico_city
Melissa Becomes 100th Name To Be Retired Hurricane Melissa has been officially retired as the 100th Atlantic hurricane name to be removed from the list following the devastation it caused in the Caribbean during the 2025 hurricane season. The decision to retire the name was announced during the annual meeting of the World Meteorological Organization’s hurricane committee. The storm, which made landfall in early October 2025, left widespread destruction across the region, prompting the committee to take the unprecedented step of retiring the name to honor the victims and acknowledge the storm’s impact. The retirement of Melissa marks a significant milestone in the history of hurricane naming, as it is the first time a name has been retired in the Atlantic basin to commemorate the human toll of a specific storm. The committee’s decision reflects the organization’s commitment to ensuring that the names of storms that cause extreme damage or loss of life are no longer used, allowing for a more respectful and accurate record of historical events. The name Melissa will now be replaced by a new designation, though the exact replacement was not disclosed in the announcement. The process of selecting a new name involves a review of the list of available names, which are chosen from a predetermined pool of 21 names for each hurricane season. The replacement name will be added to the list for future use, ensuring that the legacy of Melissa is preserved while allowing the meteorological community to continue its work. The retirement of Melissa underscores the growing intensity and frequency of hurricanes in the Atlantic, a trend linked to climate change and shifting weather patterns.#climate_change #caribbean #world_meteorological_organization #hurricane_melissa #atlantic_hurricane
