Dora is a retired Atlantic hurricane name. The World Meteorological Organization took it off the lists after the 1964 storm, so no future Atlantic storm will be called Dora. It is on the retired lists for both the Atlantic and the eastern and central Pacific. Its place on the list now belongs to Debora, on the 2029 list. Since 1981, nine storms have been named Dora; the strongest, in 2011, peaked as a Category 4 hurricane.
In the Atlantic: yes. Dora is on NHC’s list of retired Atlantic names because of the 1964 storm. It is one of 100 names retired there since 1954 (Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names).
In the eastern and central Pacific: yes. Dora is on NHC’s list of retired eastern and central Pacific names because of the 2023 storm. It is one of 22 names retired there since 1965 (Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names).
A name is retired when a storm was so deadly or costly that using the name again would be insensitive; the World Meteorological Organization then picks a new name with the same first letter at its annual meeting.
In the Atlantic: never. Retired names are not used again on the Atlantic lists.
In the eastern and central Pacific: never. Retired names are not used again on the eastern and central Pacific lists. Its place on the list, the D slot, now belongs to Debora, on the 2029 East Pacific list, which is next used in 2029.
Dora formed in the East Pacific in July 2023 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 939 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 22 days.
Hurricane Dora (2023): track and historyDora formed in the East Pacific in June 2017 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 974 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 7 days.
Hurricane Dora (2017): track and historyDora formed in the East Pacific in July 2011 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 929 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
Hurricane Dora (2011): track and historyDora formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2007 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 927 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 18 days.
Cyclone Dora (2007): track and historyDora formed in the East Pacific in July 2005 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1002 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
Tropical Storm Dora (2005): track and historyDora formed in the East Pacific in August 1999 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 943 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 21 days.
Hurricane Dora (1999): track and historyDora formed in the East Pacific in July 1993 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 945 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 7 days.
Hurricane Dora (1993): track and historyDora formed in the East Pacific in July 1987 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
Tropical Storm Dora (1987): track and historyDora formed in the East Pacific in July 1981 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h). It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Hurricane Dora (1981): track and historyNames go in alphabetical order, one per storm, as each storm reaches tropical-storm strength (39 mph, 34 knots), so a storm’s place in its season decides its name.
In each of 2023, 2017, 2011, 2005, 1999, 1993, 1987 and 1981, Dora was the 4th name used in the East Pacific season.
Storms named Dora appear in more than one ocean in our archive:
Each ocean region keeps its own name lists, drawn up by its own WMO regional committee (Tropical cyclone naming), so the same name can be given to unrelated storms in different oceans.
The most recent was Hurricane Dora in 2023, in the East Pacific. It formed on July 31, peaked at 150 mph (240 km/h) and lasted 22 days. It did not make landfall. It was the 4th name used in that East Pacific season. Before that, the name was used in 2017, 2011, 2007, 2005, 1999, 1993, 1987 and 1981.
Hurricane Dora in 2011 was the strongest, peaking as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 929 mb. It formed in the East Pacific in July. The weakest of the nine, in 2005, peaked at 45 mph (75 km/h).