Isabel is a retired Atlantic hurricane name. The World Meteorological Organization took it off the lists after the 2003 storm, so no future Atlantic storm will be called Isabel. Its place on the list now belongs to Imani, on the 2027 list. Since 1985, two storms have been named Isabel; the strongest, in 2003, peaked as a Category 5 hurricane.
Yes. Isabel is on NHC’s list of retired Atlantic names because of the 2003 storm. It is one of 100 names retired there since 1954 (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.
It won’t be. Retired names are not used again on the Atlantic lists. Its place on the list, the I slot, now belongs to Imani, on the 2027 Atlantic list, which is next used in 2027.
Isabel formed in the Atlantic in September 2003 and peaked as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (270 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 915 mb. It made landfall near Morehead City, United States. The system was tracked for 14 days.
Hurricane Isabel (2003): track and historyIsabel formed in the Atlantic in October 1985 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 997 mb. It made landfall near Fernandina Beach, United States. The system was tracked for 9 days.
Tropical Storm Isabel (1985): track and history| Storm | Landfall near | Date (UTC) | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isabel 2003 | Morehead City, United States | 2003-09-18 17:00 | 105 mph / 165 km/h |
| Isabel 1985 | Fernandina Beach, United States | 1985-10-10 21:00 | 40 mph / 65 km/h |
Names 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 both 2003 and 1985, Isabel was the 9th name used in the Atlantic season.
The most recent was Hurricane Isabel in 2003, in the Atlantic. It formed on September 6, peaked at 165 mph (270 km/h) and lasted 14 days. It made landfall near Morehead City, United States. It was the 9th name used in that Atlantic season. Before that, the name was used in 1985.
Hurricane Isabel in 2003 was the strongest, peaking as a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 165 mph (270 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 915 mb. It formed in the Atlantic in September and made landfall near Morehead City, United States. The weakest of the two, in 1985, peaked at 70 mph (110 km/h).