Ismael is a retired Pacific hurricane name. The World Meteorological Organization took it off the lists after the 1995 storm, so no future storm in the eastern or central Pacific will be called Ismael. Its place on the list now belongs to Ivo, on the 2031 list. Since 1983, three storms have been named Ismael; the strongest, in 1989, peaked as a Category 3 hurricane.
Yes. Ismael is on NHC’s list of retired eastern and central Pacific names because of the 1995 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.
It won’t be. Retired names are not used again on the eastern and central Pacific lists. Its place on the list, the I slot, now belongs to Ivo, on the 2031 East Pacific list, which is next used in 2031.
Ismael formed in the East Pacific in September 1995 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 983 mb. It made landfall near Topolobampo, Mexico. The system was tracked for 3 days.
Hurricane Ismael (1995): track and historyIsmael formed in the East Pacific in August 1989 and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 955 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 11 days.
Hurricane Ismael (1989): track and historyIsmael formed in the East Pacific in August 1983 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Hurricane Ismael (1983): track and history| Storm | Landfall near | Date (UTC) | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ismael 1995 | Topolobampo, Mexico | 1995-09-15 04:00 | 80 mph / 130 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 1995, Ismael was the 9th name used in the East Pacific season.
Seasons where our archive is missing an earlier name are left out, because we can’t confirm the count.
The most recent was Hurricane Ismael in 1995, in the East Pacific. It formed on September 12, peaked at 80 mph (130 km/h) and lasted 3 days. It made landfall near Topolobampo, Mexico. It was the 9th name used in that East Pacific season. Before that, the name was used in 1989 and 1983.
Hurricane Ismael in 1989 was the strongest, peaking as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 955 mb. It formed in the East Pacific in August. The weakest of the three, in 1995, peaked at 80 mph (130 km/h).