Knut is a retired Pacific hurricane name. The World Meteorological Organization took it off the lists after the 1987 storm, so no future storm in the eastern or central Pacific will be called Knut. Its place on the list now belongs to Kenneth, on the 2029 list. Since 1981, two storms have been named Knut; the strongest, in 1981, peaked as a tropical storm.
Yes. Knut is on NHC’s list of retired eastern and central Pacific names because of the 1987 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 K slot, now belongs to Kenneth, on the 2029 East Pacific list, which is next used in 2029.
Knut formed in the East Pacific in August 1987 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 2 days.
Tropical Storm Knut (1987): track and historyKnut formed in the East Pacific in September 1981 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h). It made landfall near La Cruz, Mexico. The system was tracked for 3 days.
Tropical Storm Knut (1981): track and history| Storm | Landfall near | Date (UTC) | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knut 1981 | La Cruz, Mexico | 1981-09-21 15:00 | 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 1987 and 1981, Knut was the 11th name used in the East Pacific season.
The most recent was Tropical Storm Knut in 1987, in the East Pacific. It formed on August 28, peaked at 40 mph (65 km/h) and lasted 2 days. It did not make landfall. It was the 11th name used in that East Pacific season. Before that, the name was used in 1981.
Tropical Storm Knut in 1981 was the strongest, peaking as a tropical storm with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h). It formed in the East Pacific in September and made landfall near La Cruz, Mexico. The weakest of the two, in 1987, peaked at 40 mph (65 km/h).