Michael is a retired Atlantic hurricane name. The World Meteorological Organization took it off the lists after the 2018 storm, so no future Atlantic storm will be called Michael. Its place on the list now belongs to Miguel, on the 2030 list. Since 2000, three storms have been named Michael; the strongest, in 2018, peaked as a Category 5 hurricane.
Yes. Michael is on NHC’s list of retired Atlantic names because of the 2018 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 M slot, now belongs to Miguel, on the 2030 Atlantic list, which is next used in 2030.
Michael formed in the Atlantic in October 2018 and peaked as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 919 mb. It made landfall near Callaway, United States. The system was tracked for 9 days.
Hurricane Michael (2018): track and historyMichael formed in the Atlantic in September 2012 and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 964 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 10 days.
Hurricane Michael (2012): track and historyMichael formed in the Atlantic in October 2000 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 965 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
Hurricane Michael (2000): track and history| Storm | Landfall near | Date (UTC) | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael 2018 | Callaway, United States | 2018-10-10 17:30 | 160 mph / 260 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 each of 2018, 2012 and 2000, Michael was the 13th name used in the Atlantic season.
The most recent was Hurricane Michael in 2018, in the Atlantic. It formed on October 6, peaked at 160 mph (260 km/h) and lasted 9 days. It made landfall near Callaway, United States. It was the 13th name used in that Atlantic season. Before that, the name was used in 2012 and 2000.
Hurricane Michael in 2018 was the strongest, peaking as a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 919 mb. It formed in the Atlantic in October and made landfall near Callaway, United States. The weakest of the three, in 2000, peaked at 100 mph (155 km/h).