00:00Well, today we're exploring the history of hurricanes with names, starting with the letter M, that have been retired.
00:07These storms have left a significant impact, leading to their names being permanently removed from the list.
00:12Let's take a look at some of the most notable M-named hurricanes that have been retired.
00:18One of the most infamous hurricanes, Hurricane Mitch, in 1998.
00:23It was one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes on record, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides in Central America.
00:28Over 11,000 lives were lost, and the storm left a lasting impact on the region.
00:34Next, we have Hurricane Maria in 2017.
00:38Maria devastated Puerto Rico, causing widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis, with winds reaching 175 miles per hour.
00:46It was one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the island, resulting in thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in damage.
00:52Another significant storm was Hurricane Michael in 2018.
00:56Michael made landfall in Florida, in the Florida Panhandle, as a Category 5 hurricane, causing severe damage with its 160-mile-per-hour winds and storm surge.
01:07It was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the United States since Andrew in 1992.
01:13Most recently, Hurricane Milton was retired after wreaking havoc and causing unprecedented damage.
01:19The storm set several meteorological records, unleashing extreme rainfall, cutting power to over 3 million custodians, spawning dozens of tornadoes, including a devastating EF3, and producing so much storm surge.
01:32So why are these names retired?
01:34The World Meteorological Organization retires hurricane names when a storm is so deadly or costly that reusing the name would be insensitive.
01:41Retiring their name also helps avoid any confusion in future hurricane seasons.
01:47Tropical storm Melissa does pose a significant risk to lives and property in the Caribbean.
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