Fri Jun 20 07:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Hurricane Season is Here: Familiar Names Return, But Michigan Remembers a ‘Hurroncane’
**Washington D.C.** – The Atlantic hurricane season officially kicked off on June 1st, bringing with it the well-known rotating lists of storm names. Managed by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), these names are carefully chosen to be recognizable and reflect the diverse linguistic origins (English, French, and Spanish) of the regions impacted by these powerful storms.
The WMO maintains six lists, each containing 21 names, which are recycled every six years. Names of particularly devastating storms, like Beryl, Helene, and Milton in 2024, are retired from the rotation to avoid causing further distress.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) notes that while the official season runs from June 1st to November 30th, tropical cyclone activity can occur outside these dates. The peak of the season typically falls around September 10th, with most activity concentrated between mid-August and mid-October.
While Michigan is geographically shielded from direct hurricane impacts, the state remembers a unique weather event in the late 1990s. In September 1996, a powerful low-pressure system over Lake Huron developed an eye-like feature and spiral bands, mimicking hurricane conditions. With recorded winds reaching 73 mph, just shy of hurricane force, the phenomenon was dubbed the “Hurroncane” by local media.
The National Weather Service (NWS) attributes the “Hurroncane’s” formation to the unusually warm waters of Lake Huron and associated atmospheric instability. While not a true hurricane, the event serves as a reminder of the power and unpredictability of weather systems.
For the upcoming 2025 season, the WMO has already released the list of names, which follows the alphabet excluding Q, U, X, Y, and Z. A supplemental list is also maintained for any necessary name replacements.
*The article provides the definitions of tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane, major hurricane, and tropical cyclone.*
For more information, contact Sarah Moore at smoore@lsj.com.
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