Weather

Hurricane Irene name retired

Over eight days in August 2011, Irene was directly responsible for 49 deaths: five in the Dominican Republic, three in Haiti and 41 in the United States.

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Hurricane Irene's winds battered structures along the North Carolina coast. (Photos by Donny Bowers.)

Hurricane Irene did enough damage in August 2011 that the name will live on, forever associated with those days of wind and rain, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization recycle a list of storm names, using them over every seventh year. A storm name is retired when a specific storm causes a memorable amount of destruction or death.

Over eight days in August 2011, Irene was directly responsible for 49 deaths: five in the Dominican Republic, three in Haiti and 41 in the United States.

The storm made landfall on Aug. 27 along North Carolina's Outer Banks as a Category 1 hurricane, then veered out to sea and reached the United States again the next day near Atlantic City, N.J.

Damage in the United States was estimated at $15.8 billion.

 

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