2023 Hurricane Names (And The Weird Way They Come Up With Them!)

Well, it’s almost that time of the year again. We’re talking about hurricane season, which we generally keep an eye on because hurricanes often affect operations at Disney World.

Sometimes, hurricanes even close Disney World down, so we like to keep track of those that might end up heading Florida’s way. But have you ever thought about hurricane names? They seem so random, but are they?

So here’s the thing: according to BabyNames.com, before the early 1950s, storms did not have names other than the year they took place and the order they happened in. That got confusing, so a new system was put in place in 1953 to give each hurricane a different distinctive name to make communicating about it easier.  That’s way easier than trying to remember a bunch of numbers, right?

In 1953, storms began getting names associated with females, but by 1979, both male and female names became the norm for all U.S. storms.

However, these names are not just chosen at random. For Atlantic hurricanes, there is a list of names that are used every six years. However, if a storm is deadly and has a huge impact, like Katrina, its name is retired and never used again. Storms will never run out of names, either — there’s also a backup list to use if a storm season is particularly busy.

So here’s the list for storms in 2023: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince, and Whitney.

Hurricane season generally runs from June 1st to November 30th, but we’ve occasionally seen storms before and after those dates. According to Accuweather, meteorologists are expecting between 11 and 15 named storms in 2023, with four to eight of them predicted to reach hurricane strength. Three storms are expected to reach “major hurricane” status, meaning the storm would have sustained winds of 111mph or higher.

Meteorologists are also expecting two to four direct hurricane impacts on the U.S., including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

So what does this mean for you? Well, if you’re headed to Disney World or are IN Disney World during a hurricane, that will certainly impact your trip. Disney World has closed due to hurricanes —  and it even happened TWICE last year. However, there are policies in place to keep guests staying on Disney World property safe. Disney World hotels also offer hurricane meal kits to those stuck in their rooms when the parks close due to a hurricane.

The important thing to remember is to be prepared. Make sure you have rain gear on hand for rainy days in the parks. Also, keep an eye on weather forecasts before your trip. Disney World also has a specific policy for visitors who may be visiting during a hurricane.

According to the Disney World website: “If a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area—or for your place of residence—within 7 days of your scheduled arrival date, you may reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Travel Company Disney Resort hotel packages and most room only reservations (booked directly with Disney) without any cancellation or change fees imposed by Disney. Most room-only and vacation packages can be modified, or cancelled online, including changes to travel dates.”

We’ll keep an eye on the weather in the Orlando area during hurricane season and keep you updated on any potential closures, so be sure to check back with AllEars before your trip.

Have you ever visited Disney World during a hurricane? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

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