Okay, here is a weather mind bender for you - and I don't know the answer - and I'm not so sure that anybody does, including the NHC (and I'm not about to call them either). Remember, this is a hypothetical question.

Scenario: Its late in the season and we've already set a record with 23 named storms. On December 6th yet another TD forms and it intensifies and becomes Tropical Storm ?????. It rapidly intensifies to a Category V hurricane with the lowest pressure ever recorded in the Atlantic basin and a few days later makes landfall - a sure bet that this name will be retired!

The first part of the question is easy for many of you (maybe): What will be the name of the storm?

The second part of the question is the hard part: Would NHC use this name? Even though the spelling is slightly different, phonetically it is pronounced the same. Now that should give you something to ponder over - any Mets want to chime in on this one?
Cheers,
ED