Storm Names

:fyi:

Each year, hurricans and tropical storms are named alphabetically, alternating male and female names starting with A and excluding Q, U, and W. If all 21 alphabetical names are used up, additional names are drawn in order from the Greek: Alpha, Beta, Gramma, Delta, etc.

When detailed storm information has to be exchanged between weather stations and ships at sea, short distinctive names are less error-prone than identifying them by latitudinal and longitudinal axes. But the custom of naming storms exclusively for women ended in 1978, when names from both genders began to be alternated.

Six lists of names are recycled every six years. So far in 2007, there's been Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dean, Erin, Felix, Gabrielle, Humberto, Ingrid, Jerry and Karen. That leaves Lorenzo, Melissa, Noel, Olga, Pablo and five remaining names up for grabs.

If a storm is particularly devastating, its name is retired from the list. Maybe you'll recognize Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, Wilma (2005), Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne (2004), Fabian, Isabel, Juan (2003), Isidore, Lili (2002), Allison, Iris, Michelle (2001), as storms whose names have been retired.

wow

Thank you , Lily...It's a very interesting new. However, I never liked that storms, hurricanes and such were named with human names. Some time ago, feminists made a trouble about them being named after women names. Yep. They were right. But I also think it's unjust to name them after male names. Storms are storms, and they are awful.

In the past they have no name. People used to speak about the "1880's storm" and so on. I like it much better than having to call it "Pablo" or "Sofía", when we have people with these names who are excellent people.

Vanesa.