Cyclonic Storms

The 2021 Atlantic Hurricane season has begun. The season usually starts on June 1st and lasts till November 30th. You must have heard cyclonic storms being referred to with different names like "Vardah" and "Yaas" and wondered why are cyclones named, who names cyclones, how cyclonic storms are named, and other such fascinating questions must have crossed your mind.

Cyclones are generally not named. This tradition of naming started when hurricanes hit the Atlantic oceans when tropical storms that reached and sustained a speed of 39 miles in an hour were given names. Did you know that typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclones are one and the same? They are all tropical storms called by different names based on the different oceans they originate from; Typhoon in the Pacific, Hurricane in the Atlantic, and Cyclone in the Indian Ocean.

In this article, let us learn how cyclones named in world and the guidelines to name cyclones.

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What Are Cyclones?

Cyclones have derived their name from the Greek word Cyclos' (meaning a coiling snake). Due to atmospheric disturbances, a wind system is formed in a low-pressure area that is rotating inwards (counterclockwise). Cyclones bring with them severe weather conditions such as storms. The clouds and precipitation are caused by the rising and cooling of swirling air. Cyclones are classified into two types:

• Middle latitude Cyclones: The mid-latitude cyclones are the main reason behind winter storms.

• Tropical cyclones: These are also called hurricanes and originate over tropical oceans, where they draw the energy for their development.

Why are Cyclones Named?

Katrina, Helen, Mala, Nargis; all these names might strike you as names of actresses, but they are also names given to some of the most intense cyclonic storms that wreaked havoc with heavy rains and powerful winds.

The way how cyclones named in world helps in the quick identification of storms that appear in warning messages. If a storm is given a name, people would remember them more easily than a number or any other technical term. By appending names to tropical storms, the media finds it simpler to report about them, increasing community preparedness for the storm and heightening their interest.

Using short and distinctive names to storms makes them less prone to error in written and spoken communication. This naming procedure is much simpler and effective than older cumbersome identification of storms by latitude and longitude. This standard of naming proves to be pretty advantageous when information needs to be exchanged between different scattered stations, ships at sea, and coastal bases.

The storm names might seem random, but they have a meaning. They are carefully chosen to represent something. For instance, Tautke was the name given by Myanmar to the last cyclone in the Arabian Sea, and Tautke means Gecko, a huge lizard. In the same way, Yaas is a cyclone name given by Oman, and it means a tree.

History of Naming Cyclones

Atlantic storms have been given names for hundreds of years—the naming of cyclones was initially arbitrary. For instance, Antje's hurricane was given this name since the storm ripped off the mast of a boat which was called Antje. 

People in the Caribbean islands gave names to storms after the saint of the day on which the hurricane occurred. These saint names were taken from the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar for a particular day. This tradition was followed till World War II when meteorologists and forecasters started using female names to identify the cyclonic storms. 

• In their pursuit to find a more efficient and organized naming system, the US weather service adopted alphabetically arranging the storm names.

• They created a new phonetic international alphabet system of female names starting from the letter A to W. They left out letters Q, X, U, Y, and Z.

• In the 60s and 70s, women's liberation started, and women protested against such a naming system, which helped change the naming procedure. From 1978 storms were also given male names.

How Cyclonic Storms are Named and Who Names Cyclones

After 1953, tropical storms that originated in the Atlantic oceans have been named from lists that are created by the National Hurricane Center. 

So, who names cyclones now? This list of hurricane names is now maintained by an international committee that is part of the WMO (World Meteorological Organization). There are six lists used in rotation every six years, i.e. the list used in 2019 will be used again in 2025.

• The RSMCs (Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers) and TCWSc (Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers) name the cyclones.

• There are six RSMCs in the world, and IMD (Indian Meteorological Department) is one of them.

• The IMD follows the protocols for naming cyclones that develop over the North Indian Ocean, including the Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal.

• Since IMD is an RSMC, it is mandatory for the department to issue advisories to twelve countries in the region regarding the development of cyclones and storms.

• The deliberations for naming cyclones in the Indian Ocean region started in 2000, and they decided on a formula by 2004.

• Eight countries in the Indian Ocean region decided to start naming cyclones in their regions. They are India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Oman, and Thailand. 

• These countries send their suggestions for cyclone names to the PTC (Panel on Tropical Cyclones) of WMO/ESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific), who finalize the list.

• Any year's first cyclone is given a name starting with "A", and the second one starts with "B", and so on.

• Years that are even-numbered get male names for odd-numbered storms. Similarly, the odd-numbered years get female names for the odd-numbered storms in that year.

• If there are concurrent storms in the same basins, the difference in names avoids any kind of confusion.

Guidelines to Name Cyclones

When countries pick a name for any cyclone, they need to follow a set of rules. It is only when these rules and regulations are strictly followed that the PTC would accept the name. The guidelines mandate the following:

• The proposed name should be neutral to cultures, religious beliefs, gender, and politics (or political figures).

• No group of the population across the globe shall be hurt by the name given to the tropical cyclone.

• The proposed name should not be cruel in nature or extremely rude.

• The cyclone name can not have more than eight letters in it.

• Cyclone's name must be short and should be easy to pronounce without being offensive to anyone.

• For the proposed name, the country must also provide its correct pronunciation along with a voice-over.

• Names of cyclones that originate over the North Indian Ocean should be unique and not repeated. The name must be unique across all the RSMCs in the world, including the IMD in New Delhi.

• The panel reserves the right to reject any cyclone name that does not meet the criteria mentioned above.

• If any member of the PTC raises any reasonable objection, then the panel may review the finalized list of names at the time of implementation in its annual session.

Interesting Facts About Naming of Cyclones

• The recent cyclone "Vardah" has been named by Pakistan and it means "red rose".

• The cyclone that hit Chennai recently was called "Nada", a name suggested by Oman.

• Due to "Vardah", more than 9000 people had to be evacuated in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Educational institutions were shut down since this severe storm whipped up waves that were 20 feet high.

• It is necessary to name a cyclone that has a speed of more than 34 nautical miles an hour.

• A storm is classified as a hurricane or typhoon if it crosses a speed of 74 miles per hour.