A curious process: do you know how hurricanes and typhoons get their names?

You names attributed to hurricanes and typhoons play a crucial role in communication and public warning during tropical storms. It’s a practice that has evolved over the years to ensure efficiency and accuracy. But, after all, how are they chosen?

The history of hurricane names

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In the past, hurricanes were given designations based on the date of their occurrence or in a seemingly arbitrary alphabetical order. However, this approach has been improved over the years time.

Initially, hurricanes were named after the saints of the day they hit a specific area. Later, the nomenclature became more flexible, with Australian meteorologist Clement L. Wragge introducing women’s names of biblical origin.

In the United States, in 1953, hurricanes began to be given female names. In 1979, male names were reintroduced for storms in the eastern North Pacific. This differentiation was unified in 1980, when the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the US Weather Service decided to alternate between male and female names.

For each hurricane and typhoon season, there is a predefined list of names, except for the letters U, Q, X, Y, and Z, which are excluded due to their rarity in proper names. When this list is exhausted, the Greek alphabet is used, as observed in 2005 and 2020.

It is worth noting that the lists can be recycled every six years, unless a hurricane causes a very significant impact, such as Katrina and Sandy, whose names were retired by the WMO out of respect for the affected communities.

Despite the similarities between hurricanes and typhoons as meteorological phenomena, they receive different names depending on the region in which they form. In the North Atlantic, Caribbean and northeast Pacific, they are called hurricanes. In the northwest Pacific, they are called typhoons, while in the southwest Pacific, they are classified as severe tropical cyclones.

The naming of these meteorological events is not just a matter of tradition, but a tool vital for public safety and natural disaster mitigation. A hurricane’s name can carry with it a legacy of destruction, and carefully choosing these designations is an essential part of preparing for and responding to these extreme weather events.