Who chooses hurricane names, and what happens if they are all used?

MIAMI – As Hurricane Sally strengthened and made landfall this week on the Gulf Coast, tropical storms named Teddy and Vicky were named season 19 and 20 in the Atlantic, each moving closer to the end of the characters.

This year’s Atlantic hurricane season has provoked storms at such a rapid pace that there is now only one entry – Wilfried – on the list of 21 names used by meteorologists for each entry.

Forecasters say they are likely to drop out of the current list as this is the height of the season, which starts on June 1st and ends on November 30th. This week, there were Five named storms According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an event that has not occurred since 1971 is simultaneous in the Atlantic. (The tropical recession dissolved Ren On Monday.)

Dennis Feltgen, a spokeswoman for the National Hurricane Center in Miami and a meteorologist, said: “Considering we are in the 20 storms that have just been named – we ‘ve been through the middle of the season – there’s a lot of it.” “There are still two and a half months of the season.”

Once the forecasters reach Wilfred last storm, they should turn to the names 24 letters In the Greek alphabet, starting with alpha, beta, gamma and delta.

“We only did it once,” he said. Feltgen said, “That was in 2005.” That year, meteorologists used six Greek names for six storm seasons, including 28 storms, he said.

‘One of the most active seasons on the record’

Mr. Feltgen described the 2020 hurricane season as “extremely fast” compared to the average hurricane season, which usually produces 12 named hurricanes, forming three major hurricanes.

In May, NOAA Predicted over a normal season In the Atlantic, up to 10 hurricanes, with 19 named storms, are possible. It predicts that six of them could form into Type 3, 4 or 5 hurricanes.

According to the NOAA, this season was at record pace with nine named storms as of July 30th. Before the official start of the season, Arthur, the first named storm, Developed off the coast of Florida in May To be continued Bertha, Which caused a landslide near Charleston, SC later that month.

Last month, Government scientists updated their vision.

“It’s one of the busiest seasons on record,” said Luis Uselini, director of the National Weather Service.

Jerry Bell, a leading hurricane forecaster with the NOAA’s Climate Forecast Center, said there could be up to 25 hurricanes named before the end of the season last month. Storms can range from seven to 11 hurricanes, with winds of up to 74 miles per hour or more, including three to six major winds.

In recent decades, scientists have seen Increased hurricane activity In the North Atlantic, by a measure that combines intensity with characteristics such as duration and frequency of storms. Climate scientists say there are Links between global warming and at least hurricane intensity. As sea temperatures rise, hurricanes grow stronger because warm water acts as a fuel for them.

What’s in a hurricane name?

Named after hurricanes and tornadoes “For People to Understand and Remember” With each storm, step World Meteorological Organization, Now an international committee that maintains and assigns a list of names.

“Many agree that adding names to storms makes it easier for the media to report on tropical cyclones, raises interest in warnings and increases community preparedness.” WMO said.

Said the organization Storms “are not named after any particular person, There is no alphabetical order. The panel added that the “selected names are” well known to those in each region.

Male and female names are recycled alphabetically every six years. For example, the 2019 list will be used again in 2025.

The practice of naming Atlantic tropical storms began at least in 1953 when the National Hurricane Center began compiling lists of names in the United States. Until 1979, when the names of men were included in the original lists, only the names of women were included.

Why not watch out for storms like Quinn, Uma or JK.

Although there are 26 letters in the English alphabet, WMO does not use names beginning with the letters Q, U, X, Y or Z because “they are not enough,” said John Morales, WTVJ’s chief meteorologist. -TV, NBC station in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

“You have to have enough names,” Mr. Feltgen noted that a letter should have at least six names and backing names, as well as names needed to add both male and female options.

Why did some names retire?

Hurricane names generally rest when storms make history to cause destruction and death; Reusing the name would be insensitive to people affected by the storm. The National Hurricane Center says more than 80 names have retired from the Atlantic list.

Hurricane Andrew, for example, caused Typhoon 5 in southern Miami-Tad in 1992 to cause 61 deaths and about $ 27 billion in damage at the time. According to NOAA.

And Hurricane Katrina, the 2005 hurricane that struck New Orleans More than 1,500 were killed. That high storm season also created tennis, Rita, Stan and Wilma – names dropped by meteorologists. According to the WMO, most storm names have retired since the 2005 season

In 2018, the International Hurricane Team announced the retirement of four hurricane names Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate From the list of Atlantic tropical cyclone names, due to their devastating number in the 2017 season. They were replaced by Harold, Italia, Margot and Nigel 2023 will appear in the list.