Why are storms given names?

Why are

Naming storms emerged in the 1950s, before which tropical storms were recorded by the year and order in which they occurred.

[{"selector":"#anim-5b50c504-42f0-4f6a-8521-a738f321574d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2a4fa2a-b59f-41f3-95d3-96030171574c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.75847%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Memorable names were given later by experts to distinguish between multiple storms, while U.S.A. began assigning female names.

[{"selector":"#anim-938aa2e4-2dfa-477d-87e5-0cdede1415f5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b10ab27-44c6-4a9f-9d38-97c8314fcb6d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 119.59875%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Initially, storms were named after saints, places, or ships they affected before more structured systems emerged.

[{"selector":"#anim-9991b23e-7b45-4481-aa26-2bd35f81740a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-07adfc66-3e49-4923-8e5a-3054ab930566","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.75847%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Named storms feel more real and urgent, clear communication across people, media, governments, and emergency services

[{"selector":"#anim-904e8481-0423-405d-be7e-7c13cdb52928","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a03f2a46-aae6-4941-b094-2d24bc4af570","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 139.73766%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

In 2015, the UK and Ireland began naming storms to improve public awareness and emergency responses.

[{"selector":"#anim-0b92c854-e6e7-4644-a636-92a8a3dd067d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-105f6954-395c-4dab-bba5-3e2276668d47","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.75847%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Regional organizations select names alphabetically before each storm season, with all oceans having storm naming conventions.

[{"selector":"#anim-fdb11716-c6aa-4a40-8825-9280f2fb3569","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f1be5c9-68d1-4dfb-a1d8-5e4caf77df56","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 119.59875%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Meteorological organizations globally use pre-set lists of names, alternating between male and female names.

[{"selector":"#anim-d773ed9e-da0d-4c3c-a9f2-4c937f3702b6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f1664a9e-2002-4993-8a88-b530b2de0ea5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.75847%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Names of destructive storms, like Katrina and Haiyan, are retired to avoid future confusion and respect the tragedies.

[{"selector":"#anim-6aaae966-3845-4b3f-b417-ae4a67a12b47","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ae4bd5d-36ba-48b4-9064-54bb1dfe0cae","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.75847%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Today, naming storms is an essential part of disaster preparedness, aiding global coordination and public safety.

[{"selector":"#anim-d7dae064-4d27-4078-9aa6-ad48f2884870","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84b07599-cffc-47f2-8b2a-4b37204c756d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.75847%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Other stories

[{"selector":"#anim-63a5f0ad-62e2-45bd-ad37-b08c19f03e16","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6f31914-19d8-4ffa-8012-a2ae696c3b13","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13662e9b-56a5-4f68-9dee-0ad852d114bc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc1ed85b-0fe6-4781-843c-ec5039e9a3d2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-139.16668%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-11bedbfb-88a7-48f6-a6ff-542ba0918dbf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-543854eb-d008-4c98-890a-d38e34ca77d2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-148.69564%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6ea420af-2617-4e9c-85c8-d2fc84fb5562","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e067e97-6feb-4acf-aaf1-22b95d19f601","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-825a4d07-190f-44ef-9d9e-55f1769672e1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-293.33336%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-541c0de4-0688-4569-ae5c-e49a1acb614b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-73ac1495-be05-48a0-80ab-2eb45af2fd87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-359be629-8717-455f-acb0-d2bb9df3fa6d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a65f18d8-77d8-497b-8951-aaf50655c24c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(159.16667%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c45831a1-1df2-472d-98aa-9edfc3d88a21","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ee0e121-7f4b-4d1b-a990-855e1b7b9ecb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36690d97-8fde-4699-b8fc-5e1dd4cf7901","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-289.1667%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-158ec69d-c9e9-4cd7-a20b-0d1f60c23f05","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-966830fa-62d0-4d0b-88d4-88b82eea6dc1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-147.86729%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] See More See More Read Next Story

Why are

storms

storms

given names?

given names?

Naming storms emerged in the 1950s, before which tropical storms were recorded by the year and order in which they occurred.

Concept

Concept

Memorable names were given later by experts to distinguish between multiple storms, while U.S.A. began assigning female names.

Distinctness

Distinctness

Initially, storms were named after saints, places, or ships they affected before more structured systems emerged.

Early Naming Practices

Early Naming Practices

Named storms feel more real and urgent, clear communication across people, media, governments, and emergency services

Psychological Impact of Naming

Psychological Impact of Naming

In 2015, the UK and Ireland began naming storms to improve public awareness and emergency responses.

Role of the UK and Ireland

Role of the UK and Ireland

Regional organizations select names alphabetically before each storm season, with all oceans having storm naming conventions.

How Names Are Chosen?

How Names Are Chosen?

Meteorological organizations globally use pre-set lists of names, alternating between male and female names.

Modern Naming System

Modern Naming System

Names of destructive storms, like Katrina and Haiyan, are retired to avoid future confusion and respect the tragedies.

Retiring Storm Names

Retiring Storm Names

Today, naming storms is an essential part of disaster preparedness, aiding global coordination and public safety.

A Lifesaving Tool!

A Lifesaving Tool!

Other stories

View All

Amazing Facts on the Unique Lizard- Iguana

Why are Sacred groves important for India?