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The Greek word “Cyclos,” which means “Coiling of the Snake,” is where the term “Cyclone” originates. The atmospheric disturbances surrounding a low-pressure area give rise to cyclones characterised by violent storms and severe weather. A tropical cyclone is essentially a deep area of low pressure.
The naming of cyclones is a phenomenon that is quite unknown around the world. Let us explore why cyclones are named and the guidelines for naming cyclones.
History of Naming of Cyclones
The names of Catholic saints were used to name Cyclones in the late 1800s. The cyclones were given female names in 1953 since the ships were often referred to as female and frequently given feminine names, and male names were first used in 1979. The cyclone names are currently assigned systematically for naming tropical cyclones since 2000.
Since 2000, cyclonic storms have been given names by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia Pacific (ESCAP).
Naming of Cyclones in India
The cyclones forming over the northern Indian Ocean, encompassing the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, are given names by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Additionally, it provides alerts of storms and cyclones to 12 other countries in the area.
A group of countries known as WMO/ESCAP, consisting of Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, decided to contribute to the process of naming cyclones in the region in 2000. Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen were the other five nations added in 2018. The list was finalised by the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) after the aforementioned nations submitted their suggestions.
IMD published a list of 169 cyclone names in April 2020. The WMO/ESCAP member countries submitted 13 ideas published in the list.
Why are Cyclones Named
There are several reasons for which the naming of cyclones happens. The reasons why cyclones are named range from differentiating between cyclones to being an attempt to make them comprehendible to the masses.
Because statistics and scientific jargon are hard to remember, the cyclones have names to make them easier to recognise. Additionally, adding names makes it simpler for the media, scientific community, and disaster management community to identify and record specific cyclones, provide warnings, boost community preparedness, and avoid confusion in areas that experience several cyclones.
Tropical cyclones can persist for even a week, and thus there might be more than one storm present at once. Hence, weather forecasters and analysts use the process of naming cyclones to avoid confusion.
Guidelines to Name Cyclones
Guidelines to name cyclones follow a set of principles. Guidelines to name cyclones are some commonly accepted norms used by countries and organisations in the naming of cyclones.
Some of the guidelines for naming cyclones are as follows-
- The suggested name must contain any connotations about politics, political personalities, religion, cultures, or gender
- It must not be insensitive or unkind in its basic nature
- It must not offend the feelings of any international group of people
- The name should be short, simple to say, and respectful to all members
- Cyclone names forming over the northern Indian Ocean won’t be mentioned again, and they cannot be used again once it has been used
- It must have a maximum of eight letters and be provided with voiceover and pronunciation
Committees Responsible for Naming of Cyclones
These names of cyclones are decided upon at the annual or biennial conference of the regional Tropical Cyclone organisation in charge of that specific water basin. The five regional organisations for the naming of cyclones are listed below.
- WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones
- ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee
- RA I Tropical Cyclone Committee
- RA IV Hurricane Committee
- RA V Tropical Cyclone Committee
The WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones is the committee responsible for the naming of cyclones in the region of India.
Conclusion
It becomes important to give a cyclone a special name if its speed exceeds 34 nautical miles per hour. A storm is designated a hurricane, cyclone, or typhoon if its speed reaches or exceeds 74 mph.
The Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWC) and Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) give names to the cyclones that originate in any ocean basin worldwide. Six RSMCs that exist worldwide, including the India Meteorological Department, are responsible for naming cyclones in accordance with the guidelines for naming cyclones.
