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Storm Names

History of Storm Naming in the Altantic Ocean Region

The practice of naming storms began years ago in order to help in the quick identification of tropical cyclones in warning messages because names are presumed to be far easier to remember than numbers and technical terms. Many agree that appending names to storms makes it easier for the media to report on cyclones, heightens interest in warnings and increases community preparedness.

Experience shows that the use of short, distinctive given names in written as well as spoken communications is quicker and less subject to error than the older more cumbersome latitude-longitude identification methods. These advantages are especially important in exchanging detailed storm information between hundreds of widely scattered stations, coastal bases, and ships at sea.

In the beginning, storms were named arbitrarily. An Atlantic storm that ripped off the mast of a boat named Antje became known as Antje's hurricane. Then the mid-1900's saw the start of the practice of using feminine names for storms.

In the pursuit of a more organized and efficient naming system, meteorologists later decided to identify storms using names from a list arranged alphabetically. Thus, a storm with a name that begins with A, like Anne, would be the first storm to occur in the year. Before the end of the 1900's, forecasters started using male names for those forming in the Southern Hemisphere.

Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists originated by the US National Hurricane Center. They are now maintained and updated by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization. The original name lists featured only women's names. In 1979, men's names were introduced and they alternate with the women's names. Six lists are used in rotation. Thus, the 2008 list will be used again in 2014.

The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name for another storm would be inappropriate. In that case, WMO coordinates the removal of that name from the list and its replacement by a new name. In other Ocean regions impacted by tropical cyclones similar practices for naming of tropical cyclones in their respective regions exist. Infamous storm names such as Katrina (USA, 2005) and Mitch (Honduras, 1998) are examples for this.

    Source - World Meteorological Organization Fact Sheet.

Storm Names for Atlantic

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Arthur Ana Alex Arlene Alberto Andrea
Bertha Bill Bonnie Bret Beryl Barry
Cristobal Claudette Colin Cindy Chris Chantal
Dolly Danny Danielle Don Debby Dorian
Edouard Erika Earl Emily Ernesto Erin
Fay Fred Fiona Franklin Florence Fernand
Gustav Grace Gaston Gert Gordon Gabrielle
Hanna Henri Hermine Harvey Helene Humberto
Ike Ida Igor Irene Isaac Ingrid
Josephine Joaquin Julia Jose Joyce Jerry
Kyle Kate Karl Katia Kirk Karen
Laura Larry Lisa Lee Leslie Lorenzo
Marco Mindy Matthew Maria Michael Melissa
Nana Nicholas Nicole Nate Nadine Nestor
Omar Odette Otto Ophelia Oscar Olga
Paloma Peter Paula Philippe Patty Pablo
Rene Rose Richard Rina Rafael Rebekah
Sally Sam Shary Sean Sandy Sebastian
Teddy Teresa Tomas Tammy Tony Tanya
Vicky Victor Virginie Vince Valerie Van
Wilfred Wanda Walter Whitney William Wendy

 

For more information about hurricanes, please contact TTMS - 669-4392.

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