Hurricane Nomenclature

The terms "hurricane" and "typhoon" are regionally specific names for a strong "tropical cyclone"

• "hurricane" (the North Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E)
• "typhoon" (the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline)
• "severe tropical cyclone" (the Southwest Pacific Ocean west of 160E or Southeast Indian Ocean east of 90E)
• "severe cyclonic storm" (the North Indian Ocean)
• "tropical cyclone" (the Southwest Indian Ocean)

Hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones are different names for the same type of storm. A tropical cyclone is called a hurricane in the North Atlantic Ocean, South Pacific Ocean, or the Northeast Pacific Ocean on the eastern side of the dateline.

typhoon occurs in the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline. In other parts of the world, these storms are called severe tropical cyclones.

A hurricane, then, is a cyclonic storm with maximum sustained winds over 74 mph (64 knots; 119 kph).

Hurricanes are then further classed according to strength by the Saffir-Simpson Scale. There are five strength categories, with a Category 5 storm rating maximum sustained winds over 156 mph (136 knots; 251 kph).

A hurricane generally starts as an organized band of convection, or thunderstorms, called a tropical wave. When conditions are favorable, the wave starts to further organize and strengthen. Convection increases and the wave starts taking on cyclonic characteristics. If strengthening continues, it develops an eye and eyewall and soon becomes a hurricane. Favorable conditions for hurricane development include the system being over very warm water, and in an environment with little wind shear. Wind shear “tears up” a hurricane because it sends winds in the opposite direction, thereby inhibiting the cyclone’s formation.

A cyclone itself is often a generic name for any kind of violent windstorm, and particularly in the Midwestern United States, is the name for a tornado. However, a tornado and a hurricane are two entirely different storms. A tornado is usually the result of a mesocyclone, or severe thunderstorm, over land, although, strangely enough, a landfalling hurricane can spawn tornadoes. A tornado is also a smaller, short-lived storm, while a hurricane covers several hundred square miles or kilometers and may last for several days over water.

The landfalling hurricane quickly loses strength because it is deprived of the heat and moisture from the ocean water keeping it alive. A hurricane that passes over land and goes back into the ocean, however, may regenerate.

Although most people think of a hurricane as being primarily a wind storm, its real damage is usually caused by flooding. This was evident in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coasts. The storm had dropped to a Category 3 by landfall, but the storm surge in front of it was driven by the storm when it was a Category 5. The storm surge was well over 20 feet in some areas, and wiped out thousands of homes in its path.

The National Weather Service’s Tropical Prediction Center tracks storms in the North and East Atlantic, and in the Eastern Pacific Oceans. Their Web site provides a wealth of information on the formation, tracking and forecasting hurricanes, as well as U.S. hurricane statistics over the years.

Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists originated by the 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.

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 North Atlantic and Northeastern Pacific basins, feminine and masculine names are alternated in alphabetic order during a given season. The gender of the season's first storm also alternates year to year. Six lists of names are prepared in advance, and each list is used once every six years. Five letters — "Q," "U," "X," "Y" and "Z" — are omitted in the North Atlantic; only "Q" and "U" are omitted in the Northeastern Pacific. This allows for 21 names in the North Atlantic and 24 names in Northeastern Pacific.

Atlantic Names –

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

Northern Indian Ocean Names

LIST 1	LIST 2	LIST 3	LIST 4
Onil Agni Hibaru Pyarr Baaz Fanoos Mala Mukda	Ogni Akash Gonu Yemyin Sidr Nargis Abe Khai Muk	Nisha Bijli Aila Phyan Ward Laila Bandu Phet	Giri Jal Keila Thane Murjan Nilam Mahasen Phailin
LIST 5	LIST 6	LIST 7	LIST 8
Helen Lehar Madi Nanauk Hudhud Nilofar Priya Komen	Chapala Megh Vaali Kyant Nada Vardah Sama Mora	Ockhi Sagar Baazu Daye Luban Titli Das Phethai	Fani Vayu Hikaa Kyarr Maha Bulbul Soba Amphan