Why Are Hurricanes Named After People?

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

Hurricane Irma reached category 5, the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale that measures the intensity of these meteorological phenomena.

It hit the small Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, in addition to Puerto Rico.

Florida Governor Rick Scott said the storm could devastate the state. "He is bigger, stronger and faster than Andrew," he said, referring to the hurricane that wrecked South Florida twenty-five years ago.

Irma's eruption came days after Hurricane Harvey passed through Texas, leaving at least 60 dead and some skippers for other regions of the world. The list is updated annually by the World Meteorological Organization which is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

According to the BBC, using proper names instead of numbers or technical terms avoids confusion and, in turn, makes it easier for alerts to be disclosed.

Thus, each year hurricanes are organized in alphabetical order, alternating female and male names. The letters Q, U, X, Y and Z cannot be used. The names of each hurricane are different depending on the region and the name lists, which are made in English, French and Spanish, and are recycled every six years.

For example, the list of names they used in 2010 may be used again this year. Of course, the names of the storms that have generated great devastation are removed so that they are no longer used.

So far this year six hurricanes have passed through the Atlantic: Frankly, Gert, Harvey, Irma, Katia and José.