Many people are fascinated with the names that some hurricanes possess, which is a method used to identify storms and better track their actions as they travel across the ocean. Unbeknownst to many , more than one hurricane can occur at the same time. If you fail to name the storms, confusion could occur. In this article, you will learn more information about the naming of hurricanes and which names will never be used again.
In the past, hurricanes in the West Indies were named after saints associated with the day that the hurricane originated. The trend of giving female names to tropical storms was the brainchild of an Australian meteorologist, which started before the end of the 19th century. It took until 1953 for the US National Weather Service to use female names for their storm when they track hurricanes, as well as issue warnings and storm watches.
In 1979, the names of both women and men were used for the naming of hurricanes. The names were gathered using each letter of the alphabet with the exception of Q, U, and Z. When it came to Atlantic Ocean hurricanes , the names showcased Spanish, French, and English names since these were the major languages that bordered the Atlantic Ocean.
It is the duty of the World Meteorological Organization to decide which names are used for new hurricanes. There are six lists that are used in rotation, where the same lists are reused after six years have passed. However, if a particular hurricane is rather deadly or costs a lot in damages , they will receive a new name. That name is later retired and a new one is selected.
In case you were wondering , a hurricane that is large and destructive has its name retired. It will never be used again. So far, Agnes, Alicia, Allen, Andrew, Anita, Audrey, Bob, Betsy, Camille, Cleo, Celia, Carla, Carmen, Cesar, Connie, David, Diana, Donna, Elena, Fran, George, Hortense, Gloria, Gilbert, Joan, Janet, Louis, Marilyn, Mitch, Roxanne, and Opal.
A hurricane season is the part of a year when chances are high that a hurricane will take place. In the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane season is seen from June 1st to November 30th. In the Eastern Pacific basin, hurricane season runs from May 15th to November 30th. In the Central Pacific basin, hurricane season is observed from June 1st to November 30th.
There have been about 25 truly deadly hurricanes and the state of Maine has been the victim of four of them. The state has seen the destruction of the Hurricane of 1938 (ranked 4th); the 1944 Hurricane (ranked 7th); Hurricane Carol (ranked 19th); and Hurricane Donna (ranked 21st). However, the deadliest hurricane in Maine took place in 1869, where 11 people lost their lives in a wreck of the Helen Eliza in Portland Harbor.
Have you ever turned on the news and encountered a Tropical Storm Watch? This means that a tropical storm has shown the potential danger to become greater, as it is only 48 hours away from making contact with land.