As Hurricane Melissa barrels towards Jamaica as a powerful Category 4 storm, questions often arise about how these tempests get their names.
From Alberto to William, each hurricane name follows a carefully designed global system, one built not just for order, but to save lives, prevent confusion, and communicate clearly in times of crisis.
Why hurricanes are named
The naming of hurricanes serves a vital purpose: it helps meteorologists communicate more effectively with the public. Giving storms official names makes warnings clearer, reduces confusion, and allows authorities to issue faster, more precise updates. The practice began in various parts of the world during the mid-20th century and gained prominence during World War II, when military meteorologists found that naming storms made them easier to track and report.
How hurricane names are chosen
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) manages six alphabetical lists of hurricane names, reused every six years. Each list begins anew on 1 June, marking the start of the Atlantic hurricane season.
For example, this year’s list began with Alberto and will conclude with William, names that will reappear in 2030, unless any are retired due to severe impact. Melissa, the current storm threatening Jamaica and parts of Cuba, is one of the names from this year’s rotation.
A look back at history
Before the modern system came into effect, storms were named more arbitrarily. They were sometimes referred to by the ships they struck, religious feast days, or the regions they devastated, such as the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900. Over time, meteorologists recognised the need for a consistent, international naming system that would make cross-border communication easier during emergencies.
When a storm gets its name
A developing cyclone is officially given a name when its sustained winds reach 63 kilometres per hour, upgrading it to tropical storm status. When winds intensify to about 120 kilometres per hour, it becomes a hurricane. Assigning a name early in the process helps meteorologists and disaster agencies coordinate warnings and track the storm’s evolution as is now the case with Hurricane Melissa.
Male, female, and retired names
Today’s naming lists alternate between male and female names for balance and clarity. However, not all names are reused. If a hurricane causes catastrophic loss of life or destruction, its name is retired permanently to honour victims and prevent confusion in future forecasts. The World Meteorological Organisation makes such decisions collectively, ensuring cultural sensitivity following major disasters.
A global system built for clarity
What began as a practical wartime measure has become an essential global communication tool. Naming hurricanes, such as Melissa, now menacing Jamaica is not merely a formality. It is a system grounded in science, history, and humanity, designed to ensure that critical information reaches people quickly and clearly when every second counts.
The U.S. military said it completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran, a two-hour operation that hit dozens of targets. Washington described the stri...
The Chinese fast-fashion brand Shein made its way onto Paris racks at one of the most iconic department stores, BHV....
What began as a fight against a resort project in Albania has turned into a rallying cry against the government....
French DJ and electropop musician Kavinsky, whose atmospheric sound shaped a generation of electronic music fans, has died at the age of 50, French authorities said on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia said its overnight strikes on Iran-backed group targets in Iraq were carried out in self-defence and warned it would take further military action if the groups launched new attacks against the kingdom.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
Moscow should stop linking Russia-Armenia relations to Azerbaijan, Baku's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has said, after Russia again raised the Collective Security Treaty Organisation's role during the former Garabagh conflict.
A fire involving two gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port has prompted conflicting reports over whether the incident was caused by a drone strike or an onboard technical fault. Egyptian authorities said there were no casualties.
An impending "super" El Niño is likely to inflict a combined $10 billion to $20 billion hit on affected African countries and trigger mass migration from hard-hit areas, the African Development Bank's (AfDB) top climate expert said.
Brazil has banned the production and sale of foie gras, the French delicacy made from fattened duck or goose liver. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed a law late Thursday aimed at ending force-feeding in the country's foie gras industry and stopping imports.
At least 82 people have died after heavy rain triggered devastating floods across northeastern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan this week, with widespread damage to homes, farmland and infrastructure.
Communities in Spain's northwestern Galicia region are bringing back native livestock, including the hardy Cachena breed, to help reduce the risk of devastating wildfires while restoring ecosystems.
Spanish military firefighters worked through the night into Sunday to contain the La Mierla wildfire, which continued to spread across Guadalajara province in central Spain.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment