All You Ever Wondered About Hurricanes and Their Names

The track of every Atlantic tropical cyclone from 1851 to 2012.

So far, with Hurricane Katia sitting in the Gulf, this Atlantic hurricane season has had 11 named storms.

All around the world, depending upon where they occur, the storm systems called tropical cyclones are named and classed: A hurricane is a storm that occurs in the Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Pacific Ocean, a typhoon occurs in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, and a cyclone occurs in the south Pacific or Indian Ocean. What they have in common are winds rotating around a low-pressure system, which creates storms and rain. Cyclones in the northern hemisphere rotate counterclockwise and in the southern hemisphere they rotate clockwise– don’t confuse the direction of rotations with anti-cyclones, which are winds that rotates one direction or another around a high-pressure system and are associated with clear skies.

In the Atlantic Hurricane Season, from June 1 to November 30, storms are watched and named by the National Hurricane Center.  An average of 10.1 named storms occur each season, with an average of 5.9 becoming hurricanes and 2.5 becoming major hurricanes (Category 3 or greater). The most active season was 2005, during which 28 tropical cyclones formed, of which a record 15 became hurricanes. The least active season was 1914, with only one known tropical storm. To be classified as a hurricane, a tropical cyclone must have maximum sustained winds of at least 74 mph (Category 1). The highest classification in the scale, Category 5, contains storms with sustained winds exceeding 156 mph.

The Atlantic season peaks sharply from late August through September, according to the National Hurricane Center. The season’s peak of activity occurs around September 10 each season. So, on the one hand, the peak is almost here. On the other, with 11 named storms so far 2017 has passed the average for a whole season with all-but three full months left. Six of those storms became hurricanes.

What’s in a name?

The practice of using names to identify tropical cyclones goes back several centuries, with storms named after places, saints or things they hit before the formal start of naming in each basin. Examples of such names are the 1911 Ship Cyclone, the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane and the 1938 New England hurricane. The credit for the first usage of personal names for weather systems is given to the Queensland Government Meteorologist Clement Wragge, who named tropical cyclones between 1887 and 1907. However, his system fell into disuse when he retired until being revived then systematized, standardized and formalized after World War II.

In the north Atlantic the NHC names storms, and it uses six lists of names which rotate every six years and begin with the first letters A—W, skipping Q and U, and alternating between male and female names. Especially historic, damaging or significant storms’ names, however, are not reused.

Names

2017
Arlene Bret Cindy Don Emily
Franklin Gert Harvey Irma
Jose Katia Lee Maria
Nate Ophelia Philippe Rina
Sean Tammy Vince Whitney
2018
Alberto Beryl Chris Debby Ernesto
Florence Gordon Helene Isaac
Joyce Kirk Leslie Michael
Nadine Oscar Patty Rafael
Sara Tony Valerie William
2019
Andrea Barry Chantal Dorian Erin
Fernand Gabrielle Humberto Imelda
Jerry Karen Lorenzo Melissa
Nestor Olga Pablo Rebekah
Sebastien Tanya Van Wendy
2020
Arthur Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard
Fay Gonzalo Hanna Isaias
Josephine Kyle Laura Marco
Nana Omar Paulette Rene
Sally Teddy Vicky Wilfred
2021
Ana Bill Claudette Danny Elsa
Fred Grace Henri Ida
Julian Kate Larry Mindy
Nicholas Odette Peter Rose
Sam Teresa Victor Wanda
2022
Alex Bonnie Colin Danielle Earl
Fiona Gaston Hermine Ian
Julia Karl Lisa Martin
Nicole Owen Paula Richard
Shary Tobias Virginie Walter