How are cyclones named?

How are cyclones named?
How are cyclones named?
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Monalisa Das | The News Minute | October 9, 2014 | 03:35 pm IST Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are buckling up to face a cyclone, which is expected to hit the states this week, and preparations are in full gear to meet the situation. According to reports, the India Meteorological Department (MeT) on Thursday said that the atmosphere and sea conditions were favourable to the genesis of cyclone, and the intensified severe cyclonic storm is likely to hit both the states soon. The cyclone that is headed towards Andhra Pradesh and Odisha is called 'Hudhud'. The name, set after an Afro-Eurasian bird, was suggested by Oman which was the next country in line to name a cyclone. Cyclones are named for quicker identification- it is likely that cyclone Hudhud would be easier to recall than the storm’s numbers or latitude and longitude. Also with several storms occurring across the world, it is easier to remember and refer to them by names. The naming of cyclones are done following strict procedures. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) states, “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.”( People wade through knee deep water in Jajpur an Odisha village which was hit by cyclone Phalin, on Oct.17, 2013. )The MeT, one of the six Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers of the World Meteorological Organization, works towards forecasting and issuing warnings for tropical cyclones in the Northern Indian Ocean region. The MeT provides such weather based advisories to the countries of Bangladesh, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Thailand and Sri Lanka besides India. These member countries also suggest names for the tropical cyclones, which are listed in an alphabetical order of the names of the member countries, states a report by Rediff. And this time, it was Oman’s turn to give a name to the brewing cyclone about to hit India’s coasts. ( A Durga Puja pandal that collapsed due to strong winds as cyclone Phalin hit the east coast of India last evening lies at road side in Kolkata on Oct. 13, 2013. )Nilofar by Pakistan and Priya by Sri Lanka are the names of the next two cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean region.  Tropical cyclone/hurricane names are usually selected keeping in mind the familiarity of the word to the people in the region. This helps while spreading awareness during a storm in a particular area and disaster management.Interestingly, hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are all the same weather phenomenon, the only difference being the location where the storm occurs. The term 'hurricane' is used in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, 'typhoon' in the Northwest Pacific and 'cyclones' in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

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