A Fact A Day # 2

This fact is all on Naming the Hurricanes. Hurricanes are cyclones that occur in the Americas or their neighbouring islands. We have heard hurricanes like Isabel, Katrina, Gustav e.t.c. Here are 5 steps to name a hurricane:

1. The storms are named by the U.S National Hurricane Center. There are 6 lists of names and one is used every year. On completion of the sixth list, the naming start from the first list and the cycle continues for 6 years.

2. In the case of North Atlantic Storms, the letters Q,U,X,Y,Z are not used because there are a few proper names starting with these letters.

3. Each list contains 21 names for North Atlantic Storms and 24 names for North Eastern Pacific storms. The odd numbered lists (1,3,5) are masculine names and even numbered (2,4,6) are feminine names.

4. In case the list in exhausted in a particular year, then the succeeding storms are named as letters from the Greek Alphabet.

5. If a storm causes extensive damage, then the name is retired for the next 10 years so as to facilitate historical references and avoid public confusion.