Introduction to Hurricane Season
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has begun, and with it comes a list of 21 potential storm names. These names, which alternate between male and female, are decided six years in advance by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization. The list for 2025 includes names such as Andrea, Barry, Chantal, and Dexter, among others.
Understanding the Naming Convention
There are 26 letters in the alphabet, but only 21 are used for naming tropical storms and hurricanes. The letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used, and the names are recycled every six years if they are not retired due to the severity of the storm. This year’s list starts with a female name, and next year’s list will begin with a male name.
Retired Storm Names
The World Meteorological Organization retires storm names that cause significant death and destruction. For example, the names Beryl, Helene, and Milton were retired this year due to the damage they caused in 2024. They will be replaced by Brianna, Holly, and Miguel in 2030. Other retired storm names over the last decade include Fiona, Ian, Ida, Laura, Eta, Iota, Florence, Michael, Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate.
Supplemental List of Names
If there are more than 21 named storms in a year, a supplemental list of names is used. This list, which was introduced in 2021, includes names such as Adria, Braylen, Caridad, and Deshawn. Before 2021, storms that exceeded the initial 21 names were given letters from the Greek alphabet, such as Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.
History of Storm Naming
The National Hurricane Center began naming storms in 1963. Since then, the naming convention has undergone several changes, including the introduction of the supplemental list of names. The use of Greek alphabet letters was deemed potentially confusing and dangerous, leading to the development of the new naming system.
Storm Names for 2025
The names for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season are:
Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van, and Wendy.
Some of these names may seem familiar, as they have been used in previous years. For example, Andrea was used in 2019, 2013, and 2007.
Conclusion
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has begun, and it’s essential to be aware of the potential storm names. The World Meteorological Organization’s naming convention helps to identify and track storms, providing critical information for emergency preparedness and response. By understanding the naming convention and the list of storm names for 2025, individuals can better prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.
FAQs
Q: Why are some letters of the alphabet not used for naming storms?
A: The letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used because they are not common in many languages, and it can be difficult to find suitable names that start with these letters.
Q: How are storm names retired?
A: Storm names are retired by the World Meteorological Organization if they cause significant death and destruction.
Q: What happens if there are more than 21 named storms in a year?
A: If there are more than 21 named storms, a supplemental list of names is used.
Q: When did the National Hurricane Center start naming storms?
A: The National Hurricane Center began naming storms in 1963.
Originally Published: June 3, 2025 at 1:05 PM EDT
