Cyclone Dana struck the coastal state of Odisha in eastern India on Thursday night, with sustained winds reaching up to 110 km/h (68 mph), the India Meteorological Department reported. It is anticipated that gusts may intensify to around 121 km/h (75 mph).

Authorities in Odisha and West Bengal scrambled overnight, evacuating hundreds of thousands of people from vulnerable coastal areas as trees were felled and buildings destroyed.

Mukesh Mahaling, Odisha’s health minister, informed AFP that “close to a million individuals from coastal regions are being evacuated to cyclone shelters.” Meanwhile, neighboring West Bengal saw more than 100,000 people evacuated starting Thursday, said government minister Bankim Chandra Hazra.

The tradition of naming cyclones and hurricanes – even though they often bring destruction – is deeply rooted, tracing back to the 1500s. However, our ability to accurately predict these storms is much more recent, coming into prominence with the success of modern forecasts starting in 1950.

With about a month left before the Atlantic hurricane season ends, meteorologists raise warnings that climate change is intensifying storms. As global temperatures rise, so do ocean temperatures, driving more severe storms.

The United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted that the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season will likely be “above-normal” with a 90 percent chance of increased storm activity.

For a full list of proposed names between now and 2027, you can visit the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) site. Some names include Gaston, Lorenzo, Patty, and Idalia. Recently, Tropical Storm Oscar made landfall in eastern Cuba as it tracked toward the Bahamas.

Earlier in the month, Florida experienced the wrath of Hurricane Milton, which left more than three million people without power.

So, how exactly did we come to name these storms?

Why did we begin naming storms and hurricanes?

While the formal cataloging of storm names by the US National Hurricane Center began in the early 1950s – with Hurricane Alice in 1953 – the informal naming tradition dates back as far as the 1500s.

Historically, many storms were named after Catholic saints. For instance, Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane San Francisco on July 26, 1526, and California faced Hurricane San Mateo in 1565. San Mateo derived its name from the Feast of St. Matthew, though the individuals responsible for the names remain unknown.

Even as late as the late 19th century, cyclones carried the names of saints, such as Hurricane San Ciriaco, which devastated Puerto Rico in 1899, becoming one of the most destructive storms of all time, as noted by the US Library of Congress.

In the late 1800s, Australian meteorologist Clement Wragge pioneered the practice of naming storms after women during his tenure at Queensland’s meteorology office. Some accounts suggest Wragge took further liberties by naming storms after mythical figures or politicians he disliked.

Some notable names included military commanders like Xerxes of Persia or Hannibal of Carthage, or names from biblical lands like Ramoth and Teman.

In 1953, the US National Weather Service adopted the practice of exclusively using female names for naming storms, starting with Tropical Storm Alice. The origin and reasoning behind that specific choice remain unclear.

This strategy wasn’t without controversy. Many women’s groups criticized the idea, and by 1979, male names joined the list. Activists like Roxcy Bolton argued, “Women strongly object to their names being unfairly associated with disaster.” Accordingly, 1979 saw the first male-named storm, Bob, though, again, the name’s source is unknown.

How are storm names decided?

For a storm to receive a name, its sustained winds must reach at least 64 km/h (40 mph).

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), based in Geneva, Switzerland, and composed of 193 member states and territories, has managed storm naming since 1953.

The WMO rotates six lists of names, incorporating English, Spanish, and French entries due to these languages’ prominence across the Atlantic Basin, which includes the North Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. This basin measures about 106 million square kilometers (41 million square miles).

Names are often chosen to reflect the native languages in areas most affected by hurricanes, aiding local populations in quickly recognizing storm names using their primary language.

Each list contains 21 names arranged alphabetically, excluding the letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z, as names with corresponding initials are harder to find.

A WMO committee selects names, with simplicity and ease of pronunciation being the primary deciding factors for inclusion.

Why do we name storms?

Naming storms serves to enhance public awareness by clarifying storm movements, expected landfall times, and the dangers they pose.

According to NOAA, “The use of short, easy-to-remember names in conversations and writings accelerates communication and reduces confusion when multiple tropical storms unfold simultaneously.”

If a storm causes exceptional destruction, its name can be permanently retired from future use. As of March 2023, The Weather Channel in the US reports that 96 storm names have been retired. Catastrophic storms like Katrina (which ravaged New Orleans, killing nearly 1,400 people in 2005) and Harvey (which impacted southern Texas in 2017, claiming more than 100 lives) exemplify this practice.

Do other countries name storms?

Absolutely. Since 2015, the UK has implemented its own system for naming storms, jointly managed by the UK Met Office and Ireland’s Met Eireann. The first storm named in the UK was Abigail, on November 10, 2015.

Unlike in the US, the UK program allows the public to propose names. “Babet” is an example of a name chosen from public submissions and used during the 2023-24 storm season.

Additionally, countries such as Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands also participate in storm naming.

How are storms predicted?

Storm forecasting has matured significantly in the past century.

At the start of the 20th century, meteorologists relied on basic observational tools, including barometers for gauging air pressure and anemometers for measuring wind speed and direction. The telegraph – the early equivalent of the internet – was essential for sharing weather data.

Today’s advanced technology allows meteorologists to track tropical storms almost instantly using high-powered weather satellites. These satellites deliver detailed, real-time images showing storm formations and trajectories, providing critical early warnings.

Doppler radar, a specialized radar system, transmits electromagnetic energy waves to detect precipitation levels and types, including snow, rain, and hail. It provides data on location, movement, and droplet size.

Furthermore, specialized aircraft known as Hurricane Hunters fly into storms, collecting crucial information on wind speed, pressure, temperature, and humidity directly from the storm’s core.