La squall 'Ana' It has been the first to receive a proper name, something that has not left anyone indifferent. The truth is that we will have no choice but to get used to it, just as the Americans and Asians did when it was decided to name hurricanes / typhoons.
But Why do storms now have names?
What is a squall?
A squall It is a cyclone that passes between 30 and 60º latitude. It is a low-pressure system where the wind rotates counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, and they often produce strong winds and flooding. To better understand this meteorological phenomenon, it is useful to know how a storm forms, a process that involves various atmospheric factors. You can learn more about this concept by reading about how a storm forms.
Those storms that will have a name will be those that can produce a major impact on property and people, but they will not necessarily undergo a process of explosive cyclogenesis. To learn more about how storms impact, you can consult this article on Storms Gerard and Fien.
Why do storms have names?
The answer is the same as why hurricanes have their own: to prevent further damageDeep storms like Ana cause significant property losses and also put lives at risk, so it's important to take action before they arrive. To improve the communication of safety alerts, it's essential that the storm be given a name, as every second counts. If you'd like to learn more about how and who chooses storm names, you can read this article, which can be found at this link: How and who chooses the names of storms?.
This decision has been taken by mutual agreement by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), MétéoFrance (France) and IMPA (Portugal). As of December 1, 2017 all deep storms will be called by a proper name. Thus, these three countries are the most recent, after the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany, to have chosen to use this system.
But not all storms will be baptized, only the Atlantic ones and »only when conditions are foreseen that give rise to the issuance of wind warnings of orange or red level associated with said drop in one of the three countries». For example, in Spain, wind gusts must exceed 90km / h. In the case of Mediterranean storms, a similar strategy is expected in the future.
So, according to the agreement, the meteorological service that gives the first orange or red level warning will give you the name following the pre-established order, which is the following: Ana, Bruno, Carmen, Emma, Felix, Gisele, Hugo, Irene, José, Katia, Leo, Marina, Nuno, Olivia, Pierre, Rosa, Samuel, Telma, Vasco, Wiam.
Except for those post-tropical or extra-tropical cyclones that have already received a name from the CNH or the National Hurricane Center based in Miami, these will be the names that will be used. Why? Because people also pay more attention to meteorological phenomena that bear a name, so that is a way to prevent problems caused by the cyclone.
For more information, Click here.
