Who decides storm names?
Question from Reese Fields
In the UK, members of the public can suggest storm names to the Met Office and Met Éireann. They then compile a list of 21 names beginning with each letter of the alphabet, excluding Q, U, X, Y and Z, and assign them to storms in alphabetical order, alternating between girls and boys names. For tropical storms such as hurricanes, the World Meteorological Organisation compiles its own list of names for each storm season and repeats them every six years.
Answered by Jo Stass for Brain Dump in How It Works issue 101.
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