BELHYDROMET

In the lowest layer of the atmosphere, the troposphere, atmospheric vortices are continuously born, develop, and disappear. Some are so small they escape our notice, while others are so large-scale that they significantly influence the Earth's climate and cannot be ignored (this primarily applies to cyclones and anticyclones). Cyclones are areas of low pressure in the Earth's atmosphere. A frequent companion of a cyclone is strong, gusty wind, arising from the difference in atmospheric pressure between the cyclone's center and its periphery.

Cyclones (from the Greek for "coil of a snake") are enormous vortices, up to several thousand kilometers in diameter. They form in temperate and polar latitudes when warm air masses from the equator collide with cold flows from the Arctic (Antarctica), creating an atmospheric front.

So, why are cyclones given names? To avoid confusion when warning the population about approaching typhoons and hurricanes in tropical latitudes. Several cyclones can exist simultaneously in one region, so it is necessary to distinguish between them. A name attracts attention and increases vigilance.

The first attempts to name hurricanes were made in the 19th century in the Caribbean Sea, naming them after saints on whose feast day the disaster struck. In the early 20th century, Australian meteorologist Clement Wragge named them after mythical heroes, and then after parliamentarians who refused to vote for credits for meteorological research.

During World War II, American military meteorologists in the Pacific region named typhoons after their wives and girlfriends. After the war, alphabetical lists of female names were compiled, and in 1979, the WMO expanded the lists to include male names. Names are used on a rotating basis, but if a typhoon is particularly destructive, its name is retired from the list.

Europeans adopted this practice, and now one can even become the "godparent" of a cyclone or anticyclone for a fee. The copyright for this belongs to the Department of Meteorology at the Free University of Berlin. For a certain sum, one can become the "godparent" of a particular atmospheric vortex. Over time, the practice of assigning names became a standard procedure in world meteorology. Each region uses its own lists of names, developed by the WMO. In Japan, hurricanes are named after animals, flowers, trees, and foods, to avoid associating destructive typhoons with gentle female names. Tropical storms in the Indian Ocean often remain nameless.

Prepared based on materials from the staff of the "Vitebskoblhydromet" branch.

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