Cyclone Nivar has crossed the Bay of Bengal coast between Chennai and Puducherry coasts. The Metrology Department warned that winds can be as strong as 120 to 130 km per hour and it is also expected to trigger heavy rainfall in some parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Cyclone Nivar: How Cyclones are named
How did a cyclone get its name?
In 2000, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) agreed to give names to the tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea in a systematic manner.
The naming of the tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean commenced from September 2004, with names provided by eight Members, i.e., Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand and later, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen also joined the panel in 2018.
All these 13 members suggested 13 names each. That is a total of 169 names.
In the new list, India has suggested names like Tej, Murasu, Probaho, Vyom, Jhar, Aag, Neer, Prabhanjan, Ghurni, Ambud, Jaladhi and Vega.
In general, tropical cyclones are named according to the rules at the regional level.
In the North Indian Ocean basin, the names are listed alphabetically country wise and are neutral gender-wise.
Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMC), i.e. Indian Metrological Department, names cyclones from the lists of names in the basin.
If a cyclone is particularly deadly or costly, then its name is retired (removed) and replaced by another one.
That’s how the cyclone Nivar got its name according to the procedure mentioned above.
Several names were suggested for this cyclone like Nisarga was listed by Bangladesh while India's suggestion was Gati. However, eventually, the name Nivar or Nivara was finally chosen from Iran's list.
Why cyclones are named
Earlier cyclones were identified by using latitude-longitude numbers. The method was subjected to errors and often leads to confusion. Hence later the WMO decided to start giving short, distinctive names to the cyclones.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) guidelines, it is obligatory for countries to name cyclones in their regions.
The naming of a Cyclone:
Helps swift identification of storms in warning messages
Eases exchanging detailed storm information between widely scattered stations, coastal bases, and ships at sea.
Makes far easier to remember than numbers
Makes easier for the media to report on tropical cyclones, increases interest in warnings and community preparedness.
Makes easier for the government to identify the cyclone and create awareness regarding it.
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