Does the storm name matter if it kills you?
Here we are just two months into the six-month hurricane season and we've already racked up seven named storms. This before reaching August and September, historically the two most active hurricane months.
But if the press reports are to be believed, the real problem facing the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami is: What are we going to call storms if we run out of designated names?
You see, this season is projected to be the most active for cyclonic storms since 1933, because data and timeline extrapolation indicates that we could conceivably experience 22 named storms before the end of the season on November 30. It seems that the NHC is flustered because of this news -- they only have 21 names reserved for storms. That's right. They don't use names that begin with Q, U, X, Y, or Z. This makes me wonder if folks with names like Quentin, Ulysses, Xander, Yolanda, or Zoe have developed inferiority complexes.
But seriously, folks. Is this all the NHC brain surgeons have to worry about? Do you think they might spend more time on, oh I don't know...perfecting their strike probability models? Now mind you, I know director Max Mayfield and some of the NHC staff, and must say they perform their difficult mission professionally and with a high degree of dedication. But enough with the daily headlines about what we are going to call these storms.
In all probability, the NHC will augment their name bank with reserve names based on the Greek alphabet...you know, Tropical Storm Alpha, Hurricane Beta, etc. As a front line emergency management professional, however, I don't really care what we call them as long as the NHC continues to enhance its preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts in support of local governments.
I mean, does it really matter what name you call the dog that bites you? You still get bitten.