New list of names of tropical cyclones over north Indian Ocean

New Delhi: Worldwide there are six regional specialised meteorological centres (RSMCs) and five regionalTropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) mandated for issuing advisories and naming of tropical cyclones.India Meteorological Department is one of the six RSMCs to provide tropical cyclone and storm surge advisories to 13 member countries under WMO/ESCAP Panel including Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.RSMC, New Delhi is also mandated to name the Tropical Cyclones developing over the north Indian Ocean (NIO) including the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and the Arabian Sea (AS).

Naming of Tropical Cyclones helps thescientific community, disaster managers, media and general masses to

identify each individual cyclone.
create awareness of its development.
remove confusion in case of simultaneous occurrence of TCs over a region
remember a TC easily
rapidly and effectively disseminate warnings to much wider audience

Therefore, the tropical cyclones forming over different Ocean basins are named by the concerned RSMCs & TCWCs. For north Indian Ocean including Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, the RSMC, New Delhi assigns the name to tropical cyclones following a standard procedure. The WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) at its twenty-seventh Session held in 2000 in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman agreed in principle to assign names to the tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. After long deliberations among the member countries, the naming of the tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean commenced from September 2004. This list contained names proposed by then eight member countries of WMO/ESCAP PTC, viz., Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Almost all names except the last name (Amphan) from this list have been utilised till date.

During WMO/ESCAP PTC 45th Session held at Muscat, Oman in September, 2018 it was decided to prepare a fresh list of names of tropical cyclones including representation from five new member countries, viz., Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen (Total 13 member countries). The WMO/ESCAP PTC in this session nominated Dr.Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, India Meteorological Department to act as Rapporteur to co-ordinate among the Panel member countries and to finalise the list of names following the standard procedure and suggest the implementation plan. The report of the rapporteur was initially presented by India during 46th Session of WMO/ESCAP PTC held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar during 09-13, Sept., 2019. After deliberations, the report was finally adopted by WMO/ESCAP PTC with consensus in April, 2020.

Following criteria were adopted for selection of names by the PTC member countries:

The proposed name should be neutral to (a) politics and political figures (b) religious believes, (c) cultures and (d) gender
Name should be chosen in such a way that it does not hurt the sentiments of any group of population over the globe
It should not be very rude and cruel in nature
It should be short, easy to pronounce and should not be offensive to any member
The maximum length of the name will be eight letters
The proposed name should be provided alongwith its pronunciation and voice over
The Panel reserves the right to reject any name, if any of the criteria above is not satisfied.
The finalised names may also be reviewed during the course of time of implementation with the approval of PTC in its annual session, in case any reasonable objection is raised by any member
The names of tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean will not be repeated.Once used, it will cease to be used again. Thus, the name should be new. It should not be there in the already existing list of any of the RSMCs worldwide including RSMC, New Delhi.

Accordingly, the new list of names finalised by WMO/ESCAP PTC is given in Annexure-I. The list of names adopted earlier in 2004 is given Annexure-II. The current list has a total of 169 names including 13 names each from 13 WMO/ESCAP member countries. The names suggested by general public in India from time to time, were duly considered by the Committee constituted by IMD for finalisation of names from India and the appropriate names were selected for inclusion in this list of names proposed from India (Annexure I).

Following criteria have been adopted for implementation of the list of names:

RSMC, New Delhi will be responsible to name tropical cyclonesforming over the North Indian Ocean including Bay of Bengal & the Arabian Sea when they have been diagnosed with maximum sustainedsurface windspeed of 34 knots (62 kmph) or more as per Section 2.2.2.6.1 of Global Data Processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS) Manual 2017 edition (WMO No. 485).
The name of a TC from South China Sea which crosses Thailand and emerge into the Bay of Bengal as a tropical cyclone will not be changed.
Panel Members’ names will be listed alphabetically country-wise.
The names will be used sequentially, column-wise.
The first name will start from the first row of column 1 and will continue sequentially to the last row in column 13 of Table 1 (Annexure-I).

India Meteorological Department duly acknowledges contribution from WMO, ESCAP and all the 13 PTC member countries, viz., Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen in preparation of the new list of names of TCs developing over the NIO.

For details kindly visit www.rsmcnewdelhi.imd.gov.in

New list of tropical cyclone names adopted by WMO/ESCAP Panel Member Countries in April 2020 for naming of tropical cyclones over North Indian Ocean including Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea

(To be used after the name ‘Amphan’ from the previous list is utilised)

 

WMO/ESCAP Panel  Member countries Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4
Name Pron’ Name Pron’ Name Pron’ Name Pron’
Bangladesh Nisarga Nisarga Biparjoy Biporjoy Arnab Ornab Upakul Upokul
India Gati Gati Tej Tej Murasu Murasu Aag Aag
Iran Nivar Nivar Hamoon Hamoon Akvan Akvan Sepand Sepand
Maldives Burevi Burevi Midhili Midhili Kaani Kaani Odi Odi
Myanmar Tauktae Tau’Te Michaung Migjaum Ngamann Ngaman Kyarthit Kjathi
Oman Yaas Yass Remal Re-Mal Sail Sail Naseem Naseem
Pakistan Gulab Gul-Aab Asna As-Na Sahab Sa-Hab Afshan Af-Shan
Qatar Shaheen Shaheen Dana Dana Lulu Lulu Mouj Mouj
Saudi Arabia Jawad Jowad Fengal Feinjal Ghazeer Razeer Asif Aasif
Sri Lanka Asani Asani Shakhti Shakhti Gigum Gigum Gagana Gagana
Thailand Sitrang Si-Trang Montha Mon-Tha Thianyot Thian-Yot Bulan Bu-Lan
United Arab Emirates Mandous Man-Dous Senyar  Sen-Yaar Afoor Aa-Foor Nahhaam Nah-Haam
Yemen Mocha Mokha Ditwah Ditwah Diksam Diksam Sira Sira

 

 

WMO/ESCAP Panel  Member countries Column 5 Column 6 Column 7 Column 8
Name Pron’ Name Pron’ Name Pron’ Name Pron’
Bangladesh Barshon Borshon Rajani Rojoni Nishith Nishith Urmi Urmi
India Vyom Vyom Jhar Jhor Probaho Probaho Neer Neer
Iran Booran Booran Anahita Anahita Azar Azar Pooyan Pooyan
Maldives Kenau Kenau Endheri Endheri Riyau Riyau Guruva Guruva
Myanmar Sapakyee Zabagji Wetwun We’wum Mwaihout Mwei’hau Kywe Kjwe
Oman Muzn Muzn Sadeem Sadeem Dima Dima Manjour Manjour
Pakistan Manahil Ma-Na-Hil Shujana Shu-Ja-Na Parwaz Par-Waaz Zannata Zan Naa Ta
Qatar Suhail Es’hail Sadaf Sadaf Reem Reem Rayhan Rayhan
Saudi Arabia Sidrah Sadrah Hareed Haareed Faid Faid Kaseer Kusaer
Sri Lanka Verambha Ve-Ram-Bha Garjana Garjana Neeba Neeba Ninnada Nin-Na-Da
Thailand Phutala Phu-Ta-La Aiyara Ai-Ya-Ra Saming Sa-Ming Kraison Krai-Son
United Arab Emirates Quffal Quf-Faal Daaman Daa-Man Deem Deem Gargoor Gar-Goor
Yemen Bakhur Bakhoor Ghwyzi Ghwayzi Hawf Hawf Balhaf Balhaf

 

 

WMO/ESCAP Panel  Member countries Column 9 Column 10 Column 11 Column 12 Column 13
Name Pron’ Name Pron’ Name Pron’ Name Pron’ Name Pron’
Bangladesh Meghala Meghla Samiron Somiron Pratikul Protikul Sarobor Sorobor Mahanisha Mohanisha
India Prabhanjan Prabhanjan Ghurni Ghurni Ambud Ambud Jaladhi Jaladhi Vega Vega
Iran Arsham Arsham Hengame Hengame Savas Savas Tahamtan Tahamtan Toofan Toofan
Maldives Kurangi Kurangi Kuredhi Kuredhi Horangu Horangu Thundi Thundi Faana Faana
Myanmar Pinku Pinnku Yinkaung JinGaun Linyone Lin Joun Kyeekan Kji Gan Bautphat Bau’hpa
Oman Rukam Roukaam Watad Wa Tad Al-jarz Al-Jarouz Rabab Ra Bab Raad Raad
Pakistan Sarsar Sar-Sar Badban Baad-Baan Sarrab Sarrab Gulnar Gul-Nar Waseq Waa-Seq
Qatar Anbar Anbar Oud Oud Bahar Bahar Seef Seef Fanar Fanaar
Saudi Arabia Nakheel Nakheel Haboob Haboob Bareq Bariq Alreem Areem Wabil Wobil
Sri Lanka Viduli Viduli Ogha Ogha Salitha Salitha Rivi Rivi Rudu Rudu
Thailand Matcha Mat-Cha Mahingsa Ma-Hing-Sa Phraewa Phrae-Wa Asuri A-Su-Ri Thara Tha-Ra
United Arab Emirates Khubb Khubb Degl Degl Athmad Ath-Md Boom Boom Saffar Saf-Faar
Yemen Brom Brom Shuqra Shuqrah Fartak Fartak Darsah Darsah Samhah Samhah

Note:

  1. Panel Members name are listed alphabetically country wise
  2. The names will be used sequentially column-wise
  3. The first name will start from the first row of column one and continue sequentially to the last row in the column thirteen
  4. Table will be used only once

 

Annexure-II

 

List of tropical cyclone names adopted by WMO/ESCAP Panel Member Countries in September, 2004

WMO/ESCAP Panel  Member countries Column one Column two Column three Column four
Names Pron’ Names Pron’ Names Pron’ Names Pron’

Bangladesh

Onil Onil Ogni Og-ni Nisha Ni-sha Giri Gi-ri
India Agni Ag’ni Akash Aakaa’sh Bijli Bij’li Jal Jal
Maldives Hibaru Gonu Aila Keila
Myanmar Pyarr Pyarr Yemyin Ye-myin Phyan Phyan Thane Thane
Oman Baaz Ba-az Sidr Sidr’ Ward War’d Murjan
Mur’jaan
Pakistan Fanoos Fanoos Nargis Nar gis Laila Lai la Nilam Ni lam
Sri Lanka Mala Rashmi Rash’mi Bandu Viyaru
Thailand Mukda Muuk-dar KhaiMuk Ki-muuk Phet Pet Phailin Pi-lin
WMO/ESCAP Panel  Member countries Column five Column six Column seven Column eight
Names Pron’ Names Pron’ Names Pron’ Names Pron’

Bangladesh

Helen Helen Chapala Cho-po-la Ockhi Ok-khi Fani Foni
India Lehar Le’har Megh Me’gh Sagar Saa’gar Vayu Vaa’yu
Maldives Madi Roanu Mekunu Hikaa
Myanmar Nanauk Na-nauk Kyant Kyant Daye Da-ye Kyarr Kyarr
Oman Hudhud Hud’hud Nada N’nada Luban L’luban Maha M’maha
Pakistan Nilofar Ni lofar Vardah Var dah Titli Titli Bulbul

Bulbul

Sri Lanka Ashobaa Ashobaa Maarutha Maarutha Gaja Gaja Pawan Pavan
Thailand Komen Goh-men Mora Moh-rar
Phethai
Pay-ti Amphan Um-pun

(Names which have been utilised till December 2019 are marked in Red)