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)