Tropical cyclone names

Various meteorological organisations have responsibility for names and employ different conventions. Some cycle through a set number of lists starting at "A" each year. Some continuously cycle through names without reverting to "A" each year and some start a new list each year. In the areas with cyclical lists a name will be retired if the cyclone bearing it was particularly notorious and caused loss of life.

It is usual practice for a storm to be named when it reaches tropical storm strength (winds of 34 knots). However, JTWC Hawaii, NHC Miami and CPHC Hawaii also give every tropical depression an identifier in the form of two digits and a letter. The digits start at "01" each season and are incremented for each new depression in the region. The letter defines the region in the following way:

W : Western North Pacific (west of 180 °)
C : Central North Pacific (140-180 °W)
E : Eastern North Pacific (east of 140 °W)
L : North Atlantic
A : Arabian sea
B : Bay of Bengal
S : South Indian Ocean (west of 135 °E)
P : South Pacific Ocean (east of 135 °E)
Q : South Atlantic

NHC Miami and CPHC Hawaii also use the "ATCF" identifier for Eastern & Central North Pacific and Atlantic depressions. For example, EP052019 indicates the 5th tropical depression in 2019 in the Eastern North Pacific. AL092020 indicates the 9th tropical depression in 2020 in the Atlantic. Prior to 2003 a 2-digit year was used.

Note, not all tropical depressions reach tropical storm status or are given names. Southern hemisphere storms in the Pacific and Indian Oceans are numbered in a single sequence irrespective of whether they are in the "S" or "P" areas. North Indian Ocean storms are numbered in a single sequence irrespective of whether they are in the "A" or "B" areas.

Northern hemisphere index

• Western north Pacific - West of 180 °E
• Philippines - 5-25 °N 115-135 °E
• Central North Pacific - 140-180 °W
• Eastern North Pacific - East of 140 °W
• North Atlantic
• North Indian

Southern hemisphere index

• South-west Indian - West of 90 °E
• Australia - 90-160 °E, south of about 10 °S
• Indonesia - South East Indian Ocean (90-125 °E, north of 10 °S)
• Papua New Guinea - 141-160 °E and north of 10/12 °S
• Fiji - East of 160 °E and north of 25 °S
• Wellington - East of 160 °E and south of 25 °S (Fiji names used)
• South Atlantic

• WMO tropical cyclones names web page

Western North Pacific names

Since 2000 onwards, a new international list of names has been used for tropical storms in the North-West Pacific basin and are assigned by the Japan Meteorological Agency as storms develop.

The year is included in parentheses after the last name to be used in that season.

Meaning of names (Japan Meteorological Agency)

Meaning and pronunciation of names (Hong Kong Observatory)

Philippine names

These lists of names are applied by PAGASA to any storms in the Philippine area (5-25 °N and 115-135 °E) and are used in addition to the name given to the storm from the JMA list for the North-west Pacific, which are shown in parentheses.

For past storms the JMA name used for the storm is given in bold

Central North Pacific names

These lists are used sequentially. The first name in any given year is the one immediately following the last name from the previous year.

Names in bold will replace the adjacent names next time they are used.

The years that the names were used are given in parentheses.

• Pronunciation of names

Eastern North Pacific names

The first storm of each year begins with the letter "A". These lists are re-cycled every six years.

If all names from a list are exhausted, names from the reserve list will be used.

Last names used in previous seasons in bold.

• Pronunciation of names

North Atlantic names

The first storm of each year begins with the letter "A". These lists are also re-cycled every 6 years.
For information on the retirement of TC names in the North Atlantic go to the NOAA public affairs web site.

Last names used in previous seasons in bold.

* In 2020 following Wilfred, storms were named after letters of the Greek alphabet: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota.

From 2021 if all names from a list are exhausted, names from the reserve list will be used rather than letters of the Greek alphabet.

Pronunciation of names

North Indian Ocean names

These lists will be used sequentially. The first name in any given year is the one immediately following the last name from the previous year.

The year is included in parentheses after the last name to be used in that season.

Pronunciation of names.

South-west Indian Ocean names

The first storm of each year begins with the letter "A".
Last name used in previous seasons in bold.

Mauritius Met. Service list of names

Australian region

These lists are used sequentially. The first name in any given year was the one immediately following the last name from the previous year.

The year is included in parentheses after the last name to be used in that season.

Names in bold will replace the adjacent names next time they are used. * indicates replacement name not chosen yet.

Australian Bureau of Meteorology tropical cyclone names web page

Indonesian region

The left hand list is used sequentially. Names from the right hand list used as replacements when necessary.

The years that the names were used are given in parentheses.

Fiji region names

Lists A, B, C, and D are used sequentially. The first name in any given year is the one immediately following the last name from the previous year. List E is a list of replacement names if they become necessary.

The year is included in parentheses after the last name to be used in that season.

Names in bold will replace the adjacent names when they are next used.

Papua New Guinea region names