Plan B Forum

Is the practice of naming Atlantic tropical storms, which I believe started back in the 1950's fading away?

I have noticed tv weather reporters are avoiding naming the storms. Tonite, the local NBC station and the NBC network news both did stories about storms now in the Florida area and off the coast of the Carolinas. Both were referred to by NUMBER, not name.

Earlier, an online weather site I frequently check noted development of a 'G' and an 'I' named tropical storm, but I did not notice any 'H'

snailgate

Gaston, Ian, and Hermione.

I believe storms first get numbers as they start (IIRC the first of the season is 1, the second is 2 and so on). When storms reach a certain intensity (tropical storm category I think) then they get names.

Of course I could be totally wrong but that was how I thought it was.

No, you're right. Tropical Depressions all get numbers. Only when they react the point of becoming a tropical storm at 34 knots sustained winds (and not all do) do they get names. Tropical Depression 9 became Tropical Storm Hermine today. Note there have been 9 numbered and 8 named storms in the Atlantic Hurricane basin so far- Tropical Depression 8 never reached Tropical Storm status.