Gimmie an alpha! Yep, 2005 has set a new record with the number of named storms: for the first time, we've run out of names and had to go to the backup plan: the use of the Greek alphabet.
Hurricane have been named since 1953, when forecasters decided that referring to them by a woman's name would be easier than referring to them by satellite coordinates. In 1979, it was decided that the storms would alternate between male and female names.
There are six lists of names that rotate. Names are used again and again until an individual storm causes so much damage that the use of that storm's name would be in bad taste.
I will interrupt this fascinating history lecture to congratulate Tanya of "Tanya's Tidbits," who was first to play last week. Congratulations, Kathy!
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
There are five letters of the alphabet not involved in hurricane names. Apparently, no one wanted to show the love to the letters Q, U, X, Y or Z. Pick one of those five letters and come up with seven names, male and female, that you'd use for hurricanes. (Six names would be required for the current set of six lists, and the seventh name would be a back-up in case one of the first six needs to be retired.)
Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment at Patrick's Place. (To be considered "first to play," a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.)
Seven Names, eh? Let's try Xander, Xerxa, Xchamu, Xavier, Xchnya, Xillick and Xchonna.
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