Understanding Cyclone Tej and the Cyclone Naming Process in the Indian Ocean Region

Context:

• Cyclone Tej in the Arabian Sea, intensified into an ‘extremely severe cyclonic storm’ near the coasts of Oman and Yemen as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Rising Cyclone Trends in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal: A Climate Change Impact

• Cyclones form over warm waters due to low-pressure systems. 
• The Bay of Bengal is slightly warmer. Because of climate change, the Arabian Sea side is also getting warmer, and as a result, the number of cyclones in the Arabian Sea is showing an increasing trend in the recent trend.

Cyclone Tej: India’s First 2023 Arabian Sea Weather Challenge

• A Cyclone is a rapid inward air circulation around a low-pressure area. In other words, it is a low-pressure system that forms over warm waters.
• It is the first post-monsoon cyclone of the 2023 season in the Arabian Sea. 
• Named by: It has been named by India. 
• Origin: Arabian Sea

Global Cyclone Naming Protocol: Collaborative Practices and Regional Roles

• Rotational Basis: Cyclones are named by countries on a rotational basis.
• Regional Meteorological Centers: Worldwide, six specialized regional meteorological centers (RSMCs) and five regional Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) are mandated for issuing advisories and naming tropical cyclones.
• IMD’s Role: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is one of the RSMCs providing advisories and naming for the north Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
• Member Countries: IMD serves 13 member countries under the WMO/Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (ESCAP) Panel, including Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Evolution of Cyclone Naming Process: Establishing Protocols and Collaborative Lists

• Agreement: The WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones agreed to assign names to cyclones in the region in 2000, with naming starting in September 2004.
• List of 169 Names: IMD released a list of 169 cyclone names in 2020, with 13 suggestions from each of the 13 member countries.

Guiding Principles for Cyclone Naming Process: Ensuring Neutrality and Sensitivity

• Neutrality: Proposed names should neutralize politics, religious beliefs, cultures, and gender.
• Sensitivity: Names should avoid hurting the sentiments of any global population group.
• Respectful Nature: Names should not be rude or cruel and should be short, easy to pronounce, and non-offensive.
• Maximum Length: Cyclone names are limited to eight letters.

News Source: Indian Express