Context: Cyclone Michaung is the first cyclone to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast after cyclone Gulab which developed in September 2021.
About Cyclone Michaung
- Cyclone over South-West Bay of Bengal.
- Michaung is named after a suggestion given by Myanmar. It means strength and resilience.
- Upon formation, cyclone Michuang will become the fourth Bay of Bengal cyclonic storm and the sixth cyclone formed in the Indian Ocean in 2023.
Naming of cyclone:
- The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) oversees the management of rotating name lists tailored for each tropical cyclone basin.
- Cyclones arising in various ocean basins globally receive their names from regional specialized meteorological centers (RSMCs) and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers (TCWCs) within those areas.
- There are a total of six RSMCs across the world.
- Member nations of the RSMCs propose the names for tropical cyclones. For instance, the Indian RSMC, comprising 13 nations, puts forward 13 names each for cyclones formed in the region.
- In the earlier practice, before the official adoption of naming conventions, tropical cyclones were named based on locations, objects, or the feast days of saints on which they occurred.
- The names will be used sequentially column wise. The first name will start from the first row of column one and continue sequentially to the last row in the column thirteen.
- The names of tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean will not be repeated, once used it will cease to be used again.
- The name of a tropical cyclone from south China Sea which crosses Thailand and emerge into the Bay of Bengal as a Tropical cyclone will not be changed.
Guidelines to adopt names of cyclones
- 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 with its pronunciation and voice over.
- 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.
