European windstorm names

European windstorm names are names assigned to European extratropical cyclones (and also anticyclones) by the Meteorology Institute at the Free University of Berlin. The practice was inspired by the U.S. National Weather Service's naming of hurricanes and typhoons, which began in World War II. In 1954 Karla Wege, a student at the Free University, suggested that all high- and low-pressure systems affecting Europe should be given names in order to make tracking the systems simpler. Lows were given female names and highs male names, and the names of notable systems were retired after each event.

In 1998 the system changed to alternating male and female names for highs and lows each year. In November 2002 the "Adopt-a-Vortex" scheme was started, which allows members of the public can buy names that will then be assigned to storms during each year.

The Norwegian weather service also names notable storms that affect Norway.

Notable named storms

1990
*Vivian, alias "Burns' Day storm"

1999
*Lothar
*Anatol

2005
*Erwin

2007
*Per, as named by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute that names all extreme weathers that reach Norway. The Free University of Berlin named this low pressure Hanno.
*Kyrill

2008
*Eliane
*Emma
*Johanna

ee also

* List of historic tropical cyclone names
* European windstorm

References

* [http://www.met.fu-berlin.de/adopt-a-vortex/historie/ History of FU-Berlin naming weather systems]
* [http://www.met.fu-berlin.de/adopt-a-vortex/tief/#aktuell/ FU-Berlin name lists]
* [http://met.no/met/met_lex/a_f/ekstremvar/ekstremuvar_1005.html Met.no list of named extreme weathers in Norway (Norwegian)]

External links

* [http://www.met.fu-berlin.de/adopt-a-vortex/ Adopt-a-Vortex]