Who named Cyclone 'Biparjoy'? Know meaning, process of naming cyclones

The landfall process of cyclone Biparjoy has commenced over the coastal districts of Saurashtra and Kutch. It will continue until midnight. As cyclone Biparjoy is a few steps far from hitting the coasts, have you ever wondered how cyclones are named? 

Each cyclone is named by weather forecasters to avoid confusion. Tropical cyclones are generally named according to the rules at regional levels. 

Who names the cyclones?

Tropical cyclones of the Indian Ocean region, thirteen countries-- Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen-- contribute a set of names, which are assigned sequentially whenever a cyclonic storm develops. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) allots name to cyclone in the North Indian Ocean, in accordance with the decree issued by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

For example, cyclone 'Biparjoy' was suggested by Bangladesh, while cyclone Mocha was named by Yemen, based on a small fishing village in the country known for its coffee production. 

Meaning of Biparjoy

Biparjoy in Bangla means 'disaster'. This cyclone was named Bangladesh. 

Read: Cyclone Biparjoy LIVE updates: High tides witnessed in Gujarat, landfall has began and expected to last till midnight

In 2020, IMD collected 169 names for upcoming cyclones and these names were divided into different lists with 13 names in each of them. The first list was exhausted after cyclone Mocha and now Biparjoy is the first name on list two. 

The upcoming cyclone that is predicted to hit South Asia will be called 'Tej', a name suggested by India.