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How long have hurricanes had names?

In 1951 meteorologists (scientists who study weather and climate) began naming storms according to the military alphabet (for example, Able for A, Baker for B, Charley for C, and so on). Two years later, weather forecasters started using women's names in alphabetical order (first storm of the season had a name starting with A, second storm of the season had a name starting with the letter B, and so on) for the hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean (June 1 through November 30). Six years later, meteorologists in some areas began naming storms in the Pacific Ocean using the same system. By 1964 meteorologists throughout the Pacific were naming storms, and by 1979 both men's and women's names from several languages (instead of only English women's names) were given to hurricanes.

Names of hurricanes are assigned in advance for six-year cycles. The names...

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