Cyclone Nomenclature

About a week ago, Cyclone "Olga" hurried in from the Coral Sea and crossed the coast in the Port Douglas - Cooktown area without too much fuss. Then she ran quickly across the Peninsula, idled around for a couple of days in the Gulf and reformed to move on to land at Kurumba. Again there was little serious damage created. If this kind of cyclonic attitude persists, people are going to lose all respect for the phenomena. I think a lot of the problem is caused by the Weather Bureau's naming procedures. Currently, they move through the Alphabet, alternating male and female names. Obviously some letters are causing difficulties, and the selected names are lacking a little in oomph. Well, who's going to be scared of a cyclone called "Neville" or even "Olga". The latter is foreign and a little exotic, but really was too much of a lady.

Cyclone naming needs rethinking, especially with regard to categories from which the names are chosen. Forget names of people ! What about using prehistoric creatures ? For instance, Cyclone "Tyrannosaurus Rex" or Cyclone "Muttaburrasaurus". Now, they would make people sit up and take some notice. Even if "Olga" had been called "Olgasaurus", I'm sure she would have been a little more enthusiastic. But if a scientific category seems a little high-brow, and people's names are preferred, what about looking at old TV programs. Something like "The Addams Family" could provide Cyclone "Gomez", Cyclone "Morticia" or Cyclone "Pugsley". Try ignoring them ! Selection would still have to be done thoughtfully. Cyclone "Cousin It" might be a hairy little fellow but it's hard to see him creating any real panic.

The Weather Bureau needs to employ more divergent thinkers. They need to look outside the square, or perhaps the circle in this case. There are so many TV shows and Movies that would provide inspirational names and give cyclones some street credibility. It's now in the hands of the bureaucracy.