On Hurricane Names

While I don't condone hurricanes, I cannot resist the dark clouds, howling winds and whipping rains of a good tempest. Just as enchanting are the names we bestow upon them. When I learned that one Hurricane "Igor" was spinning towards the Atlantic sea board, I was at once delighted by the Slavonic appellation and curious about possible names for future hurricanes. Dubbing a hurricane, "Igor," would seem to suggest that the National Weather Service has either run out of "typical" names," or just felt like going Russian on a lark this hurricane season. If this is a trend, then it is entirely likely that hurricanes ten years hence will be graced with any of an assortment of odd names: "Cuthbert," "Oedipus," "Stanislaus"?

Then I read that hurricane names are reused every six years, barring those that cause severe damage and may thereon be retired. Goodbye Hortense, Gilbert, Roxanne. Farewell Katrina, Cesar, Mitch. I don't think we shall ever remember you fondly.