In world's first, Spain's Seville to name and classify heatwaves

[Lil Liberal Laura]

Source: Reuters

June 22, 2022
2:42 PM EDT

MADRID, June 22 (Reuters) - Seville has introduced a pioneering system to name and classify frequent heatwaves that affect the city in Spain's arid south, which will tie meteorological forecasts to health impacts, Seville Mayor Antonio Munoz said.

The pilot project comprises three categories and will alert the population up to five days in advance of a heat event, he said in a statement late on Tuesday.

"We are the first city in the world to take a step that will help us plan and take measures when this type of weather event happens," the mayor said.

The heatwaves will be categorized on a three-level scale, and named in reverse alphabetical order. The first five will be called Zoe, Yago, Xenia, Wenceslao and Vega.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/worlds-first-spains-seville-name-classify-heatwaves-2022-06-22/

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Let's do that here!

[Lil Liberal Laura]

2. We name Hurricanes because they're Dangerous

And so are heatwaves.

[Behind the Aegis]

10. Actually, naming them might bring peoples' attention to how dangerous they really are.

A few American cities are trying this out.

[pfitz59]

3. Its already done by naming scorching desert winds

Scirocco, Santa Anas, Chinooks, etc

[Harker]

4. I don't like storms, hurricanes, etc. having names.

For example, everyone named Katrina now has undeserved negative connotations attached to them.

[LeftInTX]

5. Our heat waves last nine months!

[NullTuples]

6. Wee bit of trivia

The national weather service began naming hurricanes and tropical storms after author George R. Stewart named a massive storm "Maria" in his novel, "Storm" in 1941. Along with "Fire", it was the start of an entirely new genre of story where the main character is a natural disaster, aka the "eco-novel".

More info if you are curious: https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/02/we-name-hurricanes-in-part-due-to-this-80-year-old-novel-about-a-storm-slamming-into-california/

[denbot]

7. We need to adapt that system.

Right now.

[Behind the Aegis]

9. I think LA, Miami, and Minneapolis are doing this.

I think there is one other city but I can't remember which. The ranking depends on the city and its climate, so something in Miami wouldn't necessarily be the same as a "named" heatwave in LA or Minneapolis.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. I just saw something on this.

There are a few cities in the US that are going to adopt this on a trial. I think it is LA, Miami, and Minneapolis. In the video I saw, it was claimed more people die from heat strokes and heat-related illness than all other natural disasters combined. If true, that is damn scary.