Weather services from Cyprus, Greece, and Israel have released their annual list of 24 names for potentially dangerous weather systems affecting the Eastern Mediterranean region for 2024-2025.
The naming initiative, part of the European Network of National Meteorological Services (EUMETNET), has already seen two storms pass through the region – Alexandros in November 2024 and Bora in December 2024. Storm Coral is expected next.
Greece contributed eight names to the list, Cyprus seven, and Israel nine, according to a joint announcement from the three national meteorological services.
The complete list of storm names and their designating countries is:
- Alexandros (Greece) – passed in November 2024
- Bora (Cyprus) – passed in December 2024
- Coral (Israel)
- Daphne (Greece)
- Ermis (Cyprus)
- Frida (Israel)
- Gerasimos (Greece)
- Hemera (Cyprus)
- Ido (Israel)
- Julia (Greece)
- Kiniras (Cyprus)
- Lea (Israel)
- Marinos (Greece)
- Nestor (Cyprus)
- Ofek (Israel)
- Pelagia (Greece)
- Qesem (Israel)
- Roni (Israel)
- Solon (Greece)
- Tria (Cyprus)
- Uri (Israel)
- Valeria (Greece)
- Yam (Israel)
- Zoe (Cyprus)
The trilateral cooperation, launched in October 2021, aims to improve public awareness and preparedness for severe weather events during both cold and warm seasons.
“The naming of storms facilitates media coverage, particularly on social media, increasing public interest in weather warnings and consequently citizen readiness”, a spokesperson for the meteorological services said.
The three weather services communicate weekly to assess weather systems expected to affect the Eastern Mediterranean region, using modern forecasting tools to determine whether incoming weather patterns warrant naming.
This naming convention is part of a broader European initiative, with similar groups of national meteorological services covering most of the continent.
Atlantic hurricanes that transform into European storms retain their original names as assigned by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.
