Storm names that belie their ferocity

Some of the names of storms and weather conditions that develop in the Middle East are beautiful and alluring, like the recent storms Huda and Zaina, despite the damages they can inflict on the local population. The reason behind these sometimes strange and resonating aliases is to disguise the possible catastrophe with an aura of optimism.
The strong winter storm that is currently active in the Middle East is a clear example of this practice, common in all the world. This week, parts of Lebanon are bracing for cold and bitter weather, while Jordan and Syria have witnessed a sharp drop in temperatures.
The current snowstorm in Jordan has been called “Huda,” while the snowstorm in Syria was named “Zaina.” At the same time, the current cold winds in the northern region of Saudi Arabia have been named “Auzaireq.”
Hussein Al-Qahtani, spokesman for the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PMA), explained that the current snowstorms in some Arab countries have been named according to local culture, to create a general optimistic atmosphere among the population.
“These were named by regular people, not by experts or centers for climate forecast. However, the global storms or hurricanes are named by international centers for climate disasters,” he told Arab News.
Global climate storm names have no specific meanings, according to Al-Qahtani. There are several global hurricanes which had female names that did not imply anything specific, like Isabel in 2003, Rita in 2008 and Sandy in 2012, to name a few.
“Sadly, the beautiful names of these natural phenomena cannot protect people from their catastrophic effects,” he said.