Hurricane Haven

I was thrilled to open the mailbox and find a very official looking letter in a brown envelope from Florida.  NOAA replied to my request that a hurricane be named after Haven!  Here is their answer:

Dear Mr. Thomas,

Thank you for your e-mail. {It was actually a letter}

Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists originated by the National Hurricane Center.  They are now maintained and updated by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).  Six lists are used in rotation.  Thus, the 2011 list will be used again in 2017.

The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity.  If that occurs, then at an annual meeting by the WMO Region IV committee (called primarily to discuss many other issues), the offending name is stricken from the list and another name is selected to replace it.

It is certainly possible that the name “Haven” could be selected sometime in the future if a storm with a female name beginning with the letter “H” must be replaced.

Kind regards,

Dennis Feltgen

Public Affairs Officer

Meteorologist

NOAA Communications & External Affairs

National Hurricane Center

This would mean that the earliest possible storm to be named after my daughter would be in 2018.  For this to occur, next year’s tropical storm Helene would have to be a very destructive one.  If we miss that, then the next date would be 2020 as long as the 2014 storm Hanna is devastating.  Failing that, the new date would be 2022 as long as the 2016 storm Hermine causes a big enough economic impact.

I won’t be rooting for death and destruction any time soon, but should those factors all come together and cause need of a new “H” name, I hope Mr. Dennis Feltgen can sway the committee to consider the name Haven.

Eye of The Storm

Disclaimer:  This is a copy of a letter sent to N.O.A.A. last week.  It was in production before Irene ever came near the coast, so it was not written to belittle the people who have endured her wrath or experienced loss as a result.  Now, that being said, I believe those who would get most offended are still without power, so…let’s just get this underway before they come back online… 

Dear NOAA,

In light of the recent increase in tropical storm activity, I have been perusing your website.  I saw a link for the Hurricane naming list and was fascinated by its history.  I did notice, however, that in the ‘H’ category, the name ‘Haven’ was not used.  I would like to take a few minutes of your time to make a case for why I believe this is a name worthy of entering your rotation.

I think you would agree with me that two of the most notable traits of a hurricane is that they are destructive and they are most often named for women.  Let me just say that I totally get the logic at work there.  It just so happens that I have a 10-month old daughter named Haven, and when I think of raw destructive power, this little girl is what pops to mind.

Since she learned to crawl, there’s been no end to the path of devastation she leaves in her wake.  She sweeps through the house, howling with glee at the mayhem she will cause.  Clearing a coffee table, emptying a cabinet, or yanking over a trashcan is done in the blink of an eye.  Other times, she moves silently, like the eye of the storm, waiting to get a hold of the really dangerous things.  She’s already destroyed her mama’s expensive candle stand (a hurricane candle stand), and it makes me extremely nervous at how she eyes the grandfather clock.

Caught in the act

“But what about water,” you may find yourself asking.  Yes, we have that covered too.  Haven is amazing in the water.  Bath time is an event that requires at least two or three towels to clean up.  No liquid is safe from this little one’s ability to gather and fling it with wild abandon.  The dog bowl is her favorite target.  She’ll silently crawl into the kitchen, stand up at the dog’s feeder, and splash water all over the floor and walls until the nearest adult extricates her from her fun.

Right now, she may be containable, but I estimate that she’s just building in intensity.  It’s for these reasons that I believe Haven deserves a place in your naming rotation.  It’s interesting to note that the word ‘haven’ denotes a place of refuge or rest.  I think the inherent irony is something the Hurricane Naming Convention has been missing for much too long.

Thank you for your consideration.  I await your reply.

Sincerely,

Michael Thomas

NOAA was kind enough to reply.  Here's their answer.