Typhoon 11. Phooey. Why won’t Japan anthropomorphise major storms like everyone else? I want to see Typhoon Ichiro or Typhoon Mariko.

Throughout most of watery Asia, typhoons have names. The tropical cyclone names lend personality to natural disaster. Ironically, Japan contributed to the “Western North Pacific” names, but they don’t use them.

Japan’s contributions: Tenbin (balance/scales), Usagi (rabbit), Kanmuri (crown), Koppu (cup), Tokage (lizard), Yagi (goat), Kaziki (marlin), Kuzira (whale), Kompasu (compass), & Washi (paper).

I grudgingly admit that sequential numbering does make it easier to track a series of storms within a given year, and I’ll be more suprised to hear about Typhoon 26 (“Wow, so many this year!”) than Typhoon Zelda, but you have to admit that numbers aren’t nearly as catchy. Posted by kuri at August 21, 2001 07:30 AM