Hurricane season is already underway and the buzz is heating up around the Internet regarding the first hurricane of 2008, Hurricane Bertha. Bertha is currently a category one hurricane, but it has the potential to further strengthen in the coming days. The storm is still thousands of miles out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and there is no imminent threat to land. The current projected path of the NOAA would take the storm near Bermuda, but would keep it away from any landfall in the United States.Hurrricane Bertha on the map

So this hurricane is named Bertha, but how do they get these hurricane names anyways? Beginning in 1953 the National Hurricane Center began naming storms that reached tropical storm status with human names. From 1953 through 1979 only female names were used, but after many protests the Hurricane Center added male names as well. Now male and female names are rotated throughout the name list for the year. The current naming system has six different lists of hurricane names, so each list is re-used on the seventh year. If a hurricane is extremely catastrophic and results in a large loss of human life that name is retired from the list forever.

What are this year's names? The 2008 names for hurricanes in the Atlantic are as follows: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paloma, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, and Wilfred.

Hurricane eye

What happens if letters after W are needed? If more names are necessary then the Greek alphabet is used. For example if Wilfred has to be used and there comes another tropical storm after that it would be named Alpha.

Dr. William Gray of Colorado State University, in his 25th year of forecasting hurricanes, is projecting 15 named storms and 8 hurricanes this year. Those numbers are well-above the long-term average of 10 named storms and 6 hurricanes. Dr. Gray also puts the probability of the landfall of a major hurricane in the United States this year at 69%. The chance for an average season sits at 52%.

It sounds like we need to be ready for an active hurricane season ahead. Let's hope that everyone around the coastlines are preparing themselves for the worst, just in case.