New typhoon names

[Reesie]

Just to let people know, the Typhoon Committee met last week to decide the new Typhoon Names amongest other things.

The new typhoon names are Champi, Atsani and In-Fa.

Champi is a flower and was proposed by Laos. Thus it replaces Ketsana.
Atsani is another name for a lightning flash and was proposed by Thailand. Thus it replaces Morakot.
In-Fa is a firework and was porposed by Macau/Macao. Thus it replaces Parma.

[Iune]

Does this mean that Fengshen (2008) was not retired? It killed 1371 people in the Philippines and China!

[Ad Novoxium]

I actually have a sort of theory on why Fengshen was spared retirement: it's because of its PAGASA name (Frank). When Fengshen formed, it got named Frank because it was in the PAGASA area of responsibility. The name "Fengshen" is very likely not as well known in the Philippines as "Frank", despite both being the same storm, due to the fact that PAGASA used its own naming system. Because those people who were affected by Fengshen knew it as Frank and retired that name, they spared Fengshen because that name isn't as well known in the Philippines, meaning the need to call for its retirement wasn't as great ("Frank" was retired virtually as soon as the storm dissipated) and the effects from Fengshen outside that country weren't as severe.

I could be wrong, but that's what I'm thinking.