what is the nhc criteria for classifying systems?

[rainstorm]

this low in the east atlantic is better formed than many "named storms" last season. what gives?

edited by vbhoutex

[Derecho]

It's always been that way for as long as I can remember.

Also, there's extremely limited data out there; no recon and no buoy reports, only ships if you are lucky (and now QUICKSCAT of course.)

It's basically an issue of whether you go through the rigamarole of advisories for something literally a week or more away from hitting land, and which, for CV systems June, have up to this point in recorded tropical history ALWAYS been sheared apart in a day or two.

Given the exact same system and sat presentation a system is far more likely to have advisories started if it's 100 miles southeast of Houston than when it's 800 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.

It's debateable whether that's a valid distinction but they've been consistent with it for quite a while.

[rainstorm]

but then that skews the numbers. this deserves classification more than many of the systems last season, including joesephine, which formed in the middle of nowhere and never threatened anyone.

[JCT777]

Give them a call and yell at them for not naming the east Atlantic low! And tell them what you thought of them naming some of those storms from last year. Maybe they will go back and un-name most of them.