Aemet uses naming system for major storms to improve public safety

Aemet, Spain's State Meteorological Agency, utilizes a specific naming system for major storms and DANA (isolated high-altitude depression) events to improve public communication and safety awareness. Research indicates that the public pays closer attention to safety recommendations when adverse weather phenomena are assigned specific names.

According to José Ángel Núñez, Aemet's Head of Climatology in the Valencian Community, storms are named when they deepen sufficiently to pose a significant impact on people and property. This decision-making process combines objective meteorological data with subjective assessments of probable impact.

In Spain, naming criteria often involve wind warnings at orange or red levels within the Southwest Group of countries. Wind thresholds for naming typically range between 90 and 110 kilometers per hour, though these criteria may be adjusted if associated precipitation is expected to cause significant orange or red alerts.