The next names on the tropical cyclone lineup are Jerry and Karen.
No, it’s not because Karen will come in full fury and force, while Jerry is expected to be more subdued and calm.
In fact, the possibility of Hurricane Karen existed long before social media and internet memes claimed the “Karen” name for fame — (or, frankly, infamy).
How do hurricanes get their names?
The World Meteorological Organization made a list of hurricane names in 1953.
Initially, the National Hurricane Center assigned only traditionally feminine names, but in 1979, the World Meteorological Organization introduced traditionally masculine names into the naming system.
Now, the names are assigned in alphabetical order, alternating between those traditionally associated with males and females. Each new storm receives the next name on the list. The letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are excluded due to a limited number of suitable names.
There are only six rotating lists of names, meaning each list is reused every six years unless a hurricane causes significant damage, injuries or fatalities, in which case the name is retired. This year, the retirees included Beryl, Helene and Milton.
Has there ever been a Hurricane Karen?
Karen has appeared several times in Atlantic storm history, according to Tidal Basin Group, and none have been as fierce as their names might suggest.
Despite its pop-culture reputation, Karen remains on the World Meteorological Organization’s rotating list because none of these storms caused enough destruction to retire the name.
Does the Pacific hurricane season use the same names?
The Pacific has its own naming conventions separate from the Atlantic.
While the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific share a rotating system of six-year lists, the Central and Western North Pacific use region-specific names reflecting local languages and cultures.
Where did Karen memes come from?
The “Karen” meme, describing a middle-aged white woman perceived as entitled and unaware of her privilege, solidified around 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A notable example is Lisa Alexander, dubbed the “San Francisco Karen,” after a viral clip showed her confronting James Juanillo while he stenciled “Black Lives Matter” on his own property, demanding to know if he was defacing it, according to Time.com. Juanillo, who is a person of color, told her they should call the police if they felt he was breaking the law. The police recognized him as the homeowner, and he was unharmed, though similar confrontations can escalate dangerously.
The Alexander video is just one of many that have fueled the “Karen” meme — popularized from Dane Cook’s 2005 “Can I speak to the manager?” comedy bit — highlighting entitled, privileged behavior online.
More recently, “Phillies Karen” went viral after a female fan confronted a father who had caught a home run ball at a Philadelphia Phillies vs. Miami Marlins game and given it to his son.
The woman demanded the ball, sparking a heated exchange that was captured on video and widely shared online. The incident drew widespread backlash, with coverage on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and discussions on shows like “The View.” In the aftermath, the boy ended up receiving merchandise, signed memorabilia, and other gifts from several teams.
Here is the list of names for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season
Atlantic storm tracker
There are not currently any tropical cyclones in the Atlantic, although two new disturbances could become Jerry and Karen.
One in the southwestern Atlantic, just off Florida and the Bahamas, is unlikely to actually develop, although heavy rainfall is still expected over the weekend regardless of development.
A tropical wave expected to move off the coast of Africa today into the Central Tropical Atlantic could see slow development in coming days, and it’s possible that it will develop into a tropical system by the end of next week, around Oct. 9-11.
Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at baddison@gannett.com. Find her on Facebook here.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Brace yourself, Hurricane Karen could develop in 2025. How do hurricanes get their names?
Reporting by Brandi D. Addison, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
