Hyped weather terms ‘polar vortex’ and ‘derecho’ added to AP Stylebook

June 29, 2012 Midwest-Ohio Valley derecho timeline. This derecho traveled 450 miles in 6 hours with an average speed of 75 mph. (Greg Carbin, SPC, modified by CWG)

The two weather terms you love to hate — polar vortex and derecho — were added to the stylebook this year. Unfortunately, most spell-checks still don’t recognize the word derecho. Who do we contact about that?

The AP Stylebook is the gold standard for grammar and punctuation in reporting. It’s how you know that the plural of Attorney General is Attorneys General, that the “tweets” on Twitter are lower case, and when to use the phrases “flash mob” or “Google Hangout” (which by the way, is not pluralized as “Googles Hangout”). It also, unfortunately for this author, doesn’t permit use of the Oxford comma. Don’t tell anyone, but I still use it.

This afternoon, @APStyleBook let science writer Seth Borenstein (@borenbears) take over the account for the weather edition of #APStyleChat. The stylebook is updated every year, and this year came with some new weather-related additions. We guarantee that some of these have been broken numerous times by CWG.

First, the new additions. Now that it’s official, we can use “polar vortex” and “derecho” liberally in our weather reporting, instead of holding back, as we obviously have been.

New this year to 2014 #APStylebook are weather terms polar vortex, derecho, monsoon and storm surge; others refined. #APStyleChat

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) August 5, 2014

Contrary to popular belief, polar vortex was not invented by crazed media meteorologists yearning for clicks and viewers.

polar vortex had been in weather books since 1950s, but now joins the AP Stylebook after winter 2013-4; #APStyleChat

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) August 5, 2014

Jason just admitted to me that he doesn’t spell this with an “e.” He promises to remember it from now on!

There's an e in tornadoes. The way to remember is that the scale for tornadoes is the Enhanced Fujita (EF). #APStyleChat @jstorm64

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) August 5, 2014

This is another one we just talked about here at CWG this morning. Proper names!

AP capitalizes tropical storm when it comes before the name: Tropical Storm Bertha. It's part of the name. #APStyleChat @NASAHurricane

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) August 5, 2014

On a similar vein — we totally agree with you, Seth.

So let's talk weather style in #APStyleChat: Let's begin with a pet peeve: Hurricanes are it, not him or her despite names. @borenbears

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) August 5, 2014

This is one that I didn’t know. No accents? This will make all those El Nino articles much easier to write…

El Nino stands alone in first reference. We often add event in explaining it. AP doesn't use accent marks. #APStyleChat @AtmosNews

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) August 5, 2014

Ouch. Sorry, TWC.

AP uses hurricane names originated by the World Meteorological Organization, but not Weather Channel winter storm names. #APStyleChat @NHC

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) August 5, 2014

And finally, a question from the peanut gallery.

Sharknado? @JustinKeener; we've talked real weather. We'll worry about it when we see a flying hammerhead. #APStyleChat

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) August 5, 2014