Sound Off: Winter storm names / LJWorld.com

Sound Off

Why are winter storms being named by the weather service?

The new names for winter storms actually come not from the National Weather Service, but from The Weather Channel. In a message on its website in November, the channel explained that it would adopt an alphabetical sequence of names for winter storms, similar to that used by the National Hurricane Center to identify tropical storms and hurricanes. The message said the new names would help raise awareness of dangerous storms, make systems easier to follow and help people reference them on social media (such as with Twitter hashtags). In Europe, winter storms have been named since the 1950s, the message said. The latest winter storm named by The Weather Channel, Euclid, moved across the country during the week of Christmas.

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riverdrifter 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Just a way for the TWC to generate money. Most all their data comes from the National Weather Service and they just filter it. Every single bit of their radar data comes from the NWS as well. Your best weather info for Lawrence can be found here: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=38.9716689&lon=-95.23525010000003&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Lawrence%2C%20KS%2C%20USA

LadyJ 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Thanks for the link, love that it loads up quickly with no advertisements.

DougCounty 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Note that the JW web page also has this link, along with links to the NWS forecast discussion, the NWS Severe Storm Center in Norman, OK and other NWS links. The only time I use other radar is when I want to see whether the precipitation is rain or snow since the NWS radar doesn't distinguish the two, and even then I go to www.wunderground.com for that. While I'm there, I usually check out the Jeff Masters blog as he writes consistently good "big picture" pieces about what's happening in the weather and climate.

bearded_gnome 5 months, 3 weeks ago

so, in other words, because they do it in europe, we should too? duh.

that previous storm we got our couple inches from was called I think Draco.

what a name for a storm. sounds like something my mom used to cook, something that wasn't too pleasant to eat.

"oh, is that draco still in the fridge from last thursday?" "um ... yes." "yuck. I think we're gonna go for burgers then, bye!"

tomatogrower 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Draco was a character in the Harry Potter books. But of course, if you are too busy on the computer all day, I wouldn't expect you to read.

Katara 5 months, 3 weeks ago

It is also the Latin word for dragon.

Frankie8 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Draco Malfoy the marvelous bouncing ferret. I was surprised by how he changed in the last book. Not that he went all soft and gooey but there were changes. They named a dino after him, Dracorex hogwartsia, which I think is way cool.

by Frankie8

FarneyMac 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Use wunderground.com instead of the Weather Channel. I refuse to support the Weather Channel anymore - they're starting to use the same cable-news sensationalism as CNN and Fox News do...this snow-naming business is just ridiculous. That and their website commits the ultimate internet sin: autoplay video.

Liberty275 5 months, 3 weeks ago

It has always had a name: "stupid Canadian weather".

DougCounty 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Only one problem: they don't distinguish between rain, freezing rain/sleet and snow with their radar. Have you figured out a way to make that work on the NWS radar?

edson443 5 months, 3 weeks ago

The best way to check the weather is to look out the window. The weather channel is very seldom accurate about Kansas weather. Especially, when it comes to the Tonganoxie split. According to the NWS it is only a myth even though it can be clearly seen consistently on the radar.

FloridaSunshine 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Wow...you're speedy!!!

FloridaSunshine 5 months, 3 weeks ago

squall 1 [skwawl] Show IPA

noun 1. a sudden, violent gust of wind, often accompanied by rain, snow, or sleet.

a sudden disturbance or commotion.

Thanks for the info.

bearded_gnome 5 months, 2 weeks ago

tomatogrower 1 day ago

Draco was a character in the Harry Potter books. But of course, if you are too busy on the computer all day, I wouldn't expect you to read.

---strange, coming from a malinformed liberal who does spend more time on here than I do.
and apparently humor impaired.

bearded_gnome 5 months, 2 weeks ago

you can find topeka NWS on the web, with, for example, their current weather discussion updated I think three times a day for example, plus their RADAR etc.

Frankie8 5 months, 2 weeks ago

tomatogrower, if they were going to name the storms after characters in the Harry Potter series, which one would come first?

overthemoon 5 months, 2 weeks ago

they always sequence storm names alphabetically.

bearded_gnome 5 months, 2 weeks ago

tomatopaste and Frankie8, name has nothing to do with the pop fiction.
my comment was a play on draco, root word where we get draconian. eating my mother's cooking was draconian, that's why I learned to cook at an early age.
draco, Draco predates Latin. here's the Weather channel's own info: [next post]

bearded_gnome 5 months, 2 weeks ago

During the upcoming 2012-13 winter season The Weather Channel will name noteworthy winter storms. Below is our list of names, along with some information about the origins of the names. Athena: The Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, inspirations, justice, mathematics and all things wonderful. Brutus: Roman Senator and best known assassin of Julius Caesar. Caesar: Title used by Roman and Byzantine emperors. ( ) Draco: The first legislator of Athens in Ancient Greece. Euclid: A mathematician in Ancient Greece, the father of geometry. Freyr: A Norse god associated with fair weather, among other things. “ The fact is, a storm with a name is easier to follow, which will mean fewer surprises and more preparation. ” Bryan Norcross of The Weather Channel Gandolf: A character in a 1896 fantasy novel in a pseudo-medieval countryside. Helen: In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy was the daughter of Zeus. Iago: Enemy of Othello in Shakespeare’s play, Othello. Jove: The English name for Jupiter, the Roman god of light and sky. Khan: Mongolian conqueror and emperor of the Mongol empire. Luna: The divine embodiment of the moon in Roman mythology. Magnus: The Father of Europe, Charlemagne the Great, in Latin: Carolus Magnus. Nemo: A Greek boy’s name meaning "from the valley," means "nobody" in Latin. Orko: The thunder god in Basque mythology. Plato: Greek philosopher and mathematician, who was named by his wrestling coach. ( | Q: The Broadway Express subway line in New York City. Rocky: A single mountain in the Rockies. Saturn: Roman god of time, also the namesake of the planet Saturn in our solar system. Triton: In Greek mythology, the messenger of the deep sea, son of Poseidon. Ukko: In Finnish mythology, the god of the sky and weather. Virgil: One of ancient Rome’s greatest poets. Walda: Name from Old German meaning “ruler.” Xerxes: The fourth king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, Xerxes the Great. Yogi: People who do yoga. Zeus: In Greek mythology, the supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and the gods who lived there.