I have been a long proponent of winter storms being named. They deserve it. The blizzard of 93 would sound much more frightening if it was named El Diablo, after all.
There may have been divine intervention now as the Weather Channel has decided this year to NAME WINTER STORMS! So they are only as official as the Weather Channel. Not the NOAA. Not Accuweather. Just the Weather Channel. And that's fine. I bet it catches on. It take son to start the ball rolling.
But here is the problem.. And the Weather Channel answers none of these issues: Is there a difference between West Coast and East Coast, Midwest and South storms? What if the storm turns out to be a dud..? Will the storm be named AFTER it strikes or before? We all know computer models show storms in the winter time that never become a storm.. So what then? cancel the name and start from scratch?
What about the possibility that nationwide there are more than 26 storms?
What constitutes a named storm? Wind? snow potential or actuality?
The Weather Channel, narrated by Al Roker, explains why it will be naming storms. I can't help but thinking the channel is trying to get some attention and press before tomorrow's 2012-13 Accuweather winter forecast is released..
So my final question, since I am near some areas that get those lake effect snows, is this: What about the snow squalls that dump 20+ inches? Shall we name squalls?
And are cold fronts next?
I have long hoped for a naming of storms. But now when I think about the logistics, I ponder how in the world this naming process will go......
