Winter Storm Q
Yesterday morning, I opened the front door to get the paper and found a couple inches of snow on the porch. I stood in the threshold, barefooted, having forgotten about Winter Storm Q during the night. Thankfully, my shoes were nearby so I slipped them on and ventured into the winter wonderland to rescue the CRG on the steps.
No, I am not tired of winter yet. Though I do have the itch to go camping (I set up my tent in the basement for the hell of it), I still relish the cold and snow. Ice is never cool, but I still like the snow.
However, here is something I do not understand: why The Weather Channel’s storm names have not caught on.
Despite the fact the system has taken a lot of flack from other media outlets, and the names themselves are pretty outrageous, I think winter storm names are a good idea. Though I think those in impacted areas generally know what to expect days in advance, the names add a level of identification and awareness; the storms gain a face. (Of course, I suppose the effort could backfire if a storm shares the name of a loveable cartoon character.) But nobody outside The Weather Channel seems to be using the names, including our local weather junkies at KCRG. (I cannot speak for KGAN or KWWL because I never watch them.) Not even the local papers uses the names. The only other outlet I know of that uses the names is Weather Underground, which is a Weather Channel subsidiary.
Why? I have no clue, but I assume much of it has to do with the fact the scheme was not initiated by the National Weather Service. It is the sole property of The Weather Channel. I am not sure if there are copyright issues involved, but would not be surprised.
Though I like the idea, I do not know how well it is working. The Weather Channel is convinced of the system’s effectiveness on paper, but I do not think the NWS will get involved until it has proven useful in real life.
(Unfortunately, Winter Storm Q was not named after the recurring character in the James Bond series. It was, according to this page, named after a subway line in New York City. Lame.)
