What's in a name?? A lot of anger from meteorologists. "There is no Nemo!" they say.

Plot Device

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Okay. This seems to be a very touchy subject for meteorologists. But when you start to mix news and entertainment (or in this instance, science and entertainment) you get strange results.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nemo-winter-storm-20130208,0,401412.story

Naming a winter storm? Meteorologists are appalled by Nemo

By Alana Semuels -- February 8, 2013

BOSTON -- Meteorologists might not be sure whether the storm heading into the East Coast will drop 12 inches or 24, but they are sure about one thing – this storm is definitely, absolutely, not called Nemo.

But that’s what the Weather Channel has decided to call it, part of a policy announced in the fall in which the TV station will give names to winter storms so that people can more easily follow them.

It’s angered a few meteorologists, and has spurred a Facebook page, "STOP the Weather Channel from naming winter storms."

...


It's an interesting controversy. The traditional meteorologists insist that the average laymen will be confused and assume it's a hurricane. But the Weather Channel insists that by giving names to winter storms, people using social media can more easily access the latest updates on a storm by using the storm's name in a search.

So on the one hand we have Old School objections based on many years of past research as far as public perceptions and their proclivity toward confusion. But on the other we have Millenial research indicating a new generation of information seekers now exists who filter news data differently, and would be more confused and in the dark if the storms had no names.
 
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Xelebes

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I remember seeing some charts indicate some form of cyclonic activity going on in the storm, but it was not strong and much malformed.
 

Cyia

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There is no Nemo. There has never been a Nemo. It is not cold, nor is there ice. Absolutely DO NOT try finding Nemo.

Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia. (<--- can't let a thread like this go by without it)
 

Don

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Sustained winds of 34 kts defines a tropical storm, and that's when they start naming them. From what I've read, I think Nemo qualifies. In any event, I think naming major meterological events is very useful. They still refer to that massive tornado outbreak in 1974 as the massive tornado outbreak in 1974. It would be a lot easier to refer to Tornado Outbreak Betty.

I also think the National Weather Service is missing a major revenue stream by not selling storms the way ball teams sell stadiums. "Nemo is brought to you by Allstate. Are you in good hands?"

Um, on second thought, maybe "brought to you" is a poor choice of words.

"Sponsored by" is another term they'd probably want to avoid.
 

Monkey

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I get the objection based on sensationalism. I also get the usefulness of having a way to refer to a very specific storm that's short enough to tack on to a twitter post.

If the Weather Channel can find a way to name without sensationalizing, or if the Weather Service can come up with something specific and Twitter-able, it'll all be cool. ;)
 

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The name "Nemo" don't matter a rat's to residents of Philadelphia, New York, Providence and Boston right now.

Best wishes to everyone in those regions, and for God's sake, don't do anything stupid. Stay home, find a good book, read a lot. There will be a death toll from this storm, guaranteed, and most of that will be of people doing stupid things outdoors that they really didn't need to do.

It's really bizarre, from the standpoint of where I live (south-central Alaska, 61 degrees north latitude). Last winter we had the all-time snowiest winter on record here (137 inches of snow in Anchorage). This year we've had about 15 inches, total. November was colder than normal, but not extreme. Since then, a lot of warmth. Right now we're having temperatures around freezing, and hoping it doesn't get colder until spring arrives, about May first.

caw
 

DragonHeart

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I wish I had that luxury, blacbird. =/ I'm supposed to work this morning. Haven't heard from my boss yet, so assuming that is still true. So stupid that sensible people are forced out into a storm like this because of all the idiots we have to deal with. If people just stayed home and rode it out like they're supposed to, the district manager wouldn't be so damned unreasonable about stuff like this. Still shocked he let the store close early last night--at 6, after the road ban was in effect for Massachusetts, where half of my coworkers live.

Naming storms does indeed make it easier to refer to them. I do wish they'd leave off the "storm of epic proportions" bit to stop panicking everyone though. Really, is hyping it up necessary? Some grocery stores in the area had to have police details in their parking lots on Thursday, and gas stations were running out of fuel.

ETA: This is my driveway.
bliz13_zps0a7b41c7.jpg
 
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Xelebes

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Sable Island is dealing with damage from a storm surge from the storm.

That being said, three have died in Canada as a result of the storm.

The snow totals are not as bad as what St. John's received a month or two ago where they saw over a metre of snow fall in a day, blocking entire doorways and allowing people to build beerfridges in their doorways.
 

Plot Device

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Sable Island is dealing with damage from a storm surge from the storm.

That being said, three have died in Canada as a result of the storm.

The snow totals are not as bad as what St. John's received a month or two ago where they saw over a metre of snow fall in a day, blocking entire doorways and allowing people to build beerfridges in their doorways.


Beer fridges in a doorway?? :Wha:

OMG! I would dearly love a photo of that!



::ETA::


Ha! I found one!!


http://www.campusbasement.com/uploads/6-feet-of-snow-in-door-serves-as-beer-fridge-1305520635.jpg



:roll:
 

Manuel Royal

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Well, I'm an idiot. I assumed the winter storm names were coming from NOAA; had no idea the Weather Channel was doing it on their own.

I live about two miles from the Weather Channel; wish they'd hire me, because that would be such an easy commute.
 

Plot Device

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Well, I'm an idiot. I assumed the winter storm names were coming from NOAA; had no idea the Weather Channel was doing it on their own.


I think it's kind of funny in a real come-uppance sort of way that TWC is flexing the muscles that no one knew that cute, harmless little cable network ever had. They have decided to name winter storms. And so they did. And now ... no one can stop them!

It's almost (but not quite) as hilarious as the outlandish possibility of the "Name A Star" registry one of these days actually starting to have an impact upon astronomy.


I live about two miles from the Weather Channel; wish they'd hire me, because that would be such an easy commute.

You have a background in science?
 

Jean Marie

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I wish I had that luxury, blacbird. =/ I'm supposed to work this morning. Haven't heard from my boss yet, so assuming that is still true. So stupid that sensible people are forced out into a storm like this because of all the idiots we have to deal with. If people just stayed home and rode it out like they're supposed to, the district manager wouldn't be so damned unreasonable about stuff like this. Still shocked he let the store close early last night--at 6, after the road ban was in effect for Massachusetts, where half of my coworkers live.

Naming storms does indeed make it easier to refer to them. I do wish they'd leave off the "storm of epic proportions" bit to stop panicking everyone though. Really, is hyping it up necessary? Some grocery stores in the area had to have police details in their parking lots on Thursday, and gas stations were running out of fuel.

ETA: This is my driveway.
bliz13_zps0a7b41c7.jpg
I'm in CT and we had 2' where I am. Couldn't open the front door this am. Once I did, the pups didn't want to go out...um, you have to! They made a very short circle and came right back in :D

Snow's piled up against the porch door, too. Not looking forward to cranking up the snow blower, but at least I've got one and, thankfully the power's on. The roads are supposed to be closed until noon except to emergency personnel, some of whom got stuck...no, not me.

The grocery store shelves were emptied and most gas stations ran out of fuel by yesterday afternoon. Craziness.

Well, I'm an idiot. I assumed the winter storm names were coming from NOAA; had no idea the Weather Channel was doing it on their own.

I live about two miles from the Weather Channel; wish they'd hire me, because that would be such an easy commute.
Don't feel alone, I was under the impression that NOAA named storms, too. Besides, Nemo's a dumb name; a fish name implies a summer storm, imo.
 

Jean Marie

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Xelebes

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I wonder if this storm is partly an Alberta Clipper? We had a massive chinook on Monday or Tuesday (can't remember) that was felt in both Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge (Edmonton rarely gets chinooks.)
 

shadowwalker

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I want winter storms named. And tornadoes, too. Why let all these ocean-types have the distinctions? (The Midwest has to get something, right?)