Watch out this winter everyone, Blizzard Brutus could really stab you in the back with cold winds and blinding snow, or Winter Storm Draco could really heat things up, not blowing fire mind you, but blowing snow in your face and drifts in your yard.

The Weather Channel has announced that they will be naming winter storms this year with the list above. The criteria which has yet to be announced (will be later today) will determine what type of winter storm gets a name. In my personal opinion, this is just ridiculous. Why do we need to name winter storms. Do people really want to remember a storm that only dumped two or three inches of snow but produced a ground blizzard for 6-10 hours, nobody after spring has sprung is going to remember it name or not. Given the amount of nor’easters that do occur, naming them would seem somewhat sufficient, but why should it get a name, would anyone remember it. Given that television viewership has been declining in recent years, who would turn the Weather Channel on to see what name the latest snowstorm to effect the country is going to be. I’m sure with the increase of smartphones that everyone would go to their Weather Channel App to get that information, but I can’t see anyone saying years on..

OLD MAN#1: I lived through that Blizzard Brutus, it really dumped on us that day.
OLD MAN#2: Yep, I sure do remember Brutus, he was a real nasty one.

Now, snowstorms and blizzards can be as deadly as hurricanes if you’re not prepared. It doesn’t mean you have to board your windows if Blizzard Brutus is on its way. Just stay at home and make sure you have your winter survival kit handy in case the power goes out. Naming a winter storm isn’t going to stop people from doing that. It makes me think that the Weather Channel is just trying to hype up what is already out of control hyperbole when it goes to dangerous weather that may or may not effect you, nameless or not. Maybe the Weather Channel should find better use of their time, like showing weather 24 hours a day instead of the infotainement we’ve been getting used to the last few years.