Weather Channel special details how winter storm names came to be

As Winter Storm Ukko works its way toward dumping more snow on the Great Lakes and Northeast United States, you might be wondering a few things. Or perhaps you already have been wondering, every time a winter storm has gotten large enough that you have become aware of its name. Since when were there winter storm names? We’re up to “U” already? Who’s coming up with these winter storm names like Ukko, Nemo, Orko, Q, etc.?

Your questions may be answered in a special airing on The Weather Channel called A Storm Named Winter. The half-hour program looks at the controversial decision by The Weather Channel in October 2012 to proactively name winter storms, making it the first national organization in the United States to do so. This generated a huge response and yes, lots of questions.

The Weather Channel says it has answers in A Storm Named Winter, which will be hosted by on-camera meteorologists Maria LaRosa and Chris Warren.

FYI, in Finnish mythology, Ukko is the god of the sky and weather. And, if we get that far, the next few winter storm names will be Virgil, Walda, Xerxes, Yogi and Zeus. Impress your friends!

A Storm Named Winter premieres March 19 at 8pm ET on The Weather Channel, with an encore at 11pm ET.

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Credit: The Weather Channel