Britain's Getting Into The Storm Name Game

Nasty winter storms in Britain, like this 2014 one in Cornwall,
will probably soon get names, says the British Met Office.
Photo by Bernie Pettersen,/SWNS.  

It seems like everything has to have a name nowadays.

I know we've named hurricanes ever since I can remember. Then, a couple years ago, The Weather Channel decided to start naming winter storms.

Now the British Met Office is getting into the act, wanting to name the big storms that often pummel Britain in the late fall and winter.

The logic is that by giving a single name to a storm could help raise awareness of severe weather, and help prod people into preparing for them.

"We hope that naming storms in line with the official severe weather warnings here will do the same and ensure everyone can keep themselves, their property and their businesses safe and protected at times of severe weather," said Derrick Ryall, head of the public weather service at the Met Office.

The Met Office is reaching out in social media, asking the public for suggestions on storm names. They names will alternate between male and female with each storm, just like Atlantic Ocean hurricanes do.

They've already gotten a number of suggestions for names. Let's hope some are at least creative. Maybe they should name storms after some interestingly names towns in Britain.

Winter Storm NetherWallop or Storm Crapstone, perhaps?