Sunday, January 05, 2014

The high pressure systems will feel left out

Last year, The Weather Channel decided to start naming winter storms that hit the USA. For reasons elaborated upon here, this is scientifically idiotic as winter storms don't have any of the clear criteria of tropical storms/hurricanes, and the usefulness of named storms derives from their application by official meteorological services, which a TV channel is not. So it's purely a ratings gimmick that free rides off the official practice.
Anyway, the prevailing wind in Ireland blows in from America, and look what blew in with it [Irish Independent] --

As most of the country continues to rebuild the damage from flooding, high tides and hail over the last 48 hours, there's more to come. 'Christine' is set to bring coastal waves of up to 70ft, while Met Eireann have issued a yellow alert for high winds, in particular across Leinster, Connacht, Munster, Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan. TV3 weatherman Deric Hartigan first coined the name of the storm, while the national weather service warns of gale force winds and heavy rain tomorrow morning

Added points for copycat idiocy here since Christine is an actual named tropical cyclone that was in the southern hemisphere last week.

It's the Atlantic Ocean. There will be low pressure systems. They will cause winds, sometimes high winds. And then, as the shipping forecast says, they will lose their identity. But that identity comes from its structure, not from what the Brick Tamlands of the world call them.