While the National Weather Service has been naming tropical
storms and hurricanes for years, The Weather Channel announced
in October it would begin naming winter storms. The first storm
named by The Weather Channel for the 2012/2013 winter season
occurred Wednesday in the northeast and was named "Athena." The
Weather Channel reasoned that naming winter storms will "better
communicate the threat and the timing of the significant impacts
that accompany these events." The Weather Channel believes that
in naming winter storms it will be easier to follow coverage of
the storms. Although The Weather Channel is now naming winter
storms, the National Weather Service will continue to only name
tropical storms and hurricanes.