Winter Storm Fern? Benjamin? Why This Storm Has Two Names

Earlier this week, we posted about Winter Storm Fern—the name The Weather Channel assigned to the massive winter storm now barreling across the country. Then I started watching Connecticut TV stations and heard a different name: Winter Storm Benjamin.

Same storm. Two names. What’s going on?

Nobody Names Winter Storms Officially

Here’s the first thing to understand: the National Weather Service does not name winter storms. Only hurricanes and tropical storms receive official names from NWS.

As NWS spokesperson Susan Buchanan has explained, “The National Weather Service does not name winter storms, because a winter storm’s impact can vary from one location to another, and storms can weaken and redevelop, making it difficult to define” where one storm ends and another begins.

So where do these names come from? Two separate, uncoordinated sources—and Connecticut’s tradition is the older one.

WFSB: Naming Storms Since 1971

WFSB Channel 3 in Hartford has been naming winter storms for over 50 years. The tradition began in the winter of 1971-72, when meteorologist Ken Garee of the Travelers Weather Service started naming storms to help WTIC television and radio audiences follow their progress.

The reasoning was simple: people remember names. If you lived through the Blizzard of ‘78 in Connecticut, you might also remember it as Blizzard Larry—WFSB’s name for it. Storm Alfred in October 2011—the one that caused record power outages with its heavy, wet snow—got its name the same way.

WFSB has specific criteria for naming a storm: it must be forecast to produce at least 6 inches of snow over the majority of the state, or significant ice accumulation. Not every snowfall earns a name.

Over the decades, WFSB has used various naming themes: top baby names from 1957, names of Channel 3 staffers’ children, and Connecticut towns that could be first names. This season they’ve gone through Abraham, Albatross, and now Benjamin.

The Weather Channel: A More Recent Tradition

The Weather Channel didn’t start naming winter storms until 2012. That year, the network announced it would assign names from a predetermined list, citing the ease of tracking named storms in conversation and on social media.

The decision was controversial from the start. AccuWeather’s President Joel Meyers called it “not good science and importantly will actually mislead the public.” The National Weather Service asked its forecasters to avoid using The Weather Channel’s names. Major outlets including The New York Times and The Washington Post stated they wouldn’t use them either.

The Weather Channel has stuck with the practice, and for this storm they’ve gone with “Fern.”

So Which Name Is Right?

Neither. Or both. It depends on your audience.

If you’re watching local Connecticut coverage on WFSB, you’ll hear Benjamin. If you’re watching The Weather Channel or reading national coverage that uses their naming convention, you’ll see Fern. If you’re reading NWS forecasts, you’ll see neither—just a description of the winter storm system.

The real lesson here is that winter storm names are a convenience, not an official designation. They’re chosen by media outlets to help viewers follow along. In Connecticut, that tradition goes back over half a century—well before The Weather Channel entered the picture.

Whatever you call it, stay warm and stay safe this weekend.

Nobody Names Winter Storms Officially

WFSB: Naming Storms Since 1971

The Weather Channel: A More Recent Tradition

So Which Name Is Right?

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