Winter Storm Stella or Eugene: Why does the blizzard have two names?

Impact

As East Coast residents brace themselves for anywhere between 12 to 18 inches of snow on Tuesday, there remains yet another unknown — what the heck do we call this storm?

The winter storm system that's about to wreak havoc on the eastern United States is going by two names, which is confusing for anyone looking to add a page in their Burn Book for the blizzard arriving just a week before spring. 

According to USA Today, the Weather Channel's official name for the storm is Stella.

"The Weather Channel is calling the system Stella as part of its winter storm naming system," the outlet explained. "No other private firms, nor the weather service, use this name."

So who, then, is Eugene? Connecticut weather station's chief meteorologist, Bruce DePrest of WFSB seems to have gone rogue, referring to the storm as "Eugene," which is why, if you're from the Constitution State, chances are you know the impending whiteout as Eugene. 

As for the rest of us, we'll be spending our snow days re-enacting that scene from A Streetcar Named Desire.