(Mario Tama/Getty Images)

For the second year in a row, The Weather Channel will be naming winter storms that fit certain criteria.

Winter weather can bringfreezing temperatures, flooding, power outages, travel disruptions and other inconveniences caused by snow and ice storms. These can be life-threatening situations if the proper precautions are not taken in the hours and days leading up to a winter storm's arrival.

The decision to begin naming storms came about as part of The Weather Channel’s program to find the best possible ways to communicate severe weather information on all distribution platforms, including social media.

Hashtags are an intrinsic part of social media, and a storm name proved to be the best way to efficiently and systematically convey storm information. Storm-name hashtags have been used with tropical storms and hurricanes for years, and billion-plus impressions on Twitter last winter demonstrated that the same system is ideal for winter storms as well.

“Our first year of naming storms proved that it worked, and we were thrilled with the result,” said , meteorologist and storm specialist at The Weather Channel. “The winter storm names enabled simpler and more focused communications around forecasts and preparedness information on The Weather Channel and in other media outlets, and during the big storms like Nemo, the names became a handy way for the public to receive and exchange information.”

The storm names for 2013-14 are derived from lists created by students at Bozeman High School in Bozeman, Mont., as an assignment in Latin class and are primarily from Greek and Roman mythology.

(MORE:)

Improving communications is a key part of The Weather Channel’s core mission to keep the public safe and informed in severe-weather events. During the winter months, many people are impacted by freezing temperatures, flooding, power outages, travel disruptions and other impacts caused by snow and ice storms. The storm-naming program raises awareness and reduces the risks, danger and confusion for residents in the storms’ paths.

Along with naming storms, during the 2012-13 winter storm season The Weather Channel also introduced a new Winter Impact Index called -- a scientific, point-based winter weather index that provides, on a scale of one to 10, the potential impacts for major U.S. cities in the path of the storm. To create this index, several factors are considered, including the forecast of the storm’s duration, time of day, day of the week, proximity to a previous significant winter event and whether it occurs early or late in the season. The final index number provides an indication of the impact a winter storm will have on a particular city.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Iconic Images of Each 2012-13 Named Winter Storm

Winter Storm Athena

The storm that followed closely behind Superstorm Sandy left huge snowfall totals in some areas. Leading the way were Monroe and Clintonville, Conn., receiving 13.5 inches of snow each. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)