Wizards And Blizzards Snowstorms Will Be Named For Harry Potter Characters

It’s only weeks before Albus hits town.

Albus is the name assigned to Coeur d’Alene’s first big snowstorm.

Albus Dumbledore is also the headmaster’s name in the Harry Potter children’s books by J.K. Rowling.

All this winter’s storms will have a name with a dash of Harry Potter magic thanks to Ramsey Elementary fourth-grader Jordan Shagina, who brainstormed the theme.

Shagina, 9, won the city’s name that winter storm contest.

After Albus, Coeur d’Alene will experience Bludgers, while Cho Chang waits in Mother Nature’s hand.

The list goes until Nimbus Two Thousand, but City Street Supervisor Jon Ingalls said 14 major snowstorms that require crews to plow all city streets is unlikely.

Last year, Coeur d’Alene had seven snowstorms, and if it happens again this year the seventh storm would be named Gryffindor.

Ingalls admitted he can’t predict the winter storms.

“It’s going to be a normal winter, but what’s normal?” he asked.

Shagina joined her classmates Wednesday at the city shop for an open house.

The students climbed on the plow trucks, blew the horns and giggled at the flashing warning lights.

Shagina and runner-up Jenny Stokes, who named the storms for Idaho mountains, got personalized street signs, baseball caps and certificates autographed by Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Judy.

“They are my favorite books,” Shagina said, licking her Kool-Aid stained lips. “I’ve read them all.”

Shagina was surprised to win the contest, which included all Ramsey Elementary fourth-graders.

“I don’t win at anything except pinball,” she said.

The Coeur d’Alene City Council approved the idea to name the city’s big snowstorms.

Ingalls said he came up with the idea to promote public relations and remind residents his crews work hard to clear the streets.

Before this year’s contest, Ingalls used the military phonetic alphabet - Alpha, Bravo, Charlie - to track the storms.

“When we’re out plowing this winter we’ll be thinking about you,” Ingalls told the contest winners.

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The names Here’s Shagina’s snowstorm list:

Albus, Bludgers, Cho Chang, Draco, Elf, Floo Powder, Gryffindor, Harry, Imperius Curse, J.K. Rowling, Keeper, Lightning, Mandrake and Nimbus Two Thousand.