I Can’t Believe It……
On the news the other day, I actually heard a newscaster use the term “Climate Change” as opposed to the old standby “Global Warming” in a broadcast concerning the typhoon in the Philippines…… Â Maybe there’s hope for the weather forecasters yet…. Â Sorry about that, HS…..
November 13th, 2013 at 6:07 pm
With all the ice melting you’ve got to think something has changed.
November 13th, 2013 at 6:58 pm
Yeah, it’s a definite that things are changing weather wise, but for a newsman to use the proper terminology that’s what’s amazing!….. Maybe the end of the World is closer than we thought!……
November 14th, 2013 at 10:08 am
I have given up on weather forcasting. (Also sorry HS) I just prepare for the worst every day, and when it doesn’t happen I smile. Monday The NWS Radar and the weather channel showed clear while I was driving in freezing fog.
November 14th, 2013 at 10:37 am
The best way to forecast the weather, Mr. J., is to stick your middle finger of either hand in the air and make your own judgement from there…..
November 15th, 2013 at 1:04 am
The numerical forecast models have been steadily improving: http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/foundations/numerical_wx_pred/S1Chart06.html
The NEXRAD radars are very sensitive, but maybe you were far enough from the radar that the beam was well overhead of the fog/drizzle.
Yeah, “climate change” is a more complete term than “global warming,” because there’s much more than warming going on. Changes to precipitation patterns and intensity are perhaps even more important than the “warming.”
November 15th, 2013 at 8:59 am
Hey, Mr. HS, good to hear from you….. I know I sorta baited you, but, you are our expert “Weather Dude”….. Again, thanks for the down to Earth explanations and great information….. That’s the things that are usually missing from most of what comes out of the mouths of so-called weather/news people….. Do they think we’re too stupid to understand or do they not understand and are just reading “copy” that is furnished to them?…….
November 15th, 2013 at 6:36 pm
Well, newscasters aren’t exactly scientists. Lots of the weather people have legitimate metr/atmo degrees but are surprisingly clueless about climate issues.
November 15th, 2013 at 7:27 pm
I guess my biggest gripe is that they act like whatever they forecast is set in stone….. They just won’t admit, to the slightest degree, that it’s really, really hard to predict the unpredictable….. I mean, I know it’s a hard, complicated procedure and I respect and am in awe that they even get close to what’s on the horizon, but, I guess it’s expected that they don’t waver in their delivery of a forecast….. We live in a funny world…..
November 18th, 2013 at 10:19 am
I don’t really know the OKC broadcast meteorologist landscape anymore (other than Mike Morgan’s “everybody onto the interstate to find shelter!” malpractice last spring), but good ones will usually express the appropriate level of uncertainty. The problem is that this approach, while scientifically sound, makes them look less macho. They’re at least partially in the entertainment business.
FWIW, the tornado outbreak yesterday was exceedingly well forecast.
November 18th, 2013 at 10:40 am
We seem to have acquired a lot of new, younger weather people, and you are right….. They seem to be a lot less arrogant than Mr. Mike “Dress in Layer’s” Morgan….. You do know that David Paine moved to Channel 9 as the head Honcho, replacing Gary England?….. He’s still the super-excitable person is always was….. He is definitely entertaining (Ha!)….. I know it’s an unpredictable vocation and I’m glad we have one of the best in our MR Community….. Keep the updates coming – Please and Thank you, HS……