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Toledo Talk   (musing about Lake Erie West and beyond)
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NEWS- meteorologist do not predict accurate weather!!!!!

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM looks like as of right now we're getting that snow storm warning...which we were on last night until 11 am this morning. My friends all woke up this morning expecting a HUGE amount of snow to have passed and it was nothing except some wetness left from the over night rain.

Man, I tell ya, someones doing a great job at making people worry horrible storms are coming...
as brad fanning says:

I know this

In summer, its hot..
In winter, its cold and it snows.

created by stooks on Jan 01, 2008 at 05:19:24 pm     Comments: 15

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Comments ... #

Some residents a little to the north got a lot more snow than what was forecast. Instead of 6 to 8 inches of snow, they got 12 to 16 inches.

posted by jr on Jan 01, 2008 at 06:12:15 pm     #



Well, I will give props to Stan on 13. He was saying 1-3" when everyone else was freaking out about 9" or better. Remember when Frank Venner's "super doppler radar" consisted of using a wax pencil on a piece of glass etched with a picture of the US on it?

posted by justareviewer on Jan 01, 2008 at 06:12:21 pm     #



I liked the doppler radar from "King of the Hill" better. They just wrote "RADAR" on the air conditioning unit on the roof.

Hey, it's more accurate than Blizzard Bill. :)

posted by TheTalentedMrC on Jan 01, 2008 at 07:44:33 pm     #



Any one remember "WKRP Cincinnati" and Less Nessman's Eye Witness Weather? He looked out the window, then reported.

posted by holland on Jan 01, 2008 at 08:49:01 pm     #



Everyone should worry less about the weather and go see Juno.

posted by Ryan on Jan 01, 2008 at 09:54:31 pm     #



Dryslotting sucks and it is hard to predict where it will go. That is what got the Toledo area. People can whine about it all they want, but they are also the ones who would stand no chance of getting through the first year of the meteorology programs at either Penn State or Oklahoma.

posted by JustaSooner on Jan 01, 2008 at 09:56:00 pm     #



Experts are never wrong, the x number of times to the contrary throughout recent human history aside.

Why pay attention to the weather reports at all? It should all be a pleasant surprise as long as its not a Red Dawn.

When the weathers nice, go out and enjoy it. When the weathers bad, go out and enjoy it.

posted by charlatan on Jan 02, 2008 at 01:53:11 am     #



When in doubt, consult your nearest Native American ;)

posted by djimpelr on Jan 02, 2008 at 07:19:01 am     #



Maybe we should call Al Gore, he can predict the weather a hundred years out!

posted by CharlieA-Z on Jan 02, 2008 at 12:01:03 pm     #



JustaSooner - I'm OK with that - IF - the local meterologists would put disclaimers and probabiities with their forecasts. I don't recall hearing any of them say "We might get a dry slot so ya never really know."! There are serious ecomomic consequences to some businesses due to wildly innacurate weather forecasting. I wonder how many restaurants and bars lost money New Years Eve because folks decided not to risk going out? They forecast it as an absolute. And every one of them has some better than the other guy super duper doppler stuff that says get it here folks. We've got it right.

posted by holland on Jan 02, 2008 at 02:06:37 pm     #



It's a 70 percent chance your local forecaster is correct. They generally use probabilities for precipitation, don't they?

Actually maybe they keep statistics on how accurate weather peeps are somewhere.

posted by charlatan on Jan 02, 2008 at 05:14:26 pm     #



I can't speak for all,but the resturant and bar me and a few friends went to were PACKED. We had to wait 25 min for a table at the resturant.

posted by camaroman2125 on Jan 02, 2008 at 05:59:34 pm     #



Hello, Blizzardbill here. Had to put in my 2 cents. I was 400 miles away on vacation at a bed and breakfast in Whitefish Point, near Lake Superior. The National Weather Service issued Watches, then warnings very quickly, for good reason. This was a surprise storm that appeared with only 24 hours notice to holiday travelers. With all major storms, winter or summer we have a fine line from a hit to a BUST. I didn't see what everybody said about the storm since I was so far away, my phone started ringing off the hook at 4AM with reports of a storm on the way. I looked at all the computer models that early morning and on my special radio updates I did pass along the NWS forecast and my forecast that the storm could wiggle North, if it did, much less snow would fall over Ohio,with a dry slot, with more snow over Michigan. I also urged Nobody cancel New Years Eve plans, just be aware that if the storm maintained it's track, it would get nasty well after midnight, not early but late.Never drink and drive, but when the weather gets icy, like it was New Years night with snow and ice, be 100% alert to road conditions. Yes, the heavy snow, over 8 - 12 inches, missed our area by just 50 - 70 miles. It could have gone the other way, forecast 1 inch of snow, and we get blasted. So goes the world of weather forecasting.Toledo has very good TV Meteorologist, yes, we will miss some, yes storms will turn at the last minute, but I know most of my fellow TV Meteorologist are good hard working forecasters and we all take pride in our product we produce for the public. No excuse, the storm turned at the last minute, and it will happen again. Mother nature will always show us, She's the boss.The inning is lost, the quarter is over, but the game still goes continues. On to mother natures next event. Thanks, Blizzardbill Spencer

posted by Blizzardbill on Jan 02, 2008 at 10:29:28 pm     #



Well, Bilzzardbill, since you put it that way, I'll accept this forecasting event as a little reminder that it's really Mother Nature who's calling the shots. Nice of you to drop by.

posted by holland on Jan 02, 2008 at 11:16:26 pm     #



Welcome, Blizzard Bill. Thanks for the explanation and I hope that you had an enjoyable break.

What I don't understand is the panic that 1" of snow incites - in Ohio - in the winter. I grew up in the snowbelt - this is nothing!

posted by MaumeeMom on Jan 02, 2008 at 11:35:58 pm     #