I grew up in Michigan where snow storms and blizzards came with the territory. The meteorologist would take the last 3 minutes of the local news to give his/her best guess about the impending weather. Adults would watch and go about their business. Children would turn on the radio each morning to pray that their school would be canceled so they could all go outside and have some real fun in the snow. Those were some of my best memories growing up.
In the year 2000, my wife and I moved to North Carolina, and our running joke was the absolute fear that the meteorologists would put in people if the slightest hint of snow was forecasted. Weather wasn’t just reserved for meteorologists – it was the lead story. Apparently people needed to be reminded to stock up on food and water… grown adults needed constant reminders about how to drive in the snow… how to dress for the cold. Schools would be cancelled the night before a storm based on the possibility of snow. Newscasters practically begged people to stay off the roads and to watch out for the ever-present and dangerous “black ice.” We just couldn’t understand what the big deal was about. It’s snow – slow down, pump your breaks and don’t use your cruise control. Besides, if you wait 24 hours, it will surely melt.
I understood that most Carolinans only saw snow once or twice a year. The city/state did not have the equipment to deal with snow and people were not all that used to driving in the snow. I get it. I make fun of it, but I get it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt_IP93B2QE (this is a good example)
In 2006 we moved back to Michigan. Ahh, the normalcy of weekly snow storms. Except…it felt like the meteorologists and newscasters had taken bad acting classes from their friends in the south. A snow storm was no longer just a snow storm, it was an opportunity to scare the crap out of people. The lessons on driving, hypothermia, layering, emergency kits and pet care became the norm. They interviewed police and got the latest from government workers. The meteorologists began taking 5 minutes to tease you about the forecast and another 8 minutes to deliver the forecast. They have Super-Doppler’s and other make-believe gadgets to make worse predictions than the next channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktSMZVrrVd4 (I think all meteorologists sound like this now)
Author’s Perspective: Yes, I am having fun with this. Still, I must ask the question, why do local stations feel the need to hype a storm that produces 5 inches of snow for 5 days? Do local stations see snow fall as a way to get ratings? Does the local news feel the public is so dumb or incapable of taking care of themselves that they feel this need to re-educate the public every time the snow falls? As a society, did we collectively lose our common sense? Do we all need to be taken care of? Isn’t this the role of moms and dads to give these speeches and deliver these life-lessons?
To me it all seems ridiculous. I don’t need meteorologists to editorialize and over-hype. Just tell me what the weather was today and give me your best guess about the next 24-48 hours. I will then do my part – use good-judgment and common sense about the realities of the weather.
Your Turn:
1) I understand that most of you are young, but do you understand what I am talking about? Adults, can you see this difference in the forecast? Am I over-reacting?
2) If you agree that there is a change in the way that the weather is delivered, why do you think it has changed? Do we, as a society, need to be taken care of us like this?
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I just found this website.
Yes what you are describing is happening all across America.
Our local “meteorologist” (weather man) is part stand up comedian, part pretty boy, part news reporter, that does a great job of hyping up everything, but mostly the weather.
It’s in the news everywhere now, normal weather, and normal winter storms that we have been getting since man settled this country are now so hyped up, and made to be some sort of new extreme event that has happened….and there is the climate change people (idiots) that blame any weather event that is normal as the fault of climate change and therefor we MUST fix our climate or we are all going to suffer from more and more “extreme” weather events.
climate change scientists are far from idiots but uneducated people blaming normal storms on climate change is idiotic i agree.
I say idiots because many of these “climate change scientists” that you are talking about do hype it up, and do their level best to pay homage to their new found religion of climate change/global warming. They love it here in the west because of the last drought we had. Drought is completely normal in the west yet they make it sound like it’s climate change. Don’t get me started with their extreme hype about El Nino either. Way over half the time they are wrong about that also.
I agree with you, I also grew up in Ohio in the 60s and 70s.
And those school buses would come down the road in two feet of snow! Dad would shovel out the driveway and head to work in a beat up ole Chevy bald tires and all and not think twice about it! Today we get an inch of snow, and they shut down the whole city! What a world!
Its over the top over hype on the weather here in michigan.pople know how to deal with snow.they still drive fast through it just the same.
it’s you that’s the idiot if you don’t believe our climate is changing. ignore all the absolute proof you want, makes no difference. it’s changing whether you believe it or not.
He’s not saying climate change isn’t a thing. He’s saying to claim every weather event is the result of it is silly. Southern California has always been a desert. They have a drought and people are like “see? It’s climate change!” When it’s really just a desert being a desert. That kind of thing is what makes people skeptical of it.
Exactly. Thank you!
It’s all about the hype! The climate is and always has changed, sometimes rather severely. It’s this strange religion that it has become, fueled by supposed smart people that bothers me.
I’ve lived in California all my life and we have the worst overly hyped weather reporting. Normal dry periods are now a sure sign of climate change. That is absurd.
I call them idiots because they do their best to push fear of normal weather events down our throats!
Climate change has been with Mother Earth since day one. There is no such thing as absolute proof
Climate Change is impossible! Weather is either modified and historically weaponized — using Chinese technology…for military events plus modified weather scares people into believing we must eliminate carbons etc. It is a total hoax that blows homes off maps thus major reconstruction projects abound to create wealth and mega jobs.
I agree 100 percent
I don’t know why people can’t believe what’s in front of their faces.
Example,,,,,,,
When I was a child in the 60s and 70s Halloween time it was getting pretty
Cold and I lived in Fl.
Now it’s hot in October and part of November.
Also tell the Polar Bears there is no global warming 😂
I grew up in a state next to South Carolina and its exactly the same there. One patch of ice every 5 miles and school is shut down for 3 days. I actually like it because the bimbos are huddled in their homes, shivering while the roads, stores, and restaurants are clear. No lines, no crowds, no traffic.
You pretty much nailed it! Growing up in Ohio in the 50s and 60s I can relate to much of what you said, we would get the weather at the end of the newscast and we could believe the weatherman! It is an absolute circus nowadays, you can’t even get the damn forecast half the time! They will show ducks swimming in a pond in the summer or ice on a tree in the winter and elaborate on the circumstances that caused this phenomenon! JUST gimme me the damn Forecast you idiots!!! Where the hell are these people from? South Florida?
I agree with you, I also grew up in Ohio in the 60s and 70s.
And those school buses would come down the road in two feet of snow! Dad would shovel out the driveway and head to work in a beat up ole Chevy bald tires and all and not think twice about it! Today we get an inch of snow, and they shut down the whole city! What a world!
Amen, AMEN and AMEN!!!! Have you ever tracked the 15 day forecast found on the weather channel for the next 15 days to see how accurate these “Hypers” really are? They do not get it right even 50% of the time….so much for their super computers….they RARELY get it right even 48 hours into the future much less 15 days. It is indeed all about ratings….they think if they can keep you glued to the screen because of their hype, then their sponsors will be able to convince you via repetitive bombardment to buy the baubles and trinkets they are hawking…and these clowns (sorry, “meteorologists”) know this is in their best interest (i.e., the sponsors payments for air time pay their salaries)…..sooooooooo pathetic!….the ones from who I get the biggest waves of nausea are those over-the-top-filled-with-themselves people like Jim Cantore or Stephanie Abrams….anymore, when the weather guy or gal comes on, I mute it. News flash, people…….you do not control the weather….God does. He always has and He always will and He sits in heaven today and laughs you to scorn!
So glad you and others see a problem with weather forecasters. I live on the gulf coast and we can’t have a thunderstorm without it possibly turning into a hurricane, according to the weather people and they hype it for all it’s worth. Tropical storms now have names and I have found that people up north think since it was named that we had a hurricane when we did not. Just a thunder storm and lots of rain as we usually have down here. Yeah we get the occasional hurricane and that is expected too, but not every storm is a hurricane. And now thanks to them changing things just about every storm gets a name. Talk about scary talk from the weather person, you should hear them down here.
How. True. Nanny liberals are everywhere. You better slow down in the storm young man, and you better wipe your butt with two sheets of toilet paper.
Reminds me of high school. These morons permeated our world. They need add money coming in — so the hype the storm: Omg … a tree fell down on the corner of 5th and Broad. And there was a cat in the tree. The cat is fine, don’t worry, you can donate to humane society if you feel the need. Because these poor critters are freezing underneath all that fur. The storm will be bringing wet rain and wind that may effect your environment. The water contains acid so don’t allow any on your person or you may die. But if you do die — please do it in a dramatic place so we. can come film you. The storm will be here in a few days … so we must tell you to cover your lawn mower and bring in the plants because you are so stupid. Now it gets dark at night … so be very mindful of that. Accidents happen at night. Night time is for the very brave.
Weathermen (and women) have become local economies’ worst enemy. They try to frighten everyone into believing if they don’t follow their instructions and stay home they will be liable for any accidents, injuries or deaths that may occur. Businesses are afraid to conduct normal hours as a result of the hype. The entire state of North Carolina was warned of the ever present danger looming because of hurricane Florence. Sure many coastal towns were exposed to heavy flooding. But cities 200 and 300 miles from the storm or rolling up the carpets and closing the doors. In central North Carolina we had a third of the rain that we had two weeks ago when there were no warnings. The fact that there was a named storm created more hype than I’ve ever seen. A category one should not have received the amount of press and over-hype that it did. I stayed in my home in Jacksonville and sat through a category 5 A couple of years ago and felt safe. We had no damage and the only negative was a power outage for a couple of hours. I have decided to stop watching the weather so closely. I believe these guys have taken advantage of the opportunity for the last time. People will begin to discredit the weather forecast when they see so much hype for so little reason. I watched a weather forecaster yesterday who had her raincoat cinched around her face attempting to protect herself from the elements and describing the horrible conditions in the area while the cameraman accidentally picked up a family with T-shirts and shorts walking in the background on the beach. I also saw a forecaster with the most dramatic acting I’ve seen yet describing an awning that have fallen on a storefront on the opposite side of the street and her hype so dramatic you could see the veins in her neck as she screamed her story and how she would not consider crossing the street where it was so dangerous “over there where an awning had fallen. It once ridiculous that she seem to feel so safe 20 feet away on the other side of the street but not on the side for the awning had fallen. Who could have respect for this type of forecasting. I would love to visit the drama training class where they prepare these people to hype up the weather on TV. ALL A BUNCH OF ACTORS! It just seems beyond ridiculous. Do they understand how this affects families income when they scare the public unnecessarily and businesses close for days?
I see exactly what you and it is infuriating. Case in point: Hurricane Florence. After listening to the media circus about it on CBS 17 which provided 24/7 coverage on the storm, my husband and I decided to evacuate Central North Carolina and head north to Virginia.
All we heard about from their meteorology team and that of WRAL is that this is a life-threatening storm which will down you, knock trees on you, steal money from your bank account, eat your firstborn, and give you a bad haircut. Okay, I’m exaggerating but they made it seem like the Armageddon of weather had arrived, and it worked because we were concerned about flooding where we live though it had never happened before.
After a series of subsequent stupid bad decisions that my husband made related to the storm because he wanted to listen to his friends instead of his wife (still currently pissed off at him ?) I decided to sit down and do some research.
First, I reached out to friends and family members who had not evacuated to find out what the weather was really doing back home and they all said that it was drizzling on and off but life was carrying on like normal. Second, I pulled up FEMA’s flood layer map and found that our apartment was in an area of minimal risk, so there actually was no reason for us to evacuate to avoid flooding although it was still technically possible. Third, I researched if it’s possible that meteorologists are just hyping up the weather and why they would callously play on people’s fears,which lead my here.
Several websites said that metrologist practically have a professional oath to hone in their imner actor when delivering the news to keep viewers tuned in so they can make money on the sponsors. That must be why I was expecting a second worldwide deluge after viewing so much of CBS 17’s weather forecasts.
The question is where do I get the truth about the weather? Sometimes people do need to evacuate an area when extreme weather is expected like those living on the coast of NC and SC, head to the basement for tornados, or grab the survival kit (which actually is a good idea to have anyway), but is it possible that most times we just need to keep trees away from the home, avoid living in flood zones, and stay indoors? How can I get the truth about the weather forecast without all of the Weather Channel hype? How am I supposed to make informed decisions about steps I need to take if every event is the world War III of weather? How can I kick my husband’s butt without sacrificing the integrity of my shoe? I’m still researching the answer to these questions but I think that empowering oneself with knowledge is the best thing that we can do so that we are not taken on an emotional and monetary ride on the forecast machine.
Weather is not the only thing that is being hyped. Our society is thriving on extremes. We appear to be addicted to making everything the ultimate experience.
In NY this weekend we ate getting snowstorm pretty much like we always do in winter. Governor is banning semis on TWAY, shutting down Amtrak service urging people to prepare, stay home and stay off roads. Churches are canceling services! And more…
Snowfall events of 15-24 inches have been regular events for last 50 years. But now, a 6 to 12 inch event is billed as a major problem.
I agree with all of you. I’m in Chicago and the forecasters come across like it’s never been cold or snowy here. We just had a “major snowstorm” that dumped a whole 8 inches. Now they’re calling for another one next week where the totals are “frightening.” My phone constantly going off with alerts…media telling us not to go out unless we have to…grocery stores and crammed with people loading up with carts of food like we’re never going to get outside again. Add to that the “Arctic Blast” that’s coming. And the ridiculous teasers they use so we stay tuned…”Snow. It’s coming…how much? Will we all die? Stay tuned.” It’s insane. If we had the risk of actually dying, why are you waiting 10 minutes to let me know? Most of the time I turn off the tv, turn off my alerts and look out the window.
Completely agree. Local news station meteorologists turn on the hype for money from sponsors and ratings. When they scare everyone into constantly checking the weather on their channel or web site, they cash in in the long run. Seriously, where can we get the truth about anything anymore? I am interested in a new idea of membership-based news so that the news is completely free of influence from sponsors. Let’s see how The Correspondent does with this idea in the next few years. Maybe some truly unbiased, sponsor/rating-free reporting might actually occur.
Hype is necessary in order to create the need for new taxes from your pay in order to ” fight ” climate change. Just a little bit more brain washing …
Bingo!
Although founded in 1980 by reknowned meteorologists, the weather channel has been bought out repeatedly by entertainment conglomerates. Each successive purchase has degraded the quality of actual reporting and forecasting and upped the drama factor for $$. Established and respected meteorologists have been replaced with (mostly) semi-literate camera fodder, cleavage and embarrassing acting.
The newest owner is the comedian Byron Allen. That should really help the credibility!
Bingo:
The reporting on Hurricane Dorian proves your point!
A small part of the Bahamas suffered some very bad damage from this storm, but the over-hyping about the “potential” disaster in the USA was nothing more than man-made global warming alarmist propaganda. The storm was much too far away when the hysteria started for anybody to know where or when it would actually hit the USA, or even if it would ever hit the USA at all!
Virtually all weather-related activity now serves as fodder for proselyting by the church of the Great Green Hoax! And of course they propose a solution that is always the same regardless of whether it is snow and ice, drought, or hurricanes: more taxes and regulations, less freedom.
Meteorology is the most inaccurate of all of the “sciences”.
If Chemistry and Physics were this inaccurate, we would probably be extinct as a species.
the 1st 15 days of November 2019 has been the coldest in recorded Milwaukee Wisconsin history.
Therefore we have received 4 snow falls of over 1″ (each one of them record amount of snow for that day).
But they are already over hyping the amount of snow. All 4 snow falls have been at the very bottom of the range of snow predicted. Then this past Thursday they predicted 1-3 inches of snow Sunday afternoon. Well it turned out the the low temperature for the day was 33 degrees, which meant all we got was rain.
In fact the snow that was on the ground, pretty much all melted.
Here in Milwaukee WI whenever I see a snow forecast I assume we’ll get the bottom number (3″- 6″ forecast we’ll usually get 3″ of snow).
Plus it is true here the news people assume we don’t know it will be very cold and what to do (wear) if the forecast is for a high of zero degrees.
I’ve stopped listening to the weather (and pretty much all news on the TV) since before Thanksgiving of this year. I’m so tired of every raindrop being a flood, every snowflake a snowstorm and every time it gets into the teens, it’s a “Polar Vortex.” It’s Chicago. Give me a break. Forecasts when I was a kid were basic. Here it is…done. Now it’s “you’re pipes are going to break, your furnace won’t run, your car battery will die, your roof will leak, you will die, etc.” Drama, drama, drama. Granted, all of those things are possible, but they’ve always been possible. When we have a rainstorm it cracks me up with the weatherperson tells us not to take shower because the sewer system will overflow. Seriously? It’s all about keeping us tuned in and about ratings.
Well-said! By coincidence, I am seeing this four years to the day after you had posted this.
Wesh2 on a fine saturday morning on jan. 11.2020
The meteorologist had either too much coffee or he’s trying for a promotion.
He is pumped, nothing special about the weather, it might rain (10%), why the hype?
I just dont see the reason why they are so enthusiastic?
Ooooh yes! I’m 83 years old, when I watch weather reporters, makes no difference, local,national, always makes me laugh! So funny,actually. They must believe we, the viewers are imbecils. Anyway starts my day with humor.
It is even worse in Canada the weather broadcasters alarm over metric value as if 12 centimetres of snow was the equivalent of 12 inches of snow where in fact 12 centimetres is equivalent to approximately 5 inches of snow.
The same goes for Celsius vs Fahrenheit temperatures, where Celsius temperatures appear cold by numeric values than Fahrenheit until it gets to minus forty where the numeric values for the temperature are the same.
I agree. My theory is that these “meteorologists” could not hack it as real reporters but nevertheless have such a deep, and pathetic, craving for attention that in order to get it they would resort to embellishing and overhyping just so they get heard. In this vein, I propose their networks come down really hard on them. If they are found to be engaging, or even to have engaged, in this disgusting “gratuitous hamming,” they should be FIRED IMMEDIATELY – and if they do it again – BANNED from the industry!! We don’t need their senseless “look at me, listen to me” drama!!
I agree completely! I would add that they should be forced to stand out in the storm they are blabbing about. If the storm never comes, they are out there demonstrating their ignorance and deceitfulness. If the storm does come, well can all watch them struggle with it! Either way this should curb their “bragging” about and “hamming up” the storms!! HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AS THE D*BAGS THEY ARE!!!!
We’re supposed to get 5-8 inches of snow, but maybe as many as 10 inches, where I am at in Ohio today. As Best as I can tell from the news reports, we have never had snow before and this will be deadly. Now can someone please remind me if we are at war with Eastasia or Eurasia.
I agree! I have been so frustrated by the hyped up weather reports here in southern Ohio. I do think it is for the ratings but I also think we have dumbed down the expectations of society to do their due diligence and to use their (not so common) sense.
I can remember the “good old days” as you wrote about. I was that kid praying for a snow day and grumbling when, an hour later, I was bundled into a snow suit and sent trudging through several inches of snow to get to school as normal. My parents were the ones who reminded me to bundle up and to wear my scarf and gloves.
Now, they have reporter standing on the side of the road discussing the dreaded black ice and counting the number of brave snow plows driving by in preparation of doom! They seem to be pleading with citizens to load up their pantries, lock themselves in and to pray for a speedy death! I am quite sick of it!
Just last week, we were supposed to get 10 to 12 inches of snow. Six hours before snow fell, the reporter was interviewing people that were coming and going from a local grocery store. They were asking them what kind of things they were buying and insinuating that they weren’t getting enough or were getting the wrong kind of food for the snow apocalypse that was coming. It was all about scaring people into thinking that the storm would be one for the record books.
One poor schmuck was assigned to report on the quality of the snow dusting that had fallen and to discuss the hidden dangers of this type of snow. I think my eyes rolled right out of my head.
Not surprisingly, we only got 3 to 4 inches of snow instead of the expected 10-12, but the shelves of the store were cleared out and salt and shovels sold out for the season.
My husband and I jokingly said that owner of the news outlet must also own a few grocery stores and hardware stores.
The weather channel is the worst propaganda machine. They cannot predict one day of weather but they will sure as hell tell you that he’ll has co.e to earth in the form of climate change. If there is so much change why can they get their one job right???? Stop being social justice RETARDS and do the one job weather requires or we will name.weather channel Nancy PELOSI. Bitch can’t handle one job (1job) that’s ONE JOB!!!!!!
Weather Channel meteorologists’ behavior has changed over the decades. In particular I’m stunned by the use of language reminiscent of teenagers. I’ve noticed that, in just a few years, speech patterns have morphed from somewhat “familiar-professional” to elementary schoolteacher. Unless they’re reading off script, in free conversations we hear them say “right?” at what seems to be once every few minutes. I would expect juvenile speech from certain meteorologists known for a BIG personality, but now nearly all TWC meteorologists seem hopelessly doomed to continue this behavior; apparently it’s okay with TWC management, since it’s only getting worse.
It is very unfortunate that local weather casters seem to want to get ratings because they just can’t tell whether, they feel their jobs are in jeopardy because if they don’t hype the weather then they won’t have a job. Whether is interesting but they should not try to scare people into watching a breaking weather report someone as the article says needs to talk to head Forecasters and the leadership of these TV stations. We don’t need it people are not dumb I also find most meteorologists aren’t even from the city therefore casting from so therefore they do not understand the normal weather patterns of the seasons.
Lifetime Florida resident 43 years we’ve had a few big ones that left us without power and tore up the coastline but for the most part we know what to do. If there is a tropical storm or hurricane I don’t even check the weather. I can look outside and see its windy and rainy. If I get an evacuation order I might take up but we are secure and high and dry. I don’t have the cash to make a run for the border or to the store everytime a weatherproof hits the panic button.
Meanwhile in San Diego its wall to wall coverage when it rains. The hype on when it rains in SD is ridiculously. It’s like they act like we haven’t seen rain in 8 years despite being on a drought but you get me, yeah?! Like seriously do stations really need to have 6 reporters out on the field on the rain throughout the county. And most of the time it’s barely if not raining on their live shot. 9 times out of 10 it’s Sunny Sunny Sunny with heat advisory here & there. When I was living in KC the CBS weather lady at the time was known for her overly dramatic forecast on snow storms & blizzards. You would of thought it was a scene from the film Twister on the weather person giving the forecast.🙄🤭
I’m just sick to death of it. In Florida, the weather folks literally go crazy and start salivating at the mere mention of a tropical storm so far away as to be ridiculous as to know what it’s “path” is going to be, but that doesn’t stop them from making everyone hysterical. It goes on until whatever they forecasted never happens, and you won’t get any “gee, I guess I was wrong” from any of them. When I worked for the Government, our performance was based on surveys of how well we actually performed, past performance it is called. Why don’t the weather forecasters have to be graded on their past performance. Sorry, the fact that we all know they really can’t forecast the weather should stop some of the BS we are constantly fed. I’ve canceled SO many events because I actually believed the weather forecasters, I can’t even count them anymore.
They do it here as well. A couple hours of a thunderstorm rolls though, and you would think it was the apocalypse. My kids are terrified at the same weather patterns we use to grab popcorn and watch scary movies in. Its really sad, and many of you nailed it- Its ALL to sell the lie about climate change.
My biggest pet peeves with the local TV weather broadcasts, besides the overhype about every damn rainstorm, (it’s just RAIN people!) are those endless flashes of complicated looking graphics or maps that have hundreds of numbers and undefined colors, times, dates, high and low temperatures and locations and graphs (usually with print so small on the graph axis, nobody could read them with a 10-foot wide HD screen anyway!) Worse, some are only shown for milliseconds! Or, if they are shown for much longer, the idiot doing the weather STANDS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE GRAPHIC frantically waving his arms and dancing around so you can’t see it all anyway!! Honestly, since every weather idiot is obviously trained to do this, the idea must be to enrage the viewer into protesting directly to the station’s management so the brass can find out how many people are actually trying to watch this nonsense!
As the result, I only get my news and weather from the radio, at the top of each hour…much less nonsense, no “dancing two finger pointing at the bleeding obvious” and always to-the-point!
On one of our Phila. tv stations, we have a lady meteorologist, over 50, (very pretty from a respectful distance) wears scads of makeup and often dresses in such short skirts and painted on eye makeup, that she looks like an Anime character.
She has to do this to get ratings.
After she hypes an 8-12″ snow storm that never materializes, her favorite line is,
“It hit the [Appalachian] mountains and went north.”
If I ran a television station I would sell the weather chopper and disband the weather dept and stop the shopping portion of the news. You want weather? Look out the window.
You said it yourself. Its all about ratings and clickbait on social media. People are intrigued by extremes. Nothing more to analyze
I come from Massachusetts and I remember the Blizzard of 78 and two other Blizzards in 69. Not even then did they have four or more people constantly scaring the crap out of the people about the snowstorms on the news. The supermarket yesterday was like a heard of elephants running around the people were so scared. They should bring a stop to what these people are doing on the tv news channels.
I have lived in Northern NY, (not Upstate, Northern, like next to Canada) all my life. Driven in white out condition more times than I can count, survived a few ice storms, lost power for weeks. Yea we survived. Well except for the few that thought bringing your bbq or generator in the house was a good idea :(. I taught my boys to drive in the white stuff and I have been in the ditch a few times. My two boys live out of state and I always get an email about how everyone around them are all freaked out because they are under a winter weather advisory, watch or warning. Yea, you are from Northern NY if…….But now if we are forecast to get more than a couple inches everyone freaks the heck out. That all being said, I know this original post is a few years old but yea I totally agree. Meteorologist and their weather channels need to tone back the hype. It’s snow people. It’s frozen water/rain. Not a tornado. Here’s a thought, instead of getting your kids the latest video game for Christmas what about a pair of skates, ski’s, warm weather clothing.
They are assholes. If you did this in any other job you would be fired. Sick of it!
I was just thinking the very same thing.. I live North of Syracuse NY and we are getting 5-10 inches of snow … when we were kids that’s wasn’t enough to close schools now they close everything and want everyone off the roads or if you do go out make sure your dressed and have food for days… I drive slower and what normally take me 1/2 an hour takes me an hour when weather is bad
I live in a hilly area, it’s just not safe to go out unless you have a truck. I stay home because I can, some people still have to go to work.
We already know weather is we’re looking at it so we can’t go outside and they decide to take off all the shows that are on TV to tell us what we already know you only need one station,please.
The biggest hoax in process as we are sold the impossible “Climatic Change”! To change climate it would require crashing into another planet for starters! Weather is not ” climate”!
I’ll be brief… I agree. I have lived in North Carolina since the mid 60’s. My wife and I love to laugh at the weather “comedians” during the 3” winter blizzard. Let’s not forget the evening news readers’ words of caution to the people that don’t have power for days on end to watch their informative hot air. And last but not least, the geeks with rulers showing how deep the 3” of snow actually is ( or the 5” drift next to a building); and how deep water can be, after a hurricane, before it recedes. (We’ll discuss the strong winds blowing the drama king backward another time.)
Thanks,
Paul
local newspeople are idiots. they will do anything to impress the management. corporate managers don’t want truth they want panic.
totally agree, i think they raise their advertising price on the spot, hey Bill this storm will get many more people watching so give me 2 million for rain x wiper ads
I agree with you completely. I just told my wife, look at the weather forecaster now, he took off his jacket as the hurricane approaches the beach and his speech has speeded up to match the wind speed. Next time we see him his sleeves are rolled up. All of a sudden we see 4 weather persons working together standing in different locations in the city. Some standing knee deep in water others bent over blowing in the wind. It’s almost like watching Saturday Night Live.
much like the newsreaders get hyper over a shooting, a car accident and as seen over the last 10 years of not investigating political lies just repeating them. i suspect communication schools no longer teach the who, what why and wear as well as 2 sources so the hype also goes to weather . I’m from the philly area we occasionally got storm that shut roads for a day or two extremely rare more than that but storm coming from west of the great lakes which dumps snow on western pa up to ny state but very rare to philly or south jersey but that never stopped the doomsday media. dad an i were in bread business and it wipes out stores and disrupts sales for a week after. sure other products the same. now said people should keep some extra stocks in for winter, or summer in hurricane areas first in first out case of purifid water a box milk can goods but not tons just extra week . btw i went throw unscathed thankfully from ian
I agree whole heartedly. Just like covid this is just an example of the media working lock step with the one world government to exercise control over mindless 🐑.
I like your article. I grew up in eastern Pa and we also had no fear of a bad storm. One winter in the late 1940’s we were cut off for over a week with out electricity and the oil burner furnace could convert to wood in a few minutes. After a week my father and the rest of the farm sent men and they dug us out by hand. Us kids had a ball, the drifts were over my fathers head. Good times. Miss them.
Absolutely not .. i am not glued to the tube , and when the weather report was 30 below and 50 mph wind it get my attention .then I discover the temp is only 4° to 12° . While I explain to my wife that 30 below is not the actual temp and she insisted we may freeze to death if we don’t close off all the spare rooms and it very difficult …
The media is funded by the government. Sensationalized weather is a ploy to scare society and to stimulate the economy. Go to the grocery store the day after a “winter storm” forecast and you’ll understand. Gas, groceries, and snow removal items that rarely get used are being purchased in bulk. And if the storm gets “a name” look out!!
Fear is a good selling tool throughout the economy. It made IT consulting companies billions in the waining months before the arrival of the year 2,000. Therefore,it makes me wonder what value accrues to the weather forcaster who frightens the most watchers with overhyping storm severity
My thot as to why weather people overhype on snow is because they get little attention otherwise and take time to shine while they can……poor people I really pity them……they are so needy of attention😭 like when they stand out and horrific wind blowing all over the place looking like they’re going to fall down in a second it’s so they can get some attention I know we all think it’s stupid why are they standing out there like that but what else do they have to do …….so sad so sad that they are so needy…….of attention😭
Today in Indy, we had a Winter Storm Warning that was issued 2 days ago for the big storm today. The “storm” that was forecast to produce 6 to 9 inches with strong winds is just about done and all we got was 2 inches of slushy snow. The same type of overhype was done for the “storm” a few weeks back, and has been a common thing for years now.
I’m 47, and these storms would have just been called snow when I was in school. No snow days would have been given. As long as the superintendent of my old school was able to get to office, school was going to happen.
Unfortunately this over forecasting has created a “cry wolf” situation which makes people not take action when it’s actually required.
Good synopsis of this silliness.
I grew up in central Illinois. Sometimes school would stay “on” but only “city kids” were expected to make it. Of course the algebra teacher, Ms. B, wasn’t gonna make it –she lived in the boonies. WHOA–she drove a tractor in!!
BINGO! I was in Chapel Hill NC in Jan. 2005. Light snow started falling around noon. Everybody FREkAKEED OUWUT! Schools and businesses closed in early afternoon, with huge traffic jams as they all left at once, and the snow packed (temp in 20s) to very slick going. Traffic pretty much stopped.
Some had to go to shelters. The coverage was super-intense and silly!
Magically, around 8pm, they forgot the snow crisis and went to UNC basketball.
A couple of weeks later, there was a prediction of snow on a Saturday, and all sorts of events were cancelled.
Another new trend:
“x” million Americans in the path of a horrible, hideous, lethal weather situation.
For most, if they stay indoors or wear appropriate gear, they’ll be fine. Loss of power goes with the “territory”, but adults often plan ahead, WITHOUT guidance from a “weather presenter.”
For nostalgic weather fun, check out Steve Martin’s role in “L.A. Stories”, or Nicholas Cage as “The Weatherman” (a tough gig in Chicago!).
You are very good ar hitting the nail on its head. They Hype everything.
I think that the weather mostly gets hyped so the people rush out like crazy nutbags to stock up and buy a bunch of stuff they probably won’t even need. When that huge storm drops 2 inches at most and you’ve maxed out a credit card. Now my area is expecting 13.5 inches of the white stuff and everywhere I go quoting “have you heard we’re gonna get slammed” and although people are out buying stuff because of storm they seem skeptical about the forecast. I guess it’s just Capitalism at it’s worst.
Probaly the almighty BUCK is behind it to get people in stores I am 64 and grew up in a suburb of Chicago and we use to have regular snow in the 60’s and 70’s this year one 2 incher I notice the meterologists over due it but he flooding in California is real and the snow in the mountains but 70 years ago not as many people lived so high in the mountains of California to be buried by the snow the in the first place, money is behind it to get you into the store to buy things you don’t need I myself have 2 generators I am ready but the power does not go out as much as it use to they upgraded a stepdown transformer station.
M Cast
Last night the weather channel had me under storm warnings for today. 60 % at 10. 98% at 1. Tornado threat !!! Played 27 holes of golf. Mostly sunny. I’m a farmer. Can’t depend on them !!!!
I hate it when I get severe warnings too when there are in fact no storms. It’s just rain! I think meteorologists overhype it a bit too much. They also keep stopping the programming like every five minutes for a little bit of rain. The phone makes that scary noise too. Ungh!
Then they get really angry when people start calling them when they interrupt to report on a storm that’s like hundreds and hundreds of miles away. If it’s not affecting anyone, there’s no need for that. “This is a life threatening storm and we are required by FCC to do this.” Um no you just want to be an attention seeker because a famous show is on.
The really funny part is when they take their coat off and begin to run around flailing their arms and hands over a little bit of rain. Calling their loved ones and getting all hysterical and then say oh never mind, it’s just a little bit of rain. Like duh!
But sometimes when it actually does storm, they laugh amongst the anchors. This is no laughing matter. Weird huh. They get hysterical over a little bit of rain, but when there’s a big storm they sometimes just laugh it off. shrugs
Weather reporting/delivery in Arizona appears this way as if “mother” is talking to a 4th grade demographic. The delivery is insulting and appears directed to those who don’t know how to apporpriately dress themselves or their children for the weather occasion or have a work situation where the demographic is encouraged to, for example, “have lunch on the patio.” BTW, who is even home during the day to do that and to have the job or income luxury to even have a patio unless the demographic is really for the wealthy retired? So many of us are simply trying to survive economically whether working or retired. The overly dramatic and patronizing weather commentary is unnecessary. Also there appears to be a bias where warmer weather is claimed to be “toasty” and cooler weather forcast is “frosty.” Really? It is Arizona. Hot and cold are relative. Just give us the numbers and let us enjoy the weather as it is and make our own informed plans without all that drama talk.
I believe economics and resort living lifestyle retirement realty is driving the delivery. I am a lover of both hot and cold with a working moderate income at retirement age undergoing economic impact/stress to just survive whilst maintaining peace at the same time . Just give me the numbers.
Paul B.
YES!!! We must be totally dependent on government and other “experts” on the media or life, as we know it, would end. You should know this after COVID
I become angry when the meteorologist take credit for a beautiful sunny day when the credit should go to God!
I came here specifically for this topic. I am in the upstate of South Carolina and our local weather guy on the NBC affiliate is an absolute weather nerd.
Oh boy does he love any chance of thunderstorms or extremely hot weather or what the South considers cold weather.. so I guess it’s just like the news itself the doom and gloom.
His predecessor on the same channel I can recall him just delivering the weather very matter of fact No gimmicks no drama just the weather.
This guy feels like he is the only instrument in existence that can interpret the weather to the lay person. Oh and then you get a tornado warning he drives back to the studio undoes his tie rolls up his sleeves and *blanks” off to the radar for the next hour constantly repeating the same thing over and over again.
It’s like hey dude just because this is your passion does it mean it’s anybody else’s.
That is all.
Yes I agree weather is being manipulated, temperatures, storms, etc I look at at The 4 temperature gages in my yard and in the sun and shade, then I listen to the forecast and I see and hear a huge exaggerated hyped up temperature. Example: it was 106° by all my temperature gauges, but the news said it’s 114° total hype BS.
Exactly, here in Ga it’s what I call apocalyptic broadcasting, last summer for hurricane Ian it’s oh we’re all gonna die, the world will get destroyed it’s the end of the world..my work life etc gets turned upside down by over frantic employers…and then what do I get?? A little rain storm…afterwards everyone comes back oh that was so so scary!!!! Sobs…yet my week is ruined over their manic mindsets…
So agree with you. Common sense and logic appear to have flown out the window for most things! I could go on but enough said lol.
I love Winter Snowy cold weather I hate Summer n Heat it’s awful I love the feeling of being cold I breathe better feel better It seems like Meteorologist favor Summer over Winter it makes me angry They should be unbias cause when they insult Winter or cold people get angry cause they love it It makes me wanna call in n complain Some are worse then others .I’m from NJ we been having crappy winters its cold but no Snow Hardy It pisses me off I want some huge storms.But our Summers have been wayyy to hot n humid Which I really hate so much
This thread has somewhat restored my faith in the American peoples intelligence. It’s really angers me that I can’t find a single credible unbiased news source out there. I’m in SC and every time we have a tropical storm within 300 miles there’s a special weather report. These storms even as a category 1 come in as nothing more than a little rain and a few downed trees. The weather reports will spend 10 minutes Interviewing people about a tree that’s fallen in the road. It’s definitely a “boy who cried wolf” scenario. If I ever do have a big storm headed my way I’ll be casually sitting on my house until a tree comes crashing down on me. I think their will honestly be more casualties now than before because no one’s ever going to take the news seriously again.
As I read everyone’s replies it concerns me greatly that there are so many people that still don’t know the truth about the weather. Just Google geoengineering and you will find the truth straight from the government officials themselves and I believe that’s why our local meteorologist can never get the weather right the government and the military are controlling the weather. See the recent now he fires on YouTube not on your local news your local news will never tell you the truth about anything!!!
Its constant exaggeration & fear mongering, im at the point of not listening anymore, just like the agenda pushing news, cant be trusted !
Pineapple expresses, dual storms, super typhoons, super blizzards, super el Niño, etc. etc. This is just a tiny portion of all the fancy terms that they came up with for weather to make it seem like this year’s snowy or rainy season will be special compared to the last few hundred. Completely agree. In Ohio, everybody thinks they’re going to die if they stay out for 5 minutes in 20º weather or if they drive on an inch of snow.
They overhype snowstorms, or even any type of snow, especially the first snow of the season. This is done to create ratings, to grab your attention so that you will watch their news instead of the other stations. If you notice they don’t tell you the important stuff until the end of the forecast, in order to keep you glued to the screen. Not much that I know of can be done about this until we start taking them to court for causing undue panic amongst the public. I live in a place that has varied weather throughout the region, and the forecasters never will give you precise forecasts for specific zones, just so they can’t be called out on it, when they are wrong. For example, if a whole county shaded red for “heavy snow” warning. The forecasters will cover themselves and mention as a caveat that it could also include the edges of the adjoining county. Why in the world can’t they forecast the weather with a “heat map” instead?? or by topography (for lake effect snow), or by watershed boundary(for floods)? Or better yet, by Interstates/side roads/arterial roads. [A weatherman driving down a road tells me that its o.k. for me to drive down a road too]. So bottom line is that it’s done for RATINGS. Every one wants to be first, with accuracy being secondary. All I really want to know is if I’ll be able to commute to my workplace at the time that I commute. I’ve tried to think of ways to get this across to the weatherpersons, to STOP causing un-needed anxiety, but their hands are probably tied because they are being told to increase ratings. If you notice they will not give you the timings/chronology of the storm until the end of the forecast then when they do it goes so lightning fast that you cannot catch your location fast enough to get an accurate forecast. It would be so easy for them to just SLOW DOWN that loop, but they don’t, again “ratings”, or money lead the way, not accuracy.
I have been a weather buff for decades— since grade school— and I have definitely noticed a change toward more sensationalism and fear-mongering over the last 25 years. When I was a kid, many newscasts were what I called “weather-less”; it was seldom mentioned on the national newscasts. In the local newscasts, the forecasts were free of the constant teasers and overblown introductions. Nowadays, what used to be routine snowstorms (five inches) are treated like 25-inch storms.
Yes, you absolutely nailed it. I found this article because I searched Google for “where can I find just the weather, no drama”. Still haven’t found a single site. It has reached the point of idiocy.
I’m a TV meteorologist of 30 years…and I fully agree with all the comments regarding “hype”. They do “hype” everything. In fact, my running joke is that our ongoing segment sponsor should be Xanax because of the anxiety we try to produce. Here’s the reason you experience this. 1) Many of the people on the air feel a story is “never good enough on it’s own without juicing it up” It’s the mentality of a 12yr old telling a fish story. “Many” in the media are like this from News to Weather to Sports. 2) Management demands the weather person hype the he&& out of whatever’s going on. I’ve “been there-done that”. I’ve had many instances where I told them “this just isn’t so”, but they demanded I hype it. So, in reality you’re right about the hype, but you may not know why it’s being hyped, i.e. the person themselves or management who controls your contract. The same holds true for spending hours “Live” on the air when “weather” is going on. I used to hear all the time “we have to be the first on and the last off”. It got pretty stupid…and we all knew it.
Author
Robert, I’m not sure how this happened, but this is the post that gets the most comments. I made this blog post many years ago, but it continues to live on. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
I realize that I live in northern Ohio, and the weather is constantly changing, but yesterday, 1-8-24, meteorologists in this area warned of a winter storm. Preparing for this, woke up this morning, expecting snow covered ground, and instead it was raining. The temps., for the day are now predicted by the same meteorologists to be above freezing and rain stopping this afternoon. I never had a job that I could be so wrong at.
I googled ‘why do meteorologists seem to be wrong more often than 40 yrs ago’ this article came up! And you described it perfectly. It’s not so much that they’re wrong, but they overhyped it so much that when it’s less snow, or a snow/rain mix it just makes their ‘wrongness’ stands out so much more!!!
It really annoys me when I watch the weather channel and they were praying for snow! They said “New York city hasn’t’ had snow for 2 years”. Well the northeast did get a lot of snow and now they got a lot of rain creating massive flooding! Be careful what YOU wish for Weather Ch nnel.
Absolutely 100% correct.
Meteorologists have modified their skills to make every bad weather event int an Armageddon or apocalypse.
It’s no wonder people get all freaked out when 2 weeks out they predict up to 3 feet of snow and we end up with a dusting. I was hoping with El Niño this year that forecasts would accurately predict more snow in the northeast but nothing has changed. I started collecting long range forecast links to see how accurate they were and so far none of them panned out.
Every new forecast this winter I liken it to the ghostbusters scene where they are in the mayors office and describe the forthcoming doom
Dr. Peter Venkman : This city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.
Mayor : What do you mean, “biblical”?
Dr. Raymond Stantz : What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath of God type stuff.
Dr. Peter Venkman : Exactly.
Dr. Raymond Stantz : Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!
Dr. Egon Spengler : Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes…
Winston Zeddemore : The dead rising from the grave!
Dr. Peter Venkman : Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… MASS HYSTERIA!
It’s to laugh.
I searched for this discussion and found this. Weather forecasts have changed and in my opinion they overestimate the outcomes and instill fear. What’s the benefit? Politics?
Over the last70 years that I have wandered on this earth I have wondered this same thing ? Why do “they” hype the weather so much? The only real fact that I have been able to sift out of all the media fertilizer is that with the rise of education and wealth levels there is an inverse proportion loss of “common sense”. The laws of thermodynamics and gravity have not changed . . . .but if you have enough letters of the alphabet before and after your given name you are somehow immune to reality.
It seems weather has become a larger topic on national news to the point of adding how many millions of people will be affected by it. (Score keeping ?) Every time a hurricane is predicted it is played up as a huge terrifying threat, the “biggest ever.” Snow storms (normal in winter) are labeled “blizzards.” The cold is “unpresidented.” The heat is blown out of proportion as “dangerous”. Droughts are devastating. Tornadoes, though destructive, are shown to be expected in large geographic areas to affect as many as people as possible, when only minimum areas hit actually see any kind of damage. I believe they publicize weather lately as “worse” than past weather to make it appear “climate change” is the cause, when it’s happened before but not sensationalized as it is now. There is an agenda at play here. Yet it is still just weather.
Not just the weatherman, all mainstream media is sensationalized. They’re grasping to stay relevant.