NORTHEAST GEORGIA BLOG

I want to be a weatherman.

If you live here in the south you know exactly what I’m talking about.  The weather around here has been absolutely crazy during February.  The weather PREDICTIONS and FORECASTS have been totally bizarre.  It’s almost like the weather folks were drawing forecasts out of a hat.

I understand enough about meteorology and technology to know that these folks can’t be right 100% of the time.  I know that the words “predictions” and “forecasts” are just what they say they are – nothing more.

What I don’t understand is how it can be so far off.  Not a little off.  A ton.  At times it’s like they predicted a summer and winter showed up.  The thing that really bothers me – my wife and I can sit in front of the TV or computer – look at the radar images – and make a prediction that’s much more accurate than what we just watched on the local news or the Weather Channel.  How is this possible?  Who holds these people accountable?

Another thing that bugs me – I often scroll down on some of the weather sites and click “forecast discussion” – typically this discussion does not reflect at all what I’m seeing as our official forecast.  Again – how is this possible?  Why?  Often this discussion is very accurate while the predictions in public are not even close – and these are the same people doing both!  What’s up with that?

So I’ve heard so many people over the last few weeks make this comment: “…if I did my job like the weatherman does his job, I’d be fired.”  Duh.  No kidding.  Why don’t they just come out with a one-day forecast and forget the five-day forecast?  Wouldn’t that be better?  They could maybe come up with something called “The Five Day Guessing Game” and post that everyday.  Don’t tell us you think you know what the weather is going to do when you have absolutely no clue.

For the most part this is just water cooler conversation and we like to give the weather folks a hard time – but for some people this is serious business – missing a prediction as far as these people have done over the past few weeks can be a catastrophe and cost thousands or millions of dollars.

I wouldn’t have written this until this past Monday I woke up to blue sky – not a cloud within a hundred miles – and my TV is showing snow on top of me and snow coming from basically all directions.  C’mon.  That was totally ridiculous.  It’s one thing to miss a forecast – but when I can look up at the sky – look at a radar – and the forecast is exactly opposite of what I’m seeing with my own eyes – I have to start questioning the competence of some of these people.

I’m ready for some snow.

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