2007-02-14 01:47:29 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in News & Events ➔ Other - News & Events
They do say that a meteorologist is the only job that you can guess 60% of the time and not get fired. I wouldn't say they are wrong though because they are basing their guesses on facts, weather patterns, and Doppler radar. The predictions they make based on the facts may not be correct, but that is because the weather is not entirely predictable. I think for the most part they are right, or very close to it.
2007-02-14 01:52:06 · answer #1 · answered by Love <3 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are correct.
Having been in broadcast news for 20+ years (and happily out of that business), I had a wonderful opportunity to learn about the way meteorologists work.
Some were very good, others were way off the mark.
Most of these people have science (or related) degrees and are worth the big bucks they get.
Yet, book-smarts are not enough.
One very good meteorologist I worked with told me that a lot of his peers forget to take into consideration the topography of the land.
Where I live, a river and a few hills actually impact cold fronts, causing storms, snow and even a few tornadoes to die out before approaching.
Ground temps and building mass also contribute to heat/cold impact on weather.
Call it "micro-climate".
So, yes, these guys and gals get all hyped up over a front and preach doom-n-gloom and usually miss the mark.
Part of that hype is generated by the demand for higher ratings, the promotion department or news director looking for a good lead-in or just a slow news day.
Here in town the biggest laugh I get is when one station calls it "breaking weather".
DUH!
Weather is ALWAYS happening!
It's not like it won't rain/snow/blow.
Anyway - enough of my rant!
2007-02-14 12:13:53 · answer #2 · answered by docscholl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, they tend to get things wrong more than 50% of the time. Actually, research shows that the Farmer's Almanac is actually just as correct, if not more, than meteorologists and the Almanac is just suprstitions.. Then again, maybe the researchers and meteorologist are almost the same! LOL!
2007-02-14 09:53:28 · answer #3 · answered by Paradox3883 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it's just you. I get that it's not an exact science, but we're in the middle of summer and they've been predicting a huge thunderstorm every day for the past like week. How can you mistake a thunderstorm in summer? I doubt we would have missed it!
2007-02-14 09:51:35 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's a guessing game really. They make an educated guess to try and warn people about bad weather coming.
This time, in my area, they were right! We're getting pounded with snow!
2007-02-14 09:50:52 · answer #5 · answered by Just Me 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It think they are right about 59% of the time which is not that much better than flipping a friggin coin. But there's more to it than that. Right about what? Precipitation, temperature?
2007-02-14 09:50:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that they are taken too serious. You know when they give the percentages, it does not mean that 80% is the chance of rain, it means 80% of the viewing area (t.v. audience) has the chance for rain. So I suppose it is all how you look at it.
2007-02-14 09:51:31 · answer #7 · answered by yetiusmc 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They seem to have gotten Pretty Good at predicting RAIN (they are almost always right when calling for rain), BUT not yet as good on everything else.
2007-02-14 09:50:59 · answer #8 · answered by me 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of them have definately skipped school on the days they were learning to read the doppler.
2007-02-14 09:56:01 · answer #9 · answered by Lettie D 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I want their JOB!!! You can be wrong everyday and still have a job. LOL
2007-02-14 09:54:08 · answer #10 · answered by nthernlites40 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋