DO YOU FEEL threatened by over-zealous weather reporters?

Question

I live in tornado alley (Springfield, MO) and we do get some pretty horrendous weather conditions. But I have noticed lately that the local TV "weather men" continuously use the term "Storm". Whatever happened to "heavy rain" ; "chance of a few thunder claps"; etc. The local people here raise my blood pressure to unbelievable heights! EVERYTHING is now a storm. Tonight they announced a snow storm was on its way from Kansas and gave their predictions as to how much would hit Missouri. To listen to them, we would all need skis to get out from under it!! So I called the local office of the National Weather Service and they told me that there was a "chance" that the rain and snow could reach S.W. MO, but " no appreciable accumulation was anticipated" - does anyone know how these weather forecasters are allowed to get away with this obvious abuse of power?

Answer 1

Hey Springfield! I too live in SW Missouri, and I hear you, the weather guys are certainly scare mongers. I just listened to the forecast tonite, and they are threatening us with major snow accumulation. Maybe. I think they have missed it so many times that they are being extra cautious to warn us, to cover their butts in case it should turn out worse than they said it would.

Does look like you will get it a bit worse than those of us on the SW end of I-44 down here in the corner of the state. But still "light snow". That's not the TV forecasters, that is the Spgfld weather service.

I am just going to wait and see. It's nuts anyway, 65 degrees today and 21 degrees tomorrow night with snow.

Answer 2

You know when I lived in Pgh my brother took a job working the camera for a station and this guy that did the weather was almost always right on. I live in GA now and if there is a mention of snow it's all chaos..they build it up beyond belife. There could be slight flurries and that is ALL they talk about on the news. Showing kids sled riding on what I'd call grass and no way can you get milk or bread from a store. People are ready for something that never happens. To think growing up in Pgh and getting a one hour delay from school in a foot and a half of snow! My weatherman these days are looking outside and deciding for myself.

Answer 3

If you called the station and told them that there was a chance of someone driving their vehicle through the front door but the chance was very slim, then they'd have you arrested as a terrorist. But they can get on the air and basically do the same thing concerning the weather, just as you stated in your example. If that isn't terrorizing people then I don't know what it is.

And if you were working some place and you got half the stuff wrong all of the time, then you'd be fired on top of it. How they get away with that is maddening.

Answer 4

I do not feel threatened by them I just feel like everything is hyped up for ratings. I listen to the three local stations and then I check the internet. then I try to go with my gut on my experiences with each of the outlets. I have never thoght of calling the National Weather Service. I think we need to keep records of what they say and what really happens and call the local affiliates and then maybe the parent company. I am tired of the ratings wars and hype on the weather and the news and everything. I have not seen any indepth anything in forever.

Answer 5

Yeah I hate them. Around here we have the "Storm Team". Graphics pop up and they interrupt every TV show with warnings but go off the air just in time for commercials. My only thing is that since they go to warning over minor stuff like 1" of snow when there really is a bad storm noone will believe them . "The boy who cried wolf" syndrom. Anytime they come on now I just change the channel to something on cable.

Answer 6

And the job of weather people is not only to predict the weather, but to make sure that people are safe if there is a storm. If they didn't do that, I'm sure people would hear it if people died that didn't have to during a winter storm or a tornado.

Besides, they're in cahoots with the grocery stores to sell more food and batteries. :P

Answer 7

They normally come up with these "sky is falling" introductions, then the station goes to a commercial break. In the business it's called a "teaser". The only purpose is to have the audience remain a captive one while they sell you stuff.
A lot of local TV operations don't even employ "weathermen" with a degree in meteorology. I recall one who moved from being a disc jockey with Armed Forces Radio in Saigon to a job as the "weatherman" for a top station in Los Angeles before assuming his current job. His name is Pat Sajak!

Answer 8

It sure is sensationalism at times. Remember the old days when they just said there was a chance of rain or snow. And could not really begin to predict how much or where and when.

Answer 9

Good Post. I like it. It happened in Australia this morning. Flooding, snow expected in the Alpine Regions in the State of Victoria, I called my daughter, and she just said it had been raining a lot!

It is summer here in the southern Hemisphere. Media hype. The media loves it. but when there are hurricanes and cyclones, then I guess we listen. But never threatened. Guess they would like us too feel threatened. Maybe?

Answer 10

CJ I think we (you & I) are getting a lot of exaggeration from the weather people, because they caught so much flack over Nov 6 '05 I live in Ky and my news and weather come out of Evansville, but I know your area caught a bad string of storms out of that same system.