Splitting Central/Western Poll

[hm8]

This region has exploded in membership over the last year, so I definitely do see a need for something of a Great Lakes/Midwest or Great Lakes/OV subforum. Rather than drawing specific lines like the farmers almanac or something, just perhaps breakup a little more simply than "Central/Western", maybe something like "Midwest", "Plains/Central" and "West". Everyone would find their way into the forum that best suits them, sort of naturally instead of looking at actual boundaries (for instance the one map that went by state had MI with a big empty spot for OH, that to me seems silly to not have at LEAST the west half of OH in the same area as MI). Plus its not as if you are confined to your subforum. Many people can and do browse other forums, even if they dont post often in them. Also to the mods, remember, no matter WHAT decision you make, SOME will not be happy, but with the size of amwx you really cant reasonably expect anything less.

I actually really like this idea if we're going to split the region up...let the regions naturally form themselves

[Cary]

Who else?

No offense, I don't read the Philly subforum for your thoughts. Most people come on here to read good weather analysis and I find the NE subforum to be near the top for that...but enlighten me if I am mistaken.

Nor would I expect you to... I leave the weather posting to those who have an actual clue.

[Thunder Road]

I actually really like this idea if we're going to split the region up...let the regions naturally form themselves

I fear though that we'll end up with two threads for each big event, and the analysis ends up split between the two.

[buckeye]

I voted yes per one idea which could bolster another section of the forum, and that is give Ohio to the Upstate NY/Pennsylvania section of the forum, which would help their lack of posting. Also it would make more sense with relation to weather as in the winter, storms that affect Ohio normally don't affect the rest of the Great Lakes the same, and as for summer most of the severe weather/systems occur the next day for Ohio/Penn/Western NY compared to say IL/WI/MN.

I kinda agree with this. Ohio is really the dividing region....actually right thru Ohio, and that is what makes it difficult. You will almost never see NW Ohio and SE Ohio affected by the same winterstorm in the same way....this is not necessarily true for say the states of Michigan or Indiana. NW Ohio is lower lakes, SE Ohio is the foothills of the appalachians, literally two different worlds wrt winter weather.

It's about 50/50 as to whether columbus is going to see the same threat as Indy or Syracuse. I guess I'd have to vote to leave things alone and as a long range regional threat becomes a shortrange localized threat, we can always spin off our separate specific threads.

[Ian]

I actually really like this idea if we're going to split the region up...let the regions naturally form themselves

At least in the beginning this seems like a good idea. Many of the outline maps are quite similar with smaller scale differences. I think even in much of the EC subforum boundaries there is at least a little leeway and self selection. I'd see the map as more guidance.

[Trent]

I voted indifferent. It really depends on the season. Here in northeast Ohio, Buffalo is our neighbor and Pittsburgh is just down the road. Yet I end up reading none of these threads because they are different sub forums. The intra Ohio riff in real life and politics extends even to this board. People in the rest of the state don't care that Cleveland gets LES, so its discussion isn't looked on favorably in threads. Ideally in winter it would be nice to have one LES thread instead of a Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Grand Rapids, and South Bend thread. I think you solve a lot of problems by having a Lake Effect Snow subforum rather than a regional split. 90% of us are snow hounds, and jealousy abounds for LES and fake snow discussions are rampant. Put all the talk in one place, so those in the Great Lakes and midwest who don't get LES don't have to read it or feel like it's being bragged about in front of them.

[nwohweather]

As a Ohioan I'll admit this whole state is messed up as far as weather goes. Here in NW Ohio we get all the snowstorms the state sees basically, NE Ohio gets LES and absolutely destroyed, SW usually gets in on the action in Feb-Mar and SE is a whole different climate in those mountains. This website has seemed to have exploded recently with many people coming over (included myself) from the Accuweather Forums which essentially fell apart

[huronicane]

My opinion of the Great Lakes (region) is any state (province) that touches one of the Great Lakes...and therefore, would include: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario.

Since PA and NY are part of other sub-forums, that would leave MN (all of it), WI, MI, IL, IN, OH, and ON.

Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois also touch the Ohio River Valley, so it would make sense to add the ORV to the sub-forum, as well. For the ORV, I think of OH, IN, IL, KY, PA, and WV. I've already mentioned PA, but what about KY and WV?

I think Kentucky is pretty cut and dry as being a part of the ORV, and would welcome KY into the GLORV. West Virginia has been lumped into the Mid-Atlantic, but the peaks of the Appalachians provide a pretty good boundary between the "true" Mid-Atlantic from WV and the ORV.

I'm not saying that this is the right way to do it, but here's another map to consider:

[Thunder Road]

Just a quick note: can we start calling this region the GLOV (pronounced "glove")?

[Harry]

Just a quick note: can we start calling this region the GLOV (pronounced "glove")?

Here comes the next "Glove" event.

[tornadotony]

I voted indifferent. It really depends on the season. Here in northeast Ohio, Buffalo is our neighbor and Pittsburgh is just down the road. Yet I end up reading none of these threads because they are different sub forums. The intra Ohio riff in real life and politics extends even to this board. People in the rest of the state don't care that Cleveland gets LES, so its discussion isn't looked on favorably in threads. Ideally in winter it would be nice to have one LES thread instead of a Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Grand Rapids, and South Bend thread. I think you solve a lot of problems by having a Lake Effect Snow subforum rather than a regional split. 90% of us are snow hounds, and jealousy abounds for LES and fake snow discussions are rampant. Put all the talk in one place, so those in the Great Lakes and midwest who don't get LES don't have to read it or feel like it's being bragged about in front of them.

Well this kinda leads into my thinking that subforums should probably more be based on weather type than on weather location.

[Harry]

Well this kinda leads into my thinking that subforums should probably more be based on weather type than on weather location.

I always liked this idea myself TILL i remembered how IMBY'ism shows up in both winter and severe threats. Heck even tropical too.

[Cheeznado]

At least the Plains/GL should be separate from the Rockies/West.

[Srain]

The poll has been up for a couple of weeks now. I say we move forward and make the Great Lakes Region their own sub forum and leave the Plains and Western Areas as is for the time being.

[TruePatriot]

Would prefer Minnesota / Iowa / Missouri go to western forum. Basically everything west of Mississippi river is western. I'm from Minnesota and think there is more weather in common with events that come through the Dakotas and Iowa than areas like Wisconsin and Illinois. To be honest, I usually don't follow much weather that occurs in areas like Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, which are Great Lakes region.

[dmc76]

It should be like this.........................>

Great Lakes forum

Michigan

Wisconsin

Ontario

Ohio

Illinois

Indiana

Minnesota

NW Pennsylvania

Western NY State

Central

Iowa

Nebraska

Missouri

SD

ND

Kansas

Texas

Oklahoma

Arkansas

Kentucky

Manitoba

Western

Everything west of Kansas, Texas and N.D

[Hoosier]

It should be like this.........................>

Great Lakes forum

Michigan

Wisconsin

Ontario

Ohio

Illinois

Indiana

Minnesota

NW Pennsylvania

Western NY State

Central

Iowa

Nebraska

Missouri

SD

ND

Kansas

Texas

Oklahoma

Arkansas

Kentucky

Manitoba

Western

Everything west of Kansas, Texas and N.D

Not trying to sound rude but the idea of 3 subforums has about a 0% chance of happening at this point. Ideas are welcomed but time is better spent trying to figure out how to split in 2.

[dmc76]

Not trying to sound rude but the idea of 3 subforums has about a 0% chance of happening at this point. Ideas are welcomed but time is better spent trying to figure out how to split in 2.

Not to sound rude but the idea of having a NYC area, Philly area, Northeast, Mid Atlantic, Upstate NY and Southeast forum's is bit over kill. The suggestion of splitting 31 states into 3 regions is unlikely makes no sense to me. Yes there's supposed to be a Western, Central and Great Lakes separate forums along with the several forums you have in the NE. Different areas different storms

[Thunder Road]

Not to sound rude but the idea of having a NYC area, Philly area, Northeast, Mid Atlantic, Upstate NY and Southeast forum's is bit over kill. The suggestion of splitting 31 states into 3 regions is unlikely makes no sense to me. Yes there's supposed to be a Western, Central and Great Lakes separate forums along with the several forums you have in the NE. Different areas different storms

There's a much higher concentration of posters in those areas, so each subforum thrives on its own despite its small size relative to Central/Western. It's better to attract people to a large Western forum, and then split it once we know each half can sustain itself, rather than splitting it up now and hoping people still show up.

[Chicago WX]

The poll has been up for a couple of weeks now. I say we move forward and make the Great Lakes Region their own sub forum and leave the Plains and Western Areas as is for the time being.

Agreed.

BTW, happy birthday!

There's a much higher concentration of posters in those areas, so each subforum thrives on its own despite its small size relative to Central/Western. It's better to attract people to a large Western forum, and then split it once we know each half can sustain itself, rather than splitting it up now and hoping people still show up.

Well the eastern half (WI, MI, IL, IN, MO, OH, KY, ON) of this forum has the numbers. It's the Plains/Western portion which is lacking at the moment...but growing. But that's also the idea of the Plains/Western people who think having their own sub-forum "alone" may attract more action. I tend to agree with their intent.

[Hoosier]

Not to sound rude but the idea of having a NYC area, Philly area, Northeast, Mid Atlantic, Upstate NY and Southeast forum's is bit over kill. The suggestion of splitting 31 states into 3 regions is unlikely makes no sense to me. Yes there's supposed to be a Western, Central and Great Lakes separate forums along with the several forums you have in the NE. Different areas different storms

I can understand most of those splits given the volume of posters although one or two of them weren't necessary imo. Regarding our situation, I'm just telling it like it is. It's taken some time to get to this point. The idea of a massive redistricting where we'd divide into 3 is going to take a lot of convincing.

[BowMeHunter]

Yeah it would make way to much sense to divide it up right the first time..so just half ass it and deal with it later, brilliant thinking, but not surprising it will go down that way.

[Hoosier]

Yeah it would make way to much sense to divide it up right the first time..so just half ass it and deal with it later, brilliant thinking, but not surprising it will go down that way.

What's your idea?

[BowMeHunter]

What's your idea?

surely more than just splitting it up into 2 sub forums.. Haven't gave much thought on dividing it up..maybe tonight, tomorrow or in two weeks I'll get back to ya's.

[Srain]

Bump