2012-2013 wx challenge

[Jim Marusak]

first off, I know i'm not eligible for the contest. but i have to admit as a former participant of a similar contest a long time ago when i went to college (1992-1996), it still intrigues me not only in the skill level needed for point-forecasting, but also at times on the logic on the city choices for contest cities. and this year is an interesting selection.

http://wxchallenge.com/challenge/schedule.php

9/24 to 10/4 PNS (Pensacola, FL, during prime hurricane season)

10/8 to 10/18 BIL (Billings, MT, front-range boom/bust)

10/22 to 11/1 SDF (louisville, KY anything and everything)

11/5 to 11/15 OTH (north bend, OR, west coast starts up)

11/26 to 12/6 SYR (syracuse, NY, during lake-effect season)

2013

1/28 to 2/7 AUS (austin, TX, a possibility for rain and ice storms)

2/11 to 2/21 BUR (Burbank ca, the rainy season)

2/25 to 3/7 EWR (newark, NJ, during the prime of the noreaster season)

3/11 to 3/21 DLH (duluth, MN, iced-over lake & the lake breeze may cause temp problems)

3/25 to 4/4 contestants vote

4/8 to 5/4 ICT (wichita, KS, during tornado season)

I encourage any and all young forecasters who want to buffer up their skills with and against the models to enter. believe it or not, forecasting skills and adapting to different areas are actually a good thing. and win an individual category (year title or individual city), that will help a bit beyond college. but learning to expand the mind beyond where you're comfortable is the best thing about these contests. so good luck to those entering. especially since it seems like the choices this year seems to be one where you're getting hit in the prime seasons for massive bust potential this year, especially in the precip categories, except BIL and DLH, where temps are looking to be the main concern as well as wind directions. it'll be interesting to see what happens.

btw, Go PSU forecasters (yes my Alum/homer moment).