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Central PA and The Fringes - February 2014


PennMan

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I would not bash them because they have their internal criteria, but the general public is pretty weather illiterate and if raising headlines can keep fools off the roads and make people second guess travel plans a little, then I'm all for it.

The general public watches TV to hear what the mets say. CTP has no deadline to launch watches - anything under 6" isn't a WSW. 5 and 7" isn't making or breaking anyone's ability to drive here - they can't drive in 3".
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No they don't lol. 

 

I agree. Storms that fall on Monday's are notoriously a "surprise" for many people. On Friday, my station had "chance snow" in the forecast for Monday, so people who tune in only during the weekday saw that. Over the course of 48 hours our "chance snow" went to warning-level snows for some, so people waking up tomorrow morning will likely be in for a surprise. Upgrading an advisory to a warning won't help those that are already tuned out.

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I don't think anyone should be bashing them, even red-taggers. There are some incredibly smart and insightful mets working up there. They have made a choice on which solution to follow, and they have their reasons for doing so. We may not all agree, but that's what makes this profession awesome...there is no right answer until after the storm has passed. 

THIS!  Even if all models say we will get a huge hit does not mean we will.  Nevertheless, It appears that travel will be severely impeded and headlines cannot hurt indicating the potential for a very dangerous travel situation, more than just a nuisance.  If the info is out there early enough the media will pick up on it and people will understand what is on the table much better.

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THIS!  Even if all models say we will get a huge hit does not mean we will.  Nevertheless, It appears that travel will be severely impeded and headlines cannot hurt indicating the potential for a very dangerous travel situation, more than just a nuisance.  If the info is out there early enough the media will pick up on it and people will understand what is on the table much better.

 

Unfortunately, I think today is a special case. Superbowl Sunday tends to put a kink in getting the message out there....that is, unless the local FOX station runs crawls or has a bug in the corner of the screen. However, that would make SO many people angry, so I doubt it happens.

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I agree. Storms that fall on Monday's are notoriously a "surprise" for many people. On Friday, my station had "chance snow" in the forecast for Monday, so people who tune in only during the weekday saw that. Over the course of 48 hours our "chance snow" went to warning-level snows for some, so people waking up tomorrow morning will likely be in for a surprise. Upgrading an advisory to a warning won't help those that are already tuned out.

 

So true. On Friday afternoon everybody was talking about the rumors of next week's 30-inch blizzard they heard about on facebook.. Nobody was talking about Monday.

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The general public watches TV to hear what the mets say. CTP has no deadline to launch watches - anything under 6" isn't a WSW. 5 and 7" isn't making or breaking anyone's ability to drive here - they can't drive in 3".

I don't know about up there, but from here into MD people are crazy on the roads.  I have had plenty 5-6 hour commutes due to snow.  In the Baltimore area at least I have come across too many people who take the view that "it won't be nothing", just to flood the roads ground truth time and create utter gridlock and accidents galore.  If they think it might  be significant it truly helps clear the roads.

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Unfortunately, I think today is a special case. Superbowl Sunday tends to put a kink in getting the message out there....that is, unless the local FOX station runs crawls or has a bug in the corner of the screen. However, that would make SO many people angry, so I doubt it happens.

You are right, but radio also helps.  DJ'S will run to the mic and say this just in" Winter Storm Warning" or Watch.  In the Baltimore market at least that is the first thing many harp on is the NWS message.  Most of us here don't care but it does have an impact on those who could care less about anything weather related until they are stuck in it. 

 

You of course are better than most TV weather reporters.  I like the way you lay things out and if more were like you showing scenarios etc., there would be less confusion about the potential.

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You are right, but radio also helps.  DJ'S will run to the mic and say this just in" Winter Storm Warning" or Watch.  In the Baltimore market at least that is the first thing many harp on is the NWS message.  Most of us here don't care but it does have an impact on those who could care less about anything weather related until they are stuck in it. 

 

You of course are better than most TV weather reporters.  I like the way you lay things out and if more were like you showing scenarios etc., there would be less confusion about the potential.

 

Speaking as someone who works in the radio biz, I can confirm that most radio stations in smaller markets like Harrisburg have NO live personalities on weekends anymore. All breaking news has to wait until Monday morning. The Emergency Alert System is designed to override programming in the event of a serious emergency.

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Not like we're in an icebox, it's 45 here (Walker).

Ehh, a coastal front can come by us and make it go from 25 to 45 in 2 hours (happened in the Dec 15 storm here). My snow average isn't much less than NYC's but it can disappear really quick. One good thing about 33 and rain is it doesn't destroy the snowpack.

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