It's Just Weather

One glance at the blog title and you are probably sure this will be another man made global warming rant. Wrong! This rant is about the local Kansas City media, and how they react to a forecasted storm. I cannot believe the media reaction is the same in other towns, but maybe it is.
As I write this blog, it is noon on Monday. For several days the local meteorologists have been calling for 2 storms to hit the KC area. The first was due yesterday, with a forecast snowfall amount of 1-2 inches. We were advised to be careful on the roads both last night as the snow was falling, and this morning as the left over residue (also known as water) refroze. We had heavy flurries for an hour or two last night. It never stuck to the streets, nor the grassy areas. There were no slick spots this morning.

Storm number 2 is due to hit late tonight, and be with us through the day tomorrow (Tuesday). The forecasters has been consistent in calling storm #2 much larger. It really could not be smaller than storm #1 or nobody would even notice it. Storm #2 snow fall predictions range from 6 to 12 inches. Most forecasters are adding the caveat that even a small change in the expected track could put Kansas City into the higher amount, or we could be complete missed. I am suspicious.

Last night on the 10 PM news local reporters were live from the public works locations interviewing authorities on their preparedness to handle the storm. There will be more of the same tonight. Those same reporters will stand outside their local news studios tomorrow to report on whether snow is falling. It is the winter version of what also happens in the spring time.

Whenever a line of spring storms approach Kansas City, reporters scramble for the best vantage points for viewing the coming rain. Some stations even re-task traffic helicopters for live shots of the storms from every angle as they move into town. The local "Chief" meteorologist then commandeers his stations air time for the evening as he repeats local reports from weather spotters or public safety related to the storm. He does so standing in front of the local radar loop. Sometimes, an off-duty reporter will call in from their home for first person reporting on the storm.

Come on folks, it's just weather! There is nothing on earth that is older than weather. Why they believe that a snow or thunder storm deserves "National Emergency" attention is beyond my ability to rationalize. Not to mention they usually preempt my favorite TV shows, only to replay them at 2 AM the next Saturday morning.

It is just too inconvenient. To top it off, local meteorologists are nearly always wrong on their forecasts. Typically the local weather men over estimate the storm's impact and duration. So all those live spots televised beside a large pile of sand, all the chicken little screeching, and after all the embellishing and exaggerating of the next "big" storm , it turns out to be a non-event. So what do these TV weathermen and women do then? They look to the long range forecast and immediately start talking about the next chance for rain or snow, and whether that system has the potential to become severe.

In my opinion, the coverage of local weather events has gone too far. I can always look out the window to see if it is raining. The weather radar on my computer and phone give me all the advanced warning I need of weather events. I really want to see the new episode of Intervention tonight at 9PM as planned, and not an hour of in depth analysis of the impending storm. (I am safe since Intervention is on A&E)

But for now, my lunch break is over so I must bring the blog to a close. I also need a few minutes to check the National Weather Service and a couple of weather sites to see if tomorrow's storm is holding together. They may even have updated the snowfall projections!

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Update Tuesday at 12:47: The forecast was that we would get 2" of snow overnight causing difficult traffic conditions, and the snow would continue through out the day, heavy at times. The reality is we received a dusting on the north side of the city, nothing anywhere else, and it is now raining. The Winter Storm Warning continues until 6AM tomorrow. The talking heads are still out on street corners giving first hand accounts of the weather.
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Update Wednesday at noon: It rained until around 6PM last night, then snowed for a few hours. We did get 2-3 inches of snow, but nothing as large as forecast. I guess the storm missed us by just 50 miles or so. Just north of town has a foot of snow, temperatures in the single digits and winds in excess of 40 mph. Sounds like a lovely day. Here in KC, it's just cold. Thee is another potential snow storm coming in over the weekend. I am sure the local news stations will start hyping that storm tonight at 5, 6 and 10 o'clock.