Over dramatization of weather conditions?

[billethkid]

I must be more critical than most about certain things.

Take the weather for example. The kinds of winter weather we see currently being covered in the national news in the evening. Many evenings this week the weather was the lead story on some news networks.

They are reporting on weather that is/was/has been nothing but good old fashioned winter weather like it was when I was a youngster. BAck in Erie if we got a 6 inch snow fall we found out about it when we looked out the window in the morning. And it would be a RARE day indeed for school to ever be cancelled.

Today we have too many media outlets, with far too many personnel who have very little to do. Hence the weather is the closest target (unless assigned to Ferguson!). No matter how much snow they report....we had the same thing.
Showing cars sliding around and tractor trailers in a ditch was what happened EVERYTIME a major snow storm arrived.

The reporting and dramatization of the current weather conditions (no matter the season) amounts to the reporting making a banquet out of a ham sandwich.

Setting aside real legitimate emergency situations.....most of us have been there and done it. What we did not have was the 24/7 coverage by those inspired by obtaining their moment in front of the lens.....when there are more real life threatening or life improving stories out and about.

When the weather leads the national news I always figure it is a slow news day or the networks are attempting to ignore the real stories that matter but don't match the current agenda or talking script for the day.

[Topspinmo]

I guess they don't understand it is middle of November. Global warming was not good trigger word. Now it's Climate change. How can you argue with that? The climate changing it happens seasonal 4 times year, Within the year it happens every month, every day. I guess they figure it will be nice and warm up to the 1 calendar day of winter. Then it magically turns into winter wonderland. IMO the climate going to get colder not warmer, due to the orbit of the earth that caused the ice age and there is nothing we can do about it. But, I'll never see it in my life time.

[Sophie11]

I must be more critical than most about certain things.

Take the weather for example. The kinds of winter weather we see currently being covered in the national news in the evening. Many evenings this week the weather was the lead story on some news networks.

They are reporting on weather that is/was/has been nothing but good old fashioned winter weather like it was when I was a youngster. BAck in Erie if we got a 6 inch snow fall we found out about it when we looked out the window in the morning. And it would be a RARE day indeed for school to ever be cancelled.

Today we have too many media outlets, with far too many personnel who have very little to do. Hence the weather is the closest target (unless assigned to Ferguson!). No matter how much snow they report....we had the same thing.
Showing cars sliding around and tractor trailers in a ditch was what happened EVERYTIME a major snow storm arrived.

The reporting and dramatization of the current weather conditions (no matter the season) amounts to the reporting making a banquet out of a ham sandwich.

Setting aside real legitimate emergency situations.....most of us have been there and done it. What we did not have was the 24/7 coverage by those inspired by obtaining their moment in front of the lens.....when there are more real life threatening or life improving stories out and about.

When the weather leads the national news I always figure it is a slow news day or the networks are attempting to ignore the real stories that matter but don't match the current agenda or talking script for the day.

I was thinking the same thing about all the media coverage a cold front received. WHY?
Is it to point out global warming? Are they using the 6.5 billion the United States gave in 2009 for global warming and they are showing us that we are winning?
What was purchased with the 6.5 billion?

[janmcn]

Four feet of snow in Buffalo, NY today, a week before thanksgiving is interesting, at least to the people that live there.

Tampa will tie or break the record tonight for lowest overnight temperature on this date.

[redwitch]

Weather has always been big news even before global warming/climate change. This is not a seasonal cold front. It is coming too early and it is too. Dang. Cold!

[Cisco Kid]

Tell me about it.
When I was a kid, I had to walk to school.
10 miles, Snow, 10 feet deep, 10 below everyday.
Up hill both ways.
It never did make the news back in the day.

[Indydealmaker]

Tell me about it.
When I was a kid, I had to walk to school.
10 miles, Snow, 10 feet deep, 10 below everyday.
Up hill both ways.
It never did make the news back in the day.

You forgot to mention the holes in your boots!

[Chi-Town]

Weather has always been part of the news cycle. Many times it is headline news. I think it is just human nature to embrace stories of weather. Maybe it's a man vs. the elements thing. The Weather Channel makes a living out of it.

[njbchbum]

If not weather - what...crime, killings, beheadings, Israelis vs Palestinians, sports, politics, radical Islam, Hollywood, immigration, Wall St? I think I'd rather listen to the weather news! ;)

[Cisco Kid]

You forgot to mention the holes in your boots!

Boots !!
We was on the poor side of town.

[Chi-Town]

Check this out:

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/11/18/buffalo-n-y-area-in-the-midst-of-a-truly-insane-lake-effect-snow-storm/?tid=HP_more

[CFrance]

Check this out:

Buffalo, N.Y., area in the midst of a truly insane lake effect snow storm - The Washington Post (http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/11/18/buffalo-n-y-area-in-the-midst-of-a-truly-insane-lake-effect-snow-storm/?tid=HP_more)
Amazing. Our dog loved that so much.

Weather sells, BTK. The NBC affiliate our son worked for in Grand Rapids had more weather forecasters than news reporters.

[Loudoll]

I must be more critical than most about certain things.

Take the weather for example. The kinds of winter weather we see currently being covered in the national news in the evening. Many evenings this week the weather was the lead story on some news networks.

They are reporting on weather that is/was/has been nothing but good old fashioned winter weather like it was when I was a youngster. BAck in Erie if we got a 6 inch snow fall we found out about it when we looked out the window in the morning. And it would be a RARE day indeed for school to ever be cancelled.

Today we have too many media outlets, with far too many personnel who have very little to do. Hence the weather is the closest target (unless assigned to Ferguson!). No matter how much snow they report....we had the same thing.
Showing cars sliding around and tractor trailers in a ditch was what happened EVERYTIME a major snow storm arrived.

The reporting and dramatization of the current weather conditions (no matter the season) amounts to the reporting making a banquet out of a ham sandwich.

Setting aside real legitimate emergency situations.....most of us have been there and done it. What we did not have was the 24/7 coverage by those inspired by obtaining their moment in front of the lens.....when there are more real life threatening or life improving stories out and about.

When the weather leads the national news I always figure it is a slow news day or the networks are attempting to ignore the real stories that matter but don't match the current agenda or talking script for the day.And the weather segment is named something frightening like "First Warning Weather Forecast"...as if the weather is going to be scary at all times.:agree:

[tomwed]

At some point in later years my mom got the local NJ weather forecast mixed up with anything she saw on The Weather Channel. I didn't mind explaining one from the other for as many times as it took but I sure did want to block that Channel.

I'll see my kids next week and tell them what they get to look forward to.

"Hey Tommy----we're getting 3 feet of snow tonight!"
"Dad,,,I think that's Buffalo. Take a nap, go play golf, don't worry about it."

[CFrance]

Our kids swore their father taped the Weather Channel.

[tomwed]

Our kids swore their father taped the Weather Channel.

Off topic but you reminded me of a funny story.

One day my NJ neighbor Vince recorded picking the lottery number balls when his wife, Carol wasn't around. He wrote down the numbers on his ticket and then when Carol sat in the tv room she didn't notice he was running the tape. While holding the ticket in front of him, he predicted the numbers out loud so Carol thought they won a million dollars.

[patfla06]

I was confused when the weather people were acting like a
blizzard was coming and the temp was 47.

At least we don't have to hear about the polar vortex! ;)

[quirky3]

Just because parts of Florida were not too dramatically affected, the vast majority of the country was. And it is only mid-November. That is a story!

All 50 states had below freezing temps, including Hawaii. Buffalo got 6 feet of snow so far and it is still falling.

Also, people caught unaware can be put in serious danger if the news did not make sure people knew it was coming.

[KayakerNC]

5 more Americans died from this storm than from the Ebola panic.
Which story was over-hyped? :shrug:

[Cajulian]

When's the last time anyone here has had to deal with 60" of snow in one day with more to come today and tomorrow!!!

I'm here and My wife is stuck home near Buffalo and this looks as bad as the Blizzard of 66 when they plowed over 100 cars off the Thruway just to open traffic after a few days!!

The national Guard is called into help. Not much fun this winter. The annual snowfall is about 115" for the year. They will get 3/4's of that in 3 days. Not Looking good.

[billethkid]

perhaps other than a little early this is what happens every winter. And one can expect it to happen until spring. And unlike other impending weather based potential disastors....snow storm effects are usually over in a matter of hours.

Almost always with very predictable happening and result. :sigh::icon_bored:

[CFrance]

5 more Americans died from this storm than from the Ebola panic.
Which story was over-hyped? :shrug:
Excellent point.

[CFrance]

perhaps other than a little early this is what happens every winter. And one can expect it to happen until spring. And unlike other impending weather based potential disastors....snow storm effects are usually over in a matter of hours.

Almost always with very predictable happening and result. :sigh::icon_bored:
Oh, boy, you've never been in MI when a snowstorm took out power for over a week.

[tomwed]

While you guys grew up with snow, I grew up with fog. One day it was so foggy, my dog had to back up to bark.

[billethkid]

yes I remember the great blizzard back in the 60's. I do not remember how much snow it was but measured in feet. The only vehicles moving were the National Guard or other tread type vehicles. After the dig out snow pile along streets 6-10 feet high. After a while there was no place to put snow at which time there were convoys of dump trucks relocating the snow to a dump site into Lake Erie.

So yes there is the unusual winter weather warp. During our days growing up I do recall people quoting if we had 50 inches of snow by Christmas it was considered a mild winter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!