Rainy day

I'm sure those warnings are from the national weather service. However, TWC I find for long range forecasts isn't very accurate.

^ I think you are right. I do agree that the Weather Channel sucks. Especially in Alabama. My in laws didn't even get their local weather on the 8's. We had to read the rest of the countries weather first. I am not sure if that was just because of their dish provider or what. But when bad storms rolled through, TWC wasn't very helpful. Nothing would even show up at the bottom of the screen, because it never told us what our local radar really was anyway. We had to rely on their local stations.

You can catch me on the Weather Channel! ;)

Weather Radios are always the best bet, honestly. Even in my last video you can hear my weather radio go off. (it's around 3:00 in)

I thought meteorologists just report what the computers tell them. They are only on TV because the computers can't explain it as well as an actual person. ;)

Most of the weather people around this area think every storm is "THE STORM OF THE CENTURY!!!!!" "Be sure to check on the old people during the storm to make sure they are OK. Stock up on water and canned goods, oh, and go buy a generator." 90% of the time they are wrong.

Wow, and I thought our local channels in our area were bad. Actually Channel 7 is pretty accurate with up to 3 days or so. (The Detroit area).

If the National Weather Service website has warnings and watches, they usually are correct in saying that rain will come. Also the doppler helps too.

I never go to CP if there is more than a 40% chance of rain. No need to get physically sick over it.

LOL Storm of the Century stuff is for ratings. If the news media can scare the living bejebus out of you in return for watching their news program, they win. Scaring the crap out of you = Getting you to tune in.
Getting you to tune in = Ratings
Ratings = Being able to sell ads
Ads = Revenue

Our local NBC affiliate (WNDU) has even gone so far as marketing themselves as "Your Severe Weather Station"... It's the tagline at the beginning of every newscast, even before the top stories.

They have a few ads now with the anchors talking about how they trust StormTeam 16 to protect their own families, and they always have 30 second spots about the devastation from recent storms, and how they were on the air through it all... even when the storm wasn't that bad.

^ - its stuff like that which makes me glad the locals don't have control of tornado sirens.

Storm Team 16 needs live streaming storm chaser video! :)

I should talk to Cindi and see if I can get her on that..... (I see her in the IWX IEM room all the time)

Most townships/municipalities control their own sirens. Did you mean the local tv stations John?

Yes.

I understand that they take their cue from area NWS stations though, not just the mayor and his sheriff looking at the sky.

These stations should take their Doppler money and pay for their on-air talents to get real meteorology degrees.

Actually, if one of our spotters sees a tornado and I call the 911 center they will set off the tornado sirens.

Also, if a Law Enforcement official spots a tornado, the report is relayed to the NWS and they will typically issue a TOR Warn on it.

They're referred to as "Sheriffnadoes" :)

Ben, Cindi wouldn't be the one to talk to. Mike Hoffman is actually the chief met over there. :)

One thing 16 does have on their website that is pretty nifty is computer model data interpreted in the form of forecasts for individual towns in the viewing area. Not real precise most of the time, but pretty fun nonetheless.

They also use their in-house model for snow prediction maps, as well as power outage possibility maps (my personal favorite!)... ;)

Power outage prediction.. First time I've ever heard that one! That's pretty good...

Ben, did it ever cross you that Skyward might be a fellow storm spotter/chaser?

What?

He is always looking up at the sky.

Yeah Ben... they have 3 levels... Scattered, Widespread, and Catastrophic?...

Basically they use it for high wind events and ice storms... I guess the model interprets ZR amounts for ice events, and potential for high winds for storms... It's animated and all... fun stuff!

Reminds me that one of my friends told me about a dream he had awhile back..... He said he looked at the SPC Outlook in it and it had Slight, Mod, HIGH and a shaded in area of black titled "DEATH" :)