Weather forecasts (who writes this stuff?)

[/pine]

From the NOAA National Weather Service web page:

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, then a chance of showers between 1pm and 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm....

 

[greenmojo]

It could have been "Showers and thunderstorms today with thunderstorms letting up temporarily between 1pm and 3pm."

 

[oldballs]

It's the same person who writes about "climate change". And he gets paid by the word.

 

[Mendonsy]

Based on that forecast you can probably count on nothing but sunshine all day!

 

[CountryB]

In my state it always a "50% chance of rain" - so they are right half the time no matter were you live. Then they brag about the award they got for being most accurate.

 

[Ford850]

The worst part of that forecast is that ours has looked just like that many days, yet we have had 1.05" total rainfall since late June. I still watch the forecasts closely, but I don't believe them anymore.

 

[PILOON]

One day its 50% rain and the next its 50% sunny.

Back then we'd say they did not know their azz from their elbow hence they'd roll up the sleeves when using the loo.

 

[/pine]

Forecast has been updated...

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 1am, then a chance of showers after 1am

 

[Wagtail]

This is why I refer to them as the Bureau Of Many-Guesses.

It's the only job where 30% accuracy is considered doing fantastic work on your annual assessment!

 

[SPYDERLK]

Forecast has been updated...

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 1am, then a chance of showers after 1am

You may have to move to a more straightforward forecasting area to avoid trouble with the parsing.

 

[/pine]

Nothing wrong with the parsing or comprehending...it's just the way they write it that's funny with all the time frames....i.e. the same cells that create the "showers" are the same cells that are capable of generating the lighting/thunder...

 

[smstonypoint]

It may have been corrected by now, but the NWS computer-generated voice broadcast algorithm also needs some tweaking -- in particular, the pronunciation of Fuquay as in Fuquay-Varina.

Steve

 

[rtimgray]

I've often pondered the difference between "partly sunny and mostly cloudy" or "partly cloudy and mostly sunny". Is that an optimist/pessimist kind of thing.

I've also noticed more and more lately, there is almost always a 10% chain of rain, if nothing else. I assume that gives the weatherman an "out". If it rains, he can always claim "I told you there was a chance!"

Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.

Good luck and take care.

 

[Wagtail]

Well, apparently your National Hurricane Center has updated its initial hurricane forecast, and it is calling for a better chance of a near-normal or above-normal season... unless it isn't.