Huntsville weathercasters (Madison: rated, county, map of)

[Maya Blue]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

Anyone else old enough to remember when television marketing hadn't yet discovered weather forecasts?

"First Alert Weather Day!" "First Alert from US!" "First poopie on your weekend plans alert!"

That seems to be about as much hyperbole and scare tactics as they can get away with - (We all know what happened when one local forecaster spun out of control and declared his own tornado, stepping on the toes of the NWS.)

"Be sure to bring in your pets." "Tie down your loose furniture." "Look for things that can blow around in wind." (Wondering if that last was self-referential?)

After the hoopla about today's storm, I have to remember the sum total of meema's weather alert for such a day: "Be sure to wear your galoshes (rain boots) so you don't track cow crap inside!" Now THAT was advice best heeded.

I'm mildly surprised that this wasn't declared a "First alert wear your football helmet outside day."

I wonder what the local ratings would be if the person who declared a first alert day was required to be tied to a pole outside the tv station to report live on actual conditions?

Yeah, this canceling of everything is getting ridiculous and out of hand. But they've gotten to the point where they can control people. That's power.

[MisterEd51]

Local weather forecasters have learned the hard way it is always better to be very conservative by forecasting worst case. There is far less blowback than if they underestimate the weather. For example, when they forecast light snowfall and then we get a heavy snowfall. They real hear about something like that.

BTW, it also helps the ratings if they hype the weather. They wouldn't do that would they?

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by MisterEd51

Local weather forecasters have learned the hard way it is always better to be very conservative by forecasting worst case. There is far less blowback than if they underestimate the weather. For example, when they forecast light snowfall and then we get a heavy snowfall. They real hear about something like that.

BTW, it also helps the ratings if they hype the weather. They wouldn't do that would they?

It’s more annoying that the weather reporting is stretched across a 30 minute local news broadcast.

You get teaser in the beginning about hurricane. Then today’s summary at 10 after, tomorrows weather at quarter after and the rain forecast at 20 after. Sports and commercials sprinkled in between.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by MisterEd51

Local weather forecasters have learned the hard way it is always better to be very conservative by forecasting worst case. There is far less blowback than if they underestimate the weather. For example, when they forecast light snowfall and then we get a heavy snowfall. They real hear about something like that.

BTW, it also helps the ratings if they hype the weather. They wouldn't do that would they?

That's right - it's all about the ratings to hype the weather. It's highly competitive, and it's not only here. It's in all TV markets.

Used to be, it was all about "weather girls", pretty young women who provided a light-hearted distraction from all the bad news, like riots in San Francisco and the Viet Nam war. Now, they take a more serious approach, and do indeed provide a needed service to the communities, especially during severe weather, but also have to do the best for their stations. And they have access to all the latest weather models and radars. Most, at least in the larger markets, have at least some training in meteorology.

[RocketDawg]

I remember the day when the weather guy/gal would actually draw the fronts and points of interest on a chalkboard with a permanent map of the US on it. And he'd have magnetic puzzle pieces that were stuck on the map, like little sunshine pieces or whatever fit his forecast. Things have changed drastically, especially in the digital TV age that enables split screens, motion of weather systems, etc.

Forecasting is also a lot more accurate now. The last few systems have been forecast pretty much spot on; the one we're having now is a little milder for us than was forecast, but for the midwest is very accurate. And they do it for the big systems a week in advance.

[harry chickpea]

Time for another comment here. IDK how the myth of having cat litter in your car is a good thing, but it seems to be something that all the patronizing local weathercasters love. Cat litter is generally going to be clay. If you put clay on snow or ice, you have about .0005 seconds when it MIGHT add to traction. It soon turns to mud. As any potter will tell you, the clay they work is often a clay "SLIP" and named that for a reason.

Crushed limestone chips or other angular hard small rocks are going to be much better at getting you out of a terminal ice slip into the ditch. Even better are those pecan and walnut shell bits that you made when you harvested your crop of nuts this year. Leave the kitty litter at home.

[dijkstra]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

Time for another comment here. IDK how the myth of having cat litter in your car is a good thing, but it seems to be something that all the patronizing local weathercasters love. Cat litter is generally going to be clay. If you put clay on snow or ice, you have about .0005 seconds when it MIGHT add to traction. It soon turns to mud. As any potter will tell you, the clay they work is often a clay "SLIP" and named that for a reason.

Crushed limestone chips or other angular hard small rocks are going to be much better at getting you out of a terminal ice slip into the ditch. Even better are those pecan and walnut shell bits that you made when you harvested your crop of nuts this year. Leave the kitty litter at home.

This is very good advice. Cat litter is the absolute last thing you would want. It turns into almost grease once it gets hydrated. Some sand or fine gravel is definitely a better choice.

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by dijkstra

This is very good advice. Cat litter is the absolute last thing you would want. It turns into almost grease once it gets hydrated. Some sand or fine gravel is definitely a better choice.

Woman was buying water softener pellets because they were out of the good stuff. Hope those large “crystals” work.

[Rick In Madison]

Drove to the airport by way of Countyline Road and HWY 20 to drop adult child off for a flight this afternoon. I would say there isn't any evidence of sanding/salting of the those two roads. Intersections may have been salted or perhaps experience greater traffic and hence melting.

Mostly ruts in the snow/ice along those two roadways. The snow is not accumulating at this time to the point of piling up. Road in/out of airport from HWY 20 are being swept by two tractors and they appear to be doing do so continuously.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

Woman was buying water softener pellets because they were out of the good stuff. Hope those large “crystals” work.

Don't think the big pellets will will work very well. There is some that's not in pellets - pretty much like rock salt for the roads.

I have some "ice melt" and will spread it with my fertilizer spreader in the driveway once the precipitation stops.