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The thing is, you do. Do you think private weather forecasters would predict tornadoes in Kansas? Who would pay? Would they ask residents to voluntarily pay a fee? Or do you only get the alert if you subscribe to their service?
No, emergency forecasting is a public service and has to remain that way. You just didn't put enough thought into it to realize that, and instead went with a knee jerk "I DON'T NEED NO NANNY STATE" response.
No. Most local news stations offer weather service. People are probably more likely to hear about a storm on twitter than a weather service robot voice.
The thing is, you do. Do you think private weather forecasters would predict tornadoes in Kansas? Who would pay? Would they ask residents to voluntarily pay a fee? Or do you only get the alert if you subscribe to their service?
No, emergency forecasting is a public service and has to remain that way. You just didn't put enough thought into it to realize that, and instead went with a knee jerk "I DON'T NEED NO NANNY STATE" response.
Yes that is the issue here. Rick Santorum back in 2006 (I think) introduced a bill to have the NWS get out of the forecast realm (the today tonight fcst). That failed. But even him and Accu-Weather and the others know that a centralized voice for warning and hazard prepardness is needed.
In my part of the country....blizzards are often the most dangerous weather systems. You can go from seeing great to zero in a very short distance. The March blizzard of 1941 killed 70 as back then observations and forecasts were still quite poor and not very dense. The forecast office at the time for the Dakotas and Minnesota was in Chicago, and they had no idea what was coming. The day started mild and dry and on Sunday's back then it was drive time into town. Well that afternoon the wind turned north and blew and picked up the snow and caused a deadly ground blizzard as folks didnt know what was coming and was stuck as temperatures dropped and they couldnt see. Based on events such as the 41 blizzard, the 1926 Tri State tornado (MO, IL, IN) and other large loss of life events prior to 1941, it was determined after WWII that the radars used to detect enemy aircraft be put to use to detect precipitation as well. And to improve communication to the public and better forecasting smaller local offices were eventually built through the 50s into the early 60s to get a better handle on dangerous weather.
No. Most local news stations offer weather service. People are probably more likely to hear about a storm on twitter than a weather service robot voice.
Your line of thinking is what grows government.
Do you think that the TV station issues their own warnings. Whom are they getting it from. Federal law in place at the present time states that the NWS is the only body in the country that issues warnings. That is to provide a consistant and warning service. Mets like me at our displays using the radar images, determine the warning area and time, and then send out the text version to anyone who wants it free of charge (TV, over internet services, to private companies, etc).
No. Most local news stations offer weather service. People are probably more likely to hear about a storm on twitter than a weather service robot voice.
Your line of thinking is what grows government.
And they get their data from NOAA and government satellites.
Your line of thinking is what leads people like Bill O'Reilly to marvel at magical things like "tides".
One of the biggest expenses is equipment.... satellites along cost 2 billion. The operational budget for NWS offices and its functions (covering pay and maintenance, etc) was proposed to be 972 million, and that is 36 million less than 2012.
Do you think that the TV station issues their own warnings. Whom are they getting it from. Federal law in place at the present time states that the NWS is the only body in the country that issues warnings. That is to provide a consistant and warning service. Mets like me at our displays using the radar images, determine the warning area and time, and then send out the text version to anyone who wants it free of charge (TV, over internet services, to private companies, etc).
Federally mandated purpose. No chance this would ever work without the government. It's amazing that humans survived up until the NWS.
I don't buy into it. It's a drop in the bucket of government waste and not really worth a big discussion.
I do thank you for the responses. My idea was to make some people think about what government does and the programs out there and its employees. We are all not just one lumped together federal government bad guys, we each have our own areas. You can return to regular programming
Federally mandated purpose. No chance this would ever work without the government. It's amazing that humans survived up until the NWS.
I don't buy into it. It's a drop in the bucket of government waste and not really worth a big discussion.
Some didnt. Isnt saving someone's life worth it? Before the NWS, the Galveston Hurricane killed 6-12 thousand people....the 1926 tri state tornadoes killed 695 and injured over 1 thousand. If you are ever in a natural disaster scene, regardless of weather or a train delrailment with toxic fumes, having one voice is prized to keep the populace informed. When there is no centralized voice, chaos reigns as folks dont know what to believe and whom to believe.
I do thank you for your input Ingenere, I do like it that some do care and think about the weather and differences of opinion are ok.
Just remember each one of those people not earning a paycheck are the same people that shop at local businesses near you, buy houses, buy cars, and pay local taxes that support your schools, police officers, and fire departments.
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