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While it's good that technology is there now that can give us greater warning to these types of things, there is no doubt that the news channels play it up to an insane level which makes people panic. I agree better safe than sorry, but as usual the news channels aren't helping - it's a ratings game.
They look at these "wind shears" on the radar and make assumptions about what's happening on the ground. This I guess can be good, but you get Greg Fischel saying things like "wow - this looks absolutely horrible", and then it turns out it wasn't much of anything. You'd think watching the news we had multiple EF5's out there.
The local stations kind of dug themselves a hole when they decided that they would always stay with the wall-to-wall coverage when there is a severe weather *warning.* Not necessarily a bad thing, but then they have to fill up the time. Having exhausted all the lay-person weather talk, they then are left to discuss any variety of obscure weather science stuff.
I caught the tail end of WTVD's coverage last night and the head weather guy was talking about how our area was all clear, but a tiny sliver of Edgecombe County still had a warning. He was kind of a down-playing it, but there was an active warning, so he stayed with it. Meanwhile, his other weather guy was zooming in on some activity farther to the south, "Oh, I don't like the looks of that. Look at the hook signature." Main weather guy then continues to down-play things. It was the strangest weather person interaction I have seen in a long time. Main weather guy is trying to reel-in the other guy, but the Jr. weather guy either didn't catch the drift or didn't want to play along.
When it became obvious that the warning would not expire during Jeopardize, they continued to stretch, then closed it out when it was time for Wheel of Fortune -- even though there was an active warning on the very edge of the viewing area.
Having worked in TV news in this market, I can easily imagine the conversations, arguments and hand-wringing that went on as they were approaching 7:30 p.m.
It certainly was much of something to the people who were hit by a tornado yesterday.
Of course - but when people think tornado, they think widespread severe damage. This wasn't the case yesterday. A tree could fall on my house during any given thunderstorm, but that doesn't mean the news should hype up every thunderstorm to panic levels. Creating panic works for ratings - I myself got sucked into watching WRAL for I think 5 hours yesterday.
No, I don't think widespread severe damage when I think tornado. That's not the usual scenario with a tornado at all. They are super erratic and may touch down or may not. They may hit your house and not your neighbor's. That's a tornado.
Widespread severe damage is a hurricane. That's a huge wide storm that can get everybody in its path. A tornado is like a car accident — very bad for the people it happens to, but most people are not affected.
A lot of folks seem to have no appreciation for the severity of the threat RDU was under yesterday. I'm no weather expert, but I do recall that the last time we faced such a situation was April 2011. We were fortunate to come out mostly unscathed in this area. Rather than be thankful for good fortune, folks complain about the school system and WRAL. Interesting.
A lot of folks seem to have no appreciation for the severity of the threat RDU was under yesterday. I'm no weather expert, but I do recall that the last time we faced such a situation was April 2011. We were fortunate to come out mostly unscathed in this area. Rather than be thankful for good fortune, folks complain about the school system and WRAL. Interesting.
exactly!!! It's not WRAL's fault if someone chooses to watch it for hours on end. I certainly did not, I turned on the weather radio and checked the NWS radar periodically.
A lot of folks seem to have no appreciation for the severity of the threat RDU was under yesterday. I'm no weather expert, but I do recall that the last time we faced such a situation was April 2011. We were fortunate to come out mostly unscathed in this area. Rather than be thankful for good fortune, folks complain about the school system and WRAL. Interesting.
I'm not saying they shouldn't have been on the air. I'm saying there's a big difference between:
"We're seeing some radar activity around <this location> that is concerning. Those in this area should take caution, keep an eye on the sky, and be prepared to seek shelter"
and
"This wind shear is UNBELIEVABLE - we haven't seen anything like this. There is definitely a tornado on the ground at <this location>" (and then you later find out there's no tornado on the ground)
The fact is, they have no idea if a tornado is on the ground. They're looking at models from thousands of feet above the ground. It's wise to be on the air and give warning, but not wise to create panic. I know it's hard to balance that line, but the station's job is to get viewers, so they will do what they can to do so.
A lot of folks seem to have no appreciation for the severity of the threat RDU was under yesterday. I'm no weather expert, but I do recall that the last time we faced such a situation was April 2011. We were fortunate to come out mostly unscathed in this area. Rather than be thankful for good fortune, folks complain about the school system and WRAL. Interesting.
Agreed. The local channels might be based in Raleigh but they cover many many other counties. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I work in a building without windows and poor cell signal so most of us yesterday had our work on 1 monitor and were watching live news feeds on our other monitor. I work in Durham. My kids were home in Cary. I was monitoring both areas so make sure I could tell the kids to take shelter and I could take shelter if need be.
We were watching WRAL a bit after 5 when a cell was going over Raleigh. They had been mostly following cells that went though Durham and into Vance county and just talking a little about the Raleigh cell, because on the WRAL radar system, it wasn't showing much rotation, but since it was over the station, they had heard some thunder. Then suddenly all their phones went off at the same time with a tornado warning for Downtown Raleigh and maybe 10 seconds later it came through to the weather guys. So, that alert over the phone thing from the weather service is actually useful.
Right after their discussion, they cut to live drive 5 or whatever they call their ridiculous vehicles that drive all over the place in bad weather they tell us all we will die in. The car is right beside the Capitol building and Nate Johnson is suddenly worried and says, uhh, maybe they don't want to be right there.
No, I don't think widespread severe damage when I think tornado. That's not the usual scenario with a tornado at all. They are super erratic and may touch down or may not. They may hit your house and not your neighbor's. That's a tornado.
Widespread severe damage is a hurricane. That's a huge wide storm that can get everybody in its path. A tornado is like a car accident — very bad for the people it happens to, but most people are not affected.
Exactly. And the WRAL team made this point specifically yesterday, BEFORE a tornado touched down. Basically that it is very pinpoint, and most people won't be affected, but 1) those who are affected are REALLY affected, and 2)The REGION is under the warning, and no telling where it will hit. (Until it hits, we all have similar risk profile)
I get the frustration in hindsight, but when they are issuing warnings and "playing it up", that is in foresight, and they are doing the best they can. It's up to you (everyone) to decide how you want to digest that info, it is up to them to put it out there.
No, I don't think widespread severe damage when I think tornado. That's not the usual scenario with a tornado at all. They are super erratic and may touch down or may not. They may hit your house and not your neighbor's. That's a tornado.
Widespread severe damage is a hurricane. That's a huge wide storm that can get everybody in its path. A tornado is like a car accident — very bad for the people it happens to, but most people are not affected.
YES. Exactly! Tornado can touch down anywhere. Sometime between the 2011 tornadoes and yesterday there was that freak tornado that touched down in Durham that took out part of the Montessori schoolyard and some roofs; that was only a couple of miles from me and there is no way to know where it's going to touch down. Nothing about yesterday was overblown!
I did watch all the coverage because that's what I do, but certainly nobody forced me.
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