Sensationalism

[Fly Rod]

The weather service has used sensationalism perhaps to better their ratings. they have created panic. This storm was way over blown. It was no more then a nor'easter in the Carolinas, Nantucket will be high winds gusting to 75mph and around Cape Ann the winds will be around 35mph. Yes there may be power outageous and some minor flooding which is exspected in any storm.

With all of todays technolgy, weather planes etc:, they should be able to predict much better. A lot of money has been lost for this coming weekend such as whale watching, events on land. Some will say better safe then sorry.

Saturday sunshine early morning, winds subsiding, Sunday, sunny some rolling seas and the bluefish tournament will be on schedule.

What's better then that?

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Sensationalism

.....Some will say better safe then sorry.

I would certainly hope MOST would say that....

 

[rbh]

Re: Sensationalism

So, should the weather people over predict, or under predict a major storm??

 

[IES99]

Re: Sensationalism

At least we have warnings. I sat here in Charleston through Hurricane Hugo, in a safe place. Up to a few hours before it hit us, the day was perfectly fine, then BAM! Back in the days before forecasts, I can imagine the immediate damage and death that having one of these hit without advance notice must have caused. Even with all the warnings, 26 people died here.

Plus, when else do the weather reporters get to show off?

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Sensationalism

Just was watching a news live cam report from Nantucket, might say, "surfs up." Three people are surfing the huge waves, some vacationers are staying, the last ferry has left the island. They that chose to stay are now stranded till the ferry re-opens when the sea subsides.

Why is it unsafe for you or me not to be on the beach but, it is okay for a tv news crew?

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Sensationalism

After they chased the visitors away from the beaches of North Carolina, the Governor is now begging them to come back. Guess he still wants their Labor Day $. Bet a bunch of them said nuts to it and went home. They interviewed people who were cutting their vacations short......

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Sensationalism

dunno, seems about every raindrop or wind event is now a "storm o da century".
gets a bit aggrevating.
however this storm had the potential for major damage had it not turned north but remained on a nw track.
soon as I saw the turn north it was time for a cool refreshing beveage as I knew my area was only going to see some 60 MPH range gusts and some rain.
been here most all my life and I do understand hurricanes and how dangerous they can be if not prepared and in the wrong place.
kinda like Isabel, cantore was in a hotel parking lot in nags head.
with a couple vans and a crew.
yakking and yakking about 20 waves and an expected 20' storm surge.
then IMMEDIATLY stated thet they were protected by a 20 dune,that by the way is man made and can and will dissapear in minutes, I looked at my 13 yr old son and said,boy do me some maths reel qukke like.
gotta member usns in da soff is ignorent.
made my day when about 20 min later the dune got crested and sea water was knee deep in the parking lot knocking over cameras and filling vans .

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Sensationalism

Here the city had police knee deep in the water at the beaches warning people not to go out beyond their waist, that was three days ago.

At least they realized that you may had to PPPPP!!!!

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Sensationalism

THATS EXACTLY why I rely on 30+ meterologists that I read every single day during hurricane season. I didn't watch 5 minutes of news coverage about this storm, nor do I for other storms, it is doom and gloom and as you said sensationalism.

I've taken every course our local Office of Emergency Management has offered relating to weather and educated myself on reading the NASA and NOAA maps. I watched Earl for two weeks as it left the Africian Coast.

It dosen't take a rocket scientist to do this, just 20 years of practice for me living on an island, and listening to the experts (none of which are TV hosts).

You can make your own decisions based on your own research. I don't rely on someone else to tell me I'm in danger.

During Hurricane Ike, I evacuating a day before the Mayor here called for an evacuation. She was wrong, I was right. This is why I won't rely on TV, City or County officials to tell me when to go.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Sensationalism

I will say this however, because there are so many stubborn people who do not heed warnings and think they know more than the experts, media has helped moved a few people out of harms way over the years and even saved some lives with their hype.

It's a shame that the only way some people will get out of harms way is to instill fear. Complacency can be deadly.

Stocking up or evacuating is part of life where I live and I would rather be wrong (and safe) than dead right any day.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Sensationalism

NC gubberner is a she, not a he.
it takes several days to evacuate the islands here and there are ALWAYS rocket scientist drivers that manage to crash and tie up the road doing it.
had earl continued on a NW track and not turned north yesterday evening I probably would not be posting.
a 90 mile or so jog to the west and we would be without power,food supplies and fuel and emergency services for 3 to 6 days.
trouble is most tourists are simply clueless about this environment during and the days after a direct hit or a near miss.
say it hit and tore out the ferry landing at ocracoke island then cut another inlet acrossed NC 12 in the pea island area,its happened before.
lets also say Caffeys inlet reopened,right now there is is a mini mansion about where the center of the inlet used to be.
no we have several hundred thousand people with inadequate food,fuel,drinking water and emergency medical and all ground transportation is down,possibly for weeks or even months.
remember when the barge whacked the bonner bridge at oregon inlet.
after isabel we were without power for 5 days,no county water for 3 days martial law for 4 days, had to use my boat to go get generator fuel and ice for me and my neighbors.
isabel did not hit us,clipped hatterass and charged up the albermarle.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Sensationalism

If, If, If, the dog didn't stop to PPPP, it would have caught the rabbit.

I understand why we need higher intervention, people can not think for them self. Nit Wits!!!

 

[JB]

Re: Sensationalism

"Better safe than sorry." is easy to ridicule when it is "safe".

110 years ago, in Lady Fish's neighborhood, 6,000-8,000 perished because they weren't adequately intimidated. That is "sorry".

LF, herself, is probably very glad she was subjected to sensationalized warnings of Ike. She and Mr. LF were safe when sorry was a real threat.

Why we have meteorologists and depend on them to keep us advised has nothing to do with being nit wits. . .it has to do with being wise.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Sensationalism

Wimusky,our governor is a woman,not thats thats important,and who or what state is not trying to make money these days?tourism drives the economy of probably all coastal areas.if you have not been to N.C.beaches you should visit.its nowhere to be In a hurricane though!!Barrier islands can get flooded from sea or sound,depends on wind direction, sometimes both ways!.not a lot to block wind except other houses in areas.its like being on a narrow island.you can walk from sound to beach in 10 or 15 mins. along much of our coast.lots of people trying to leave on one or 2 bridges takes a long time, thats why they evacuate.it would be bad for thousands to be stranded on vacation w/o power,maybe water,possibly for days and no way to leave but an unsunk boat or gasp the government!the sunrises and sunsets are spectacular,water east and west.fishins good too!everyone should see the raw power and fury of a hurricane once in their life, safely if possible, maybe inland 50 or more miles!!,but its nothing to underestimate or become complacent about!!and it doesent need any hype or sesnsationalism(see jim cantore) because its undeniably the most powerful show of strengh on our planet.you will vividely remember a bad hurricane once expierienced.oops left the house and didnt read Rodbolts before finishing my reply.what he said.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Sensationalism

Official weather bouy data five miles into the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Ann. In the past 24 hours the data shows that highest winds were at 4.04AM, wind speed 17.5 mph gusting to 21.4mph, highest wave height past 24 hours 4.6 feet every 6 seconds indicating a chop, not good for my 26' boat.

Can not compare Gulf of Mexico to the north east coast of New England. Where I live we are 10' above sea level, our shoreline is granite, we weather storms pretty well, very little flooding mostly from clogged street drains. Hurricanes or nor'easters attract people to the shore to watch the ocean churn.

City mayor orders police to close beaches on Friday. Todays(saturday) newspaper front page shows picture of off duty cop at the beach on Friday with daughter in the water. "Go figure."

 

[gstanton]

Re: Sensationalism

We live in a resort area in far western Maryland and the rental agencies were saying that everyone who canceled out on their beach weekend were trying to book a lake house here in the mountains.
We are full!
It is REALLY busy here this weekend.

Thanks Earl!

 

[mscher]

Re: Sensationalism

I don't blame the NWS for this non-sense - I blame the media and the rubes who fall into their trap, regularily.

For instance, even though most knew Earl was dying as he head Northward, CNN had it's constant end-of-the-world, "teasers", such as , Northeast officials bracing for damaging winds - of 50-60MPH? Even Indiana can handle those wind speeds, with just a few roof panels torn loose.

Local "weather" is just as bad. Local TV stations know weather is the main reason, people turn on the "news". That said, it's a race to see who can come up with the most jazzy weather reports, to bring (and keep) the viewers interested. "Doppler Weather Fury 4000" or "Nexrad Weather 2000", weather reporting "machines". The weather reports are very complicated and take up a good portion of the newscast. Who could not watch these modern wonders?

I refuse to watch TV weather, and just get the NWS reports direct. IMO, these reports are quite accurate, even the 7 day forecasts. Not nearly exiting though, as watching a report from the "VIPER-HD" weather reporting system, on local TV.

 

[rbh]

Re: Sensationalism

The weather report is much like the bar on a friday night, there is a report of this, that and the other.
And by the time you get there, you just get the other.

Balls to the walls Boys!!!!!

Stand Tall, Hatches Down
Nova Scotia has to still ride this one out.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Sensationalism

With all of todays technolgy, weather planes etc:, they should be able to predict much better.

They can't and never will, chaos theory is the problem.
Even if they could monitor the condition of every atom in the atmosphere they couldn't predict which way the wind will blow with certainty.
Its turning out to be a glorious weekend.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Sensationalism

JB is right with his take on this.....if they didn't warn people and someone got hurt, everyone would be moaning about not being warned. Or attempting to sue someone somewhere for something.
Either way tho'.....if it come from the Fox news network....it's about 30%-35% accurate and 65-70% viewer numbers & entertainment value.
My two bits.
BP