Weather Forecasters Overplay Blizzard

[Raptor Witness]

A $300 fine for driving in the state of New York after 11 PM, when you barely had a handful of inches of snow?

Really Governor ... ?

They can't forecast their way out of a paper bag.

This, as the drought in California deepens.

Speaking of snow, there's still time for Governor Brown to begin towing icebergs from the North Pole, to make up for what's missing in the Sierra.

The moment the first iceberg, paid for by the state of California, begins to move under human power, the drought there will be lifted.

It will be like the Donner Party, only in reverse ...http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9909886&postcount=280

To the Lord of the Earth, who stands before all living things:

Now, send your flaming sword to the West, where it was seen in the sky before my birth, and lay it upon the ground. As it melts the land, make Manifest Destiny a memory, to be replaced with a new hope, where the word "security" is meaningless.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Raptor Witness

[Space Commander Travis]

It seems amazing to me in that in the Land that still likes to call itself Of the Free, they can order people not to drive, to stay indoors, not to try to go shopping, not to go to work, not to do anything at all. Not just advise people not to, order them not to. It really does seem to be becoming more and more and more totalitarian.

Of course, over-dramatisation is by no means restricted to the US, as these stories show ..

Polar vortex: Britain braced for snow and freezing conditions

Some forecasters have predicted that a 'displaced polar vortex', a large-scale low pressure area, will hit the country late this week.

The Met Office has issued warnings for large parts of England, from the North West to East Anglia, and called for the public to be aware of possible disruption to travel, while health officials urged people to take extra care.

Where's the running-around-going-the-sky's-falling-in-the-sky's-falling-in smilie?

Edited January 27, 2015 by Valdemar the Great

[Rafterman]

A $300 fine for driving in the state of New York after 11 PM, when you barely had a handful of inches of snow?

Really Governor ... ?

I'm pretty sure the closing of the roads - known as a snow emergency around these parts - was based on the forecast. Had he known for certain that we would only have a "handful of inches of snow" then he would not have closed the roads.

And, yes, the meteorologists got this one wrong - actually they didn't as they were still talking about the possibility of two storm models as late as 11:00 last night, but no one was listening at that point - but Nor' Easters are fairly complex storms and even a slight deviation in storm track by a few miles one way or another can mean the difference between a "handful of inches of snow" and several feet of snow.

Folks also tend to forget how many times the weather guys get things right.

[Still Waters]

They can't forecast their way out of a paper bag.

Speaking to CNN, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said: "This is a better-safe-than-sorry scenario."

He added: "We did what was necessary to keep everyone safe."

http://www.bbc.co.uk...canada-30996010

[Keel M.]

It seems amazing to me in that in the Land that still likes to call itself Of the Free, they can order people not to drive, to stay indoors, not to try to go shopping, not to go to work, not to do anything at all. Not just advise people not to, order them not to. It really does seem to be becoming more and more and more totalitarian.

You do realize how many MORONS would actually go out and more than likely wreck or get stuck somewhere and then whine and b**** to be rescued when they shouldn't have been out in it in the first place?

[Rafterman]

It seems amazing to me in that in the Land that still likes to call itself Of the Free, they can order people not to drive, to stay indoors, not to try to go shopping, not to go to work, not to do anything at all. Not just advise people not to, order them not to. It really does seem to be becoming more and more and more totalitarian.

That only happens when you have a forecast like the one we had yesterday. It's not about control. It's about the government's duty to clear the roads, ensure that emergency vehicles can pass, and to quickly get things returned to normal after the storm. You can't do that when people are on the roads (or in reality, off the roads in need of rescue).

[Ashotep]

If I was living in New York I would be extremely happy they got this one wrong.

Nantucket really got it. They are without power with hurricane force wind gusts.

[Lilly]

I'm right in the thick of this...and IMO the driving ban is absolutely the right move.

Just to add, when people go out driving in this kind of storm it causes all sorts of problems for the road crews and the power companies.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Lilly
addition

[travelnjones]

government over reaching itself but hey if you get a day off out of it, that's cool!

[Raptor Witness]

This would have been an unthinkable move by any governor, if not for the disastrous forecast mistake made in Atlanta last year that left thousands stranded.

However, this isn't Atlanta we're talking about.

Now Snow Miser, hear a groundhog's unexpected nightmare, for the boy who cried Wolf.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Raptor Witness

[Rafterman]

This would have been an unthinkable move by any governor, if not for the disastrous forecast mistake made in Atlanta last year that left thousands stranded.

However, this isn't Atlanta we're talking about.

Now Snow Miser, hear a groundhog's unexpected nightmare, for the boy who cried Wolf.

Not really, the NY Thruway and other roads are closed several times a winter due to severe conditions. County wide snow emergencies are declared as well. Clearly you're not from the Northeast.

Because closing highways in severe weather conditions is CLEARLY governmental overreach and an invasion of freedoms.

See those plow trucks? That's ONE of the reasons they close the roads so they can run like that.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Rafterman

[toast]

Is the use of special winter tires during winter times common practice in US?

[Agent0range]

Is the use of special winter tires during winter times common practice in US?

They are expensive..most people don't use them. If you lived in a city, you definitely wouldn't use them.

[travelnjones]

Is the use of special winter tires during winter times common practice in US?

yes if you mean studded tires. But often you can only use them for certain months of the year. Also we do have plows, even San Jose California has a plow for the two mountains that get snow.

[+OverSword]

Could it be that they were well aware this blizzard was going to be nothing like as bad as they said so they could see what the people would say when they called out the national guard and instituted a curfew?

[toast]

yes if you mean studded tires. But often you can only use them for certain months of the year.

No, not studded ones. I meant something like these:

http://www.uniroyal-...rreifen_en.html

Edited January 27, 2015 by toast

[Careful_perspective]

I think (and this is coming from the perspective of a New Yorker) after the way they downplayed Hurricane Sandy, and were knocked on their ass. The Government isn't taking ANY chances when it comes to Natural Disasters.

[travelnjones]

Yeah they have those. I just moved up to the portland area, everyone seems to have those and all wheel drive cars. It's only snowed once since i came up in september

[Agent0range]

No, not studded ones. I meant something like these:

http://www.uniroyal-...rreifen_en.html

Those are what I was talking about. In the northeast though, most of us know how to drive in it. I drove my front wheel drive car home from work yesterday with no snow tires. You kind of just have to let yourself slide around the corners and down the hills, and do nothing abruptly. I was down south once for a VERY minor storm, and there were more cars facing the wrong way on the highway than the right way...

[acidhead]

Last night I watched CNNs live coverage of the "blizzard". It was hilarious. While everybody else was ordered to stay indoors the media was granted special status to drive around and report on the coming disaster ..... which wasn't coming. It was comical. Be it the reporter driving around saying the snow is starting to pick up while it was obvious it was only raining on his windshield to another repkrter who standing on a street where the snow wasnt sticking to another woman reporter who unaware the camera was live when she yelled at two people walking behind her to get out of the view of the camera because she was trying to say the streets are like a ghost town. I started laughing wondering if they were going to begin using snow making machines to add some effect.

[Raptor Witness]

I think (and this is coming from the perspective of a New Yorker) after the way they downplayed Hurricane Sandy, and were knocked on their ass. The Government isn't taking ANY chances when it comes to Natural Disasters.

True, they totally ignored my forecast, which was made months ahead of time.

What could be more obvious in a hurricane forecast than a giant letter "S" shaped like what appears on Superman's chest?

I'm totally in awe at their lack of faith in my abilities.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Raptor Witness

[sear]

wb #17

Yes. Erring on the side of caution, not a bad idea.

I wouldn't be to uppity with the forecasters.

Work output is seldom better than the tools used to produce it.

The forecasters had the snow fall amount about right.

But their computer models had the track of the storm further West than it turned out to actually be.

That's why they say, Boston got more snow than NYC.

And I live in central New York State. Inches of snow was forecast for here.

We got about squat; just like I like it.

[Agent0range]

True, they totally ignored my forecast, which was made months ahead of time.

What could be more obvious in a hurricane forecast than a giant letter "S" shaped like what appears on Superman's chest?

I'm totally in awe at their lack of faith in my abilities.

Your forecast? What? "In the cometh months, maybe years, the one who telleth the weather will be wrong." Yup, takes a real Nostradamus to figure that one out.

[Lilly]

There is over 2 feet of snow right outside my door right now...and some are trying to imply this storm somehow isn't real? Utter nonsense.

[Careful_perspective]

There is over 2 feet of snow right outside my door right now...and some are trying to imply this storm somehow isn't real? Utter nonsense.

Yeah, I got a little less than 2 feet as well. I think the ban on cars after 11 PM was important. Just this morning as I was shoveling I saw a minivan get stuck down the block. They ended up shoveling everything out, but still, imagine that last night in the dark. Additionally, last year when we had a smaller storm dozens of people were stranded on major highways. I know that certain people couldn't leave their jobs early but with the government mandating a curfew people can tell their employers "I -HAVE- to leave."