[BARC-List] weather spotters in the news

[Dan Malloy]

Haneisen: Watch out -- weather spotters look ready=20

By Rob Haneisen=20
Wednesday, October 8, 2003

Two weeks ago I asked any of you fervent weather watchers out there -- =
dare I say, weather geeks -- to volunteer for an all-new weather watcher =
army.=20
I wanted a group of people so dedicated to weather, particularly =
snowstorms, that they would be willing to document this winter's wrath =
in all 12 of this newspaper's core towns on a daily basis.=20

In the responses received so far, I have made one key observation: An =
affinity for weather watching in some circles is comparative to a =
behavioral disorder in other circles.=20

"First of all, if you want to verify my OCD (obsessive-compulsive =
disorder) with the weather, please contact my wife at the phone number I =
have provided," wrote one prospective weather watcher in Natick.=20

It gets better.=20

"I have been waiting for this opportunity for years," wrote a =
prospective Wayland weather watcher. "I am an avid 'weather geek' and =
have been since college, when trudging across campus meant being more =
aware of the weather than whom your roommate slept with."=20

One woman from Southborough said we'd be getting more than just her own =
efforts as a weather watcher.=20

"I have an enthusiastic team to support me -- two bright and inquisitive =
children and a husband who will do whatever I ask him to," she wrote.=20

And speaking of understanding spouses -- oh, what a blessing they are -- =
here's what one guy from Natick wrote: "And that I watch the Weather =
Channel as much as I do has everything to do with honest meteorological =
curiosity and nothing to do with (on-air meteorologist) Jennetta Jones, =
no matter what my wife says."=20

Sifting through the replies, it was apparent that ardent weather =
watchers are used to being picked on for their obsession. It develops a =
good sense of humor, something much needed when you're stuck in your =
car, wheels a'spinnin' and fast regretting not getting the heater fixed. =


Being a good weather watcher requires not only to have a good sense of =
humor -- self-deprecating being the best -- but also a sense of duty. =
Weather geeks don't take themselves seriously but understand that =
weather watching is serious business.=20

Hence: "We never go anywhere, so we will always be around to report our =
measurements," one Southborough woman reported.=20

There are others beyond MetroWest who understand the serious of weather =
watchers: the National Weather Service. And they want in on the action, =
too.=20

Part of the reason why this newspaper wants to start its own group of =
weather watchers is because the specific snowfall measurements from the =
National Weather Service in Taunton don't always include all MetroWest =
towns. This is no disrespect to the NWS. They do a fine job, but, as a =
local newspaper, we want to get as local as possible. That means getting =
reports from people in their neighborhoods, from their backyards.=20

The NWS recognizes this as a valuable tool and has agreed to perform a =
free training session for those selected for the newspaper weather =
program, thus allowing our weather geeks to be official NWS spotters as =
well. The training session lasts about an a hour and will be scheduled =
in the coming month.=20

So local weather geeks will become certified, not just certifiable.=20

The second half of this pitch is also a second call for volunteers from =
specific towns that, as of now, have no applicants. I need to hear from =
prospective weather watchers in Marlborough, Holliston, Sudbury, =
Northborough and Westborough. Send me your pitch why you are the person =
for your town to report on snowfall throughout the winter.=20

Some things prospective weather geeks have included (and this is a hint =
for any considering applying) are location, weather equipment (not =
necessary) and a love of snow.=20

"When I'm not doing a snow dance (which is pretty much 365 days a year), =
I'm in business development for a software reseller," wrote one =
perspective Framingham weather watcher.=20

Some descriptions sounded idyllic.=20

"I am blessed with a delightful location, a largely unobstructed view of =
one basin of the lake and the northern sky," wrote one man from Hudson.=20

Some weather watchers boasted of having rain gauges, booklets of annual =
rain and snowfall records, anemometers (it measures wind speed and =
direction -- I looked it up), barometers and the ever-reliable =
yardstick. Some people have already started reporting weather to me, =
making note of the first frost this past week and rainfall from recent =
storms.=20

So if you think you are fit to join this dedicated crowd of enthusiasts, =
send me an e-mail and hopefully the newspaper will soon be introducing =
readers to our small army of weather watchers waiting for the first =
flakes to fly.=20

(Rob Haneisen is the central regional editor of the MetroWest Daily =
News. He can be reached at rhaneis@cnc.com or 508-626-3882.)


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