[Skywarn] NWS weather information could go dark under new bill

[Greg Williams]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/epaper/2005/04/21/m1a_wx_
0421.html

Do you want a seven-day weather forecast for your ZIP code? Or
hour-by-hour predictions of the temperature, wind speed, humidity and
chance of rain? Or weather data beamed to your cellphone?

That information is available for free from the National Weather
Service.

But under a bill pending in the U.S. Senate, it might all disappear.

The bill, introduced last week by Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., would
prohibit federal meteorologists from competing with companies such as
AccuWeather and The Weather Channel, which offer their own forecasts
through paid services and free ad-supported Web sites.

Supporters say the bill wouldn't hamper the weather service or the
National Hurricane Center from alerting the public to hazards - in fact,
it exempts forecasts meant to protect "life and property."

But critics say the bill's wording is so vague they can't tell exactly
what it would ban.

Gregory S. Williams
k4hsm at knology.net