[Skywarn] Weather Channel and TV

[Ben Welch]

I don't really trust the Weather Channel's information most of the 
time.  They consistently get the forecast in our area wrong, more than 
most other weather information sources.  I understand its not an exact 
science and there is going to be a margin of error, but I've found other 
sources to be much more reliable.  The Weather Channel tends to love 
drama and hype.  I have cable service at home through Suddenlink, and I 
have our local stations WYMT in Hazard, KY and their sister station WKYT 
in Lexington.  If I'm looking for general info for the next week I'll 
look at WYMT.  For specific info about upcoming weather events I go 
straight to the WFO in Jackson, KY.  www.crh.noaa.gov/jkl is my first 
stop most days. They provide constant monitoring of our area, of 
course.  Seems like theWeather Channel, along with most other national 
media organizations don't seem to like to even speak the word 'Kentucky' 
on the air unless there's something serious going down and they just 
can't ignore it anymore.  Between that attitude and the copious amounts 
of 'reality' programming or whatever you wanna call it, I rarely look at 
the Weather Channel anymore, and wouldn't miss it at all if Suddenlink 
were to drop it.

As for Jim Cantore's remarks, they're obviously completely unfounded 
hogwash.  I find it ridiculous for him to imply that the NWS' first sign 
of an approaching storm is when they hear about it on the Weather 
Channel.  I'm sure the folks in Norman, OK got a good laugh out of that, 
if they weren't busy cursing him.

I've made some of the same remarks about our local station that he says 
people have made to him about the Weather Channel, remarks that they 
were instrumental in warning people about approaching severe weather and 
that they were a great source of information and that they stuck with 
the people during the event.  I'm going to take a second here to brag on 
them... Several years ago (2004? 2005?) there was a series of severe 
storms (several severe storm fronts back to back space a couple of hours 
apart) moved through our area overnight over Memorial Day weekend and 
Jim Caldwell, the head meteorologist at WYMT at the time was on the air 
for over 12 hours straight.  Being a local CBS affiliate, they could 
override normal programming and break in when necessary, and he 
personally was on the air during the whole ordeal and could barely talk 
by the time it was over.  The same was true during a series of rare 
March tornadoes in our area about 2 years ago.  Caldwell watched from 
the station in Hazard as part of his hometown of Salyersville was ripped 
apart by a tornado, and he stuck with us for hours, reporting on the 
track of the storm, providing information as it was streaming in from 
local emergency officials. We're very fortunate to have local coverage 
available in our area, if satellite were our only option, I may feel 
differently, its hard to say unless one was actually put in that position.

I guess my point is this: For top of the line, professional opinions 
about the upcoming weather, I go straight to the source and look at 
Special Weather Statements/Hazardous Weather 
Outlooks/Advisories/Watches/Warnings from the NWS.  For news/media 
coverage of the weather including forecasts I go to WYMT.  I would get 
along just fine with these two as my only options.  I think the whole 
fight between DirecTV and The Weather Channel is silly, to fight about 
what in the grand scheme of things is a rather small amount of money, 
but I could care less personally.  Its just gonna hurt both companies 
because there aren't as many people viewing the Weather Channel and its 
advertising now, and there's been a sizable backlash at DirecTV over the 
issue, they're both losing more money now than if they'd just settled on 
a new price to begin with.  I do feel sorry for the people who live in 
areas similar to Kevin below who rely on DirecTV solely, but its just as 
simple to find the information you want online if you know how to find it.

Ben Welch
Jackson KY SKYWARN Spotter
Cellular Data Network Engineer by profession

> Kevin Heyboer <mailto:k.heyboer at verizon.net>
> January 20, 2014 at 12:17 PM
> Living in a very rural area as I do, where DirecTV is THE primary
> distributor of television, I suspect many people here do get at least some
> of their weather information from The Weather Channel.
>
> That having been said, I personally get my weather information 
> directly from
> the source, which is transmitted to me on my computer from the NWS or 
> looked
> up through the various National Weather Service web sites.
>
> Most importantly, I have both a desktop and a portable NOAA SAME Weather
> Radio for immediate notification of severe weather watches and warnings.
>
> The only information I ever transmit over the air on a SKYWARN net, or 
> send
> out by e-mail distribution list, has come directly from the National
> Weather Service.
>
> I do not doubt that The Weather Channel and other media outlets do 
> provide a
> very valuable service during weather events, amongst other things. But,
> let's face it, they get their weather from NOAA/NWS and the most 
> reliable of
> them verify info through the NWS before reporting on it.
>
> By the way, the NWS doesn't do the work alone, either. They collaborate
> with meteorologists with the US Air Force, US Navy, European 
> meteorological
> agencies, and many universities who run both real-time and experimental
> models.
>
> My issue with DirecTV is they do not participate in the Emergency Alert
> System, nor are they required to do so. If you are not tuned to one of the
> local market channels, you will not receive anything over EAS on DirecTV,
> even though they have the ability to identify your exact location from the
> transponder on your satellite dish and your internet connection.
>
> Kevin Heyboer KD4UYR
> AEC Cherokee County NCARES
> Southwest Carolina SKYWARN Net Manager
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: skywarn-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:skywarn-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Lloyd Colston
> Sent: Monday, January 20, 2014 8:34 AM
> To: skywarn at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Skywarn] Weather Channel and TV
>
> Jim Cantore, on CNN, stated "... Your first hint of what's to come is from
> the Weather Channel,,," http://cnn.it/1fQFE70 referring to the National
> Weather Service and emergency managers.
>
>
> As a Skywarn enthusiast, does this hold true?
>
>
> Where do you get your first look weather information?
>
>
> 73
>
>
>
> Lloyd Colston <mailto:kc5fm at aol.com>
> January 20, 2014 at 8:33 AM
> Jim Cantore, on CNN, stated "... Your first hint of what's to come is from
> the Weather Channel,,," http://cnn.it/1fQFE70 referring to the National
> Weather Service and emergency managers.
>
>
> As a Skywarn enthusiast, does this hold true?
>
>
> Where do you get your first look weather information?
>
>
> 73
>
>
>