Discuss Detroit » Archives - July 2008 » What's Going On With Our Local Weathercasts? « Previous Next »
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Royce
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Username: Royce

Post Number: 2806
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 1:37 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

What the devil is up with our local weather forecasts? The forecasts tend to omit important information and repeat the same old unimportant stuff. I just got through watching Channel 4's weathercast and not once did they mention today's high temperature. Given the fact that it was unseasonably warm today I thought they would mention it. Instead they repeated at least twice what the overnight temperature will be and what the Sunday's weather will be.

I guess I'm just old fashioned but I would like to know what the temperature was on a given day so I can put it in my mental history book. I also would like to know how close the temperature came to the record high for the day. Now, I did watch Ch. 7 after the Saturday Night Football game and they did mention the high for the day but not the record high.

Also, is it really necessary for forecasts to give the temperatures of near-by suburbs? Is the temperature in Warren going to be that much different from Detroit or Allen Park? Do news organizations feel it necessary to include giving neighboring suburbs' their temperatures as to not offend them? Do they really think suburbanites would stop watching their broadcasts if this happened?

In addition, whatever happened to giving a travel forecast? If I was going to Traverse City tomorrow, then knowing what the weather will be like there would be worthwhile information. Knowing what the temperature will be in Warren tomorrow, given the fact that Detroit's is given, doesn't do much for me. And how about extending the travel forecast to include major cities. If I was a business traveller that kind of information would be very useful to me. All that other stuff is just a waste of time. What do you think?
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Novine
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Username: Novine

Post Number: 760
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 2:56 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Or you can spend 2 minutes on Weather Underground and get all of that information and more.
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Ja1mz
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Username: Ja1mz

Post Number: 134
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 6:35 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I like weather history, info etc, the local McNews has been dumbed down, especially channel 4, and weather has been condensed. The internet has always been the best source. Here's a couple links I use: Local weather-http://www.pleasantweather.com /wx3/pcom.php

Michigan area-http://www.weathermichigan.com /outlook.htm
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Mikeg
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Username: Mikeg

Post Number: 1845
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 7:51 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Watch the Fox Ch 2 news at 10 PM. Their full weather report at about 10:20 PM gave both Saturday's actual and record high temps: 82 and 93 respectively, if memory serves.
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Maof2
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Username: Maof2

Post Number: 672
Registered: 06-2008
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 8:14 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I agree with Mikeg about channel 2 - and they're all cute too:-)
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Royce
Member
Username: Royce

Post Number: 2807
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 8:33 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Novine, I knew that someone like you would come along and offer the typical glib response like you did. I mean is it too much to ask that if I'm watching a newscast that advertises that it gives a weathercast, that that should be enough of a reason to believe that you are going to get useful news about the weather?

I checked out your Weather Underground, Novine. They want you to register so that they can hound you to death with advertisements sent through your email address. Look, I just want the weather. I don't want people knowing my personal business or hounding me to get it. Hell, it probably takes longer than two minutes to register (that's right, I didn't bother to register).

Now, must every bit of information we need come exclusively from the internet? I mean even the news tells you if you want to hear more of a story, go to their web site. "Hey, TV news, how about cutting out the useless banter between newscasters and frivolous consumer reports and give us a complete report on a story that you choose to broadcast?"

The problem with all this go to "our" web site is that the company that produces the newscast is actually pimping us out to all of the advertisers who help them pay for their web site. So what happens next goes something like this. If you want a piece of information, then you have to give up your email address. If you want a little more information, then you have to subscribe to an e-magazine. If we want a little more information, then you have to get a membership for so many dollars. If you want any information about anything, then go to the internet and be bombarded by advertisers trying to get you to buy their products. Capitalism at its best.

What is also sad here is that for people who don't have access to a computer or the internet, they get left out. My parents and others who don't have computers are now missing out on information that use to be given on local newscast, or in the daily papers. If you want the schedule for a festival like the Tastefest or the Jazzfest you have to go on line to get it. The time for relying on over the air broadcasts to inform you of things is over. Now you have to pay for information through your $40 a month internet subscription to AT&T or Comcast cable.

Remember, I just wanted to know what the weather was. Now I've spent a million minutes looking for it and talking about it online. I have got to get off this computer. Oh, wait. I guess I can't because if I want to know what the weather is, I've got to look for it here. Geez, Louise, what's next?

(Message edited by royce on September 21, 2008)
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Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome

Post Number: 1892
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 8:42 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I've heard that Jerry Hodak is 'gifted', ...like Milton Berle.

A frightening thought.
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Bobl
Member
Username: Bobl

Post Number: 77
Registered: 07-2008
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 9:15 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

All I want is the basics. So I go to weather underground. Never did care what the temperature is in Angedine, Moscow, Buenes Aires, and don't miss Sonny Elliot's corny jokes either.

ps please no flaming... Mr Elliot is a fine man, member of the greatest generation, and sacrificed for his country, and a role model. But the jokes are corny!
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Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 3608
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 9:31 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Royce, just do it the primitive way, go outside (or look out a window) and see for yourself. :-)
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Digitalvision
Member
Username: Digitalvision

Post Number: 1299
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 9:39 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There are a few reasons newscasts have multiple cities on the map.

One is marketing - it's not about "not offending" anyone, it's more about "including" folks that are closer to them. Commercial newscasts are businesses, and including those municipalities makes it "closer" to you. After all, Warren is around 100k people. They watch the news, too, and advertisers are most interested in those.

Two - although temperature probably doesn't have huge variations until you get up into the M-59 hinterlands, rain CAN very greatly. During the last major rain episode, we had a variance from 3-7 inches from Grosse Ile to Port Huron, and in a pretty irregular pattern.

Three - Weather and Sports are the "milk aisle" at the back of the store; most people watch news for those two things and they want some "meat" on it.
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Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 3681
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 11:08 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

I checked out your Weather Underground, Novine. They want you to register so that they can hound you to death with advertisements sent through your email address.

I've never had to register at Weather Underground; just type in a city or airport or zip code and get all you're asking for.
quote:

Now, must every bit of information we need come exclusively from the internet?

Why wait until "the news" comes on? If I want the information at 2:30 in the afternoon - if I need it before the news comes on or I will be busy when the news is on - I can get it in an instant from the internet.
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Yupislyr
Member
Username: Yupislyr

Post Number: 319
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 11:17 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You don't need to register at Wunderground.

Search for you area.. boom.. done.

http://www.wunderground.com/cg i-bin/findweather/getForecast? query=detroit%2C+mi&MR=1

The almanac link has detailed daily weather going back for years.
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Ed_golick
Member
Username: Ed_golick

Post Number: 1119
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 11:28 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bobl,
Everybody needs a little corn in their diet.

sonnye


Gnome,
Forget about what you've heard about Hodak. Sonny's Isobar measures near the top of the ol' rain gage, if you know what I'm saying.
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Gmich99
Member
Username: Gmich99

Post Number: 273
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 12:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

www.noaa.gov
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Novine
Member
Username: Novine

Post Number: 762
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 12:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Royce - hey, all fair points about what the local TV broadcast should be providing and the fact that a lot of people still don't have Internet at home or cable TV. I don't have any easy answers for that other than to agree that the local TV weather should be providing that detail. Some of them do a decent job with that. Maybe it's Channel 2 who does. I was just trying to point out an alternative that would help you get that info. and not force you to wait on the local weather. As has been pointed out, you don't have to register at Weather Underground to get all of the details. I use it all of the time and never have registered. Want local radar? Regional radar? Sunrise? Sunset? Public alerts from the weather service? It's all there. Plus, you get great stuff like this that you'll never get from the TV talking heads:

http://www.wunderground.com/bl og/JeffMasters/archive.html?ts tamp=200809

Go back read the Hurricane Ike postings. Is Jerry Hodak going to give you that kind of detail? I don't think so.
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Scottr
Member
Username: Scottr

Post Number: 904
Registered: 07-2006
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 12:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

The forecasts tend to omit important information and repeat the same old unimportant stuff. I just got through watching Channel 4's weathercast and not once did they mention today's high temperature. Given the fact that it was unseasonably warm today I thought they would mention it. Instead they repeated at least twice what the overnight temperature will be and what the Sunday's weather will be.



Definition of 'forecast': To estimate or calculate in advance, especially to predict weather conditions by analysis of meteorological data.

Yet you seem to think that the high temperature of the past day is more important than the temperature tomorrow. Why does the past day's high temperature matter to most people? it's over with. I need to prepare for tonight and tomorrow - that's what a FORECAST is for. the day's high temp is just an interesting tidbit. Get rid of it, make more room for the important stuff.

I appreciate getting some of the suburbs temps, although any that are too close together are overkill, obviously, for example, Warren and Centerline. But weather can change from city to city - I've left Warren for Flint and by the time I got to Auburn Hills, I was in whiteout conditions, while Warren never got a flake. That's over less of a distance than from Allen Park to Warren, both of whose forecasts would be gone in your ideal world.

Another tip: just because a web site OFFERS to let you register, doesn't mean you have to. it usually just allows more customization, but you can get all the information you need at WU by only typing in the zip code.
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Daddeeo
Member
Username: Daddeeo

Post Number: 134
Registered: 09-2008
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 12:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Most folks have cable, so why not just turn on the weather channel? They have local forecasts every ten minutes on the 8's.

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