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The Weather Channel forecast any Storm rainy and thundered Blitz
LOS ANGELES - It's been the worst year for extreme weather since Noah had to build an ark - unless you've invested in the Weather Channel.
Tornadoes, droughts, subzero temperatures and heat waves have already brought boffo numbers to the cable outlet, with hurricane season right around the corner.
"It's all about extremes," said meteorologist Stephanie Abrams, who co-hosts a morning show with Al Roker.
Nearly 46 million people followed the network's coverage on TV or online during the freeze that covered a third of the country on Groundhog Day, and nearly 50 million relied on its services when tornadoes devastated Joplin, Mo.
It wasn't long ago when the Weather Channel didn't go anywhere beyond the coffee room in its Georgia-based studio. When it was launched in 1982, coverage was limited to maps and radar screens, with anchors ticking off temperatures as if they were reading stock market numbers. Today, top personalities hopscotch around the world, trying to get to locations right before storms hit.
Abrams said she's collected enough miles this year to qualify as a diamond member of Delta's frequent-flier program. Jim Cantore, a Weather Channel veteran with 25 years on the job, said he's been in the studio for a solid week only twice this year. They also produce documentaries and series with names such as "Storm Riders" and "From the Edge."
Reporting from the eye of the storm has become big business.
"When I first started, it was a little easier to find places to park a satellite truck," Cantore said. "Now there are dozens of trucks on the scene."
The team scoffs at images of weather folks holding onto trees in a roaring hurricane or chasing tornadoes. Safety first. But Abrams said being on the scene makes her a stronger advocate for viewers.
"I know what it's like to live on Pop-Tarts and Sun Chips, so you can empathize with people because we've lived it, too," she said.
The Weather Channel team doesn't believe interest in weather will cool down anytime soon. Walker predicts there will be at least one catastrophic hurricane this year and Cantore said the world's climate changes will continue to be extreme.
"The question is: Have we tipped the bucket over?" he said. "Is there anything we can do to turn the climate back? That we just don't know."
Read More About Weather online
Several years ago during a budget hearing, a Congressman supposedly asked why we needed the National Weather Service when lots of forecasts are available on the Weather Channel. This guy was serious, but misinformed, since much of the material on the Weather Channel–the observations, the model output, the warnings—all came from the National Weather Service. President Obama knows–it seems that in nearly every speech when he talks about agencies we dare not cut—the National Weather Service is mentioned.
At times I have criticized some National Weather Service policies or forecasts, but let me assure you, their forecasters are experienced and highly trained, and they make substantial sacrifices for all of us (like accepting rotating shifts). Often TV weathercasters talk about “my forecast” or the “KXXX custom doppler-radar forecast” or whatever, but let me tell you a secret–they look at and rarely deviate far from NWS predictions. Twice I had my 101 classes write down the TV forecasts for an extended period and then we compared them to the NWS predictions–no statistically significant difference. (In fact, one of the leading local TV weathercasters called the chair of my department complaining about such activities!)
What do you have to do to become a NWS meteorologist? You need a real degree in meteorology (at least a B.S.)–which means you had a lot of math, physics, and atmospheric sciences. Getting into the NWS is quite difficult and they only have a few positions a year–so those that get in are strong candidates. The NWS then has an extended and comprehensive training program and intern forecasters have to spend several years working their way up until they become journeyman staff.
Here in Seattle the local office is at the NOAA Sand Point facility, and they have a nice office with a wonderful view of Lake Washington. The “Meteorologist in Charge”–the head weather honcho– is Brad Colman, who has exceptional academic credentials (Ph.D. from one of the top programs, MIT), and deep operational experience. Read MOre
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