KCRag Forum

Is this meteorological pertubation that has emotionally addled not only the exurbs but the suburbanites as well really worth three nonstop hours of post-partum bloviational repartee from Katie Horner and her cohort adherents of tabloidesque sleaziness? I mean, get real people! It's summer. It's a storm. It happens.

I've got a temporary rooommate for the summer from Hays, KS and he is cracking up about these weather dofuses on the TV.  He's like "what are they on tv for?"  I told him it's a huge ratings bonanza.

KCPowercat wrote: I've got a temporary rooommate for the summer from Hays, KS and he is cracking up about these weather dofuses on the TV.  He's like "what are they on tv for?"  I told him it's a huge ratings bonanza.

Two years ago, when they really had a reason to be on TV, they did seem professional. The hype was built into the event itself. I did discover that their storm-track neighborhood-to-neighborhood-prediction crap was pretty futile. Famous last words include "It'll blow over."

Stuff like this is overkill for ratings and seriously risks a cry wolf scenario.  2003 though demonstrated how critically important these cut-ins can be.  F4 rips through a major metropolitan area and only 2 are killed?  Those mets saved a lot of lives that day. 

or common sense did. 

the forecasters are former chess club nerds who went into weather. they get their jollies from little bitty storms and they get their orgasms from freaking people out. they like to predict doomsday scenario's concerning a tornado that might of been spotted in garden city and could be headed this way. maybe.

they never fail to paint the bleakest picture of our weather here. for those of you new to the k.c. area there is an old saying that has been around a long time,
"if you don't like the weather now, just wait a minute and it will change".

also for those of you who are new to the k.c. area this year.....enjoy the humidity, it will be around awhile. and usually from mid-july thru august the temps usually stay in the 90's and above. enjoy your summer here in "one of the few livable cities left".

I understand that they are responsible for a broadcast area that extends well beyond the metro area, but last night was way overboard.  They were covering storms around Topeka, which has its own television stations.

The problem is that the stations are in an arms race.  They have spent millions on helicopters and Super Mega Doppler Radar, and now they have to look for even the flimsiest excuse to use all of that expensive equipment.  I remember when just one weather guy and one guy in the field was sufficient to cover a storm. Now we have 2-3 weather people, a helicopter, and 4-5 roaming reporters.

BTW, blame the producers for the insane number of cut-ins, not the meteorologists.  I have several friends who are on-air meteorologists, one of them is in KC, and they all say it's not their choice.

Oh, and there are the times when they fire up the sirens over an entire county when it is tornado warned. Some dude spots rotation over Lone Jack, and the folks in the river market are taking cover. But then it may be hard to determine who should get warned and who shouldn't.

KCPowercat wrote: or common sense did.

I don't know whose common sense tells them there is a violent tornado on the ground 5 miles away

I've lived in a couple of areas now, and KC is only slightly worse than other locales, probably because the weather is slightly worse. When I lived in DC they'd freak out at a few inches of snow.

I imagine Florida weather forecasters are on 24-7 this time of year.

It's like when people say, "Well, you know what they say around here: 'If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes.'" I've heard that in every city I've lived in or visited.

KCN wrote: BTW, blame the producers for the insane number of cut-ins, not the meteorologists.  I have several friends who are on-air meteorologists, one of them is in KC, and they all say it's not their choice.

I dunno, Katie Horner seems to love spending hours at a time telling us about the minutia of meteorology.  That, and advising us to run out into the tempest and bring in our potted plants, so they don't become "yard missiles."

Breaking in to report on new developments or emergency bulletins is certainly appropriate, but the so-called  wall-to-wall coverage for hours at a time is definitely excessive.  Especially given the proliferation of tickers, crawls, watch boxes, etc. that already eat up the screen.

KC0KEK wrote: It's like when people say, "Well, you know what they say around here: 'If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes.'" I've heard that in every city I've lived in or visited.

I actually had someone at work say that to me here in Orange County.  I about fell on the floor laughing considering the weather rarely varies more than a couple degrees from average and it doesn't even rain 6 - 8 months most years.  I think I've only seen lightning here 5 times in the past 9 years.

I'm moving back to Denver next week and I have to say, their weather really does change dramatically and very quickly.  You can have a mini blizzard in the morning and be sunny and in the 50s by afternoon. 

All this reminds me of when I saw a forcast sometime during the crazy weather week after the May 4, 2003 storms. I don't remember what town it was for, but on the NWS website, below the little weather icon thingy for that day, the forcast simply stated "occasional tornadoes."    I $#!+ you not.

Gladstoner wrote: ...the forcast simply stated "occasional tornadoes."    I $#!+ you not.

That is the funniest thing I've heard all day. 

Uno's on the Plaza had their entryway flooded last night, the water even extended all the way near the edge of the bar. Three employees worked diligently to sweep it all out.

We went to the new Plaza library yesterday, & the mats inside the doors were soaked.

It's snowing in Lawrence right now, just so you know.

Hail downtown

You guys won't be laughing when a tornado rips through your neighborhood! Katie Horner and those guys might be a little silly, but it only takes one time and your gone.