Editorial in Today's Pittsburgh Post Gazette

[tomboudreau]

I'm not sure if this should be posted in the Tropical forum or not, so I decided to play it safe and post it here.

Editorial: On the mark / The nation owes a debt to the weather service
Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Local and national weather forecasters get flack when they fumble a forecast, but little applause for scoring bulls-eyes that save the public's skin. National Weather Service forecasts for Hurricane Katrina warrant accolades for the men and women who put their reputations on the line in the business of second-guessing Mother Nature.

NWS personnel at the National Hurricane Warning Center correctly predicted that Katrina would cause major problems for New Orleans, with a storm surge up to 25 feet high. Their warning led about 500,000 people to evacuate before the city flooded. Imagine the cataclysmic scope of this disaster if NWS had made the wrong call, and New Orleans remained fully populated as the floodwaters poured in.

Although not all relevant information may be available, the NWS's tracking of Katrina is being called one of the most accurate hurricane predictions in history. If so, the whole country owes the NWS its thanks.

Nevertheless, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania is correct in suggesting that investigations of the fiasco in New Orleans should include a probe into the adequacy of NWS warnings. No aspect of the emergency response should get a pass.

Coming from Mr. Santorum, however, the suggestion seemed like a political cheap shot to win support for an ill-conceived bill he is sponsoring. It would limit the amount of information that NWS can provide to the public. As a result, business would boom for private forecasting services like AccuWeather, in State College, whose employees have contributed $7,000 to Mr. Santorum's 2006 reelection fund.

Hurricane Katrina was a classic example of how much people benefit from the NWS. Rather than restricting the agency, Mr. Santorum and his colleagues should be eyeing increased NWS funding for further improvements in forecasting technology.

As Katrina has taught, few other investments in research could have such far-reaching practical benefits.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05256/570265.stm

[azskyman]

Tom, I am SO glad that the NWS and in particular Max Mayfield at NHC said what they said, when they said it, and in the tone of seriousness that they felt it deserved.

Thanks for sharing the article. I have many friends in NWS, and I know each of them feel a sense of pride for how this storm was portrayed to so many millions of people.

Can you spell R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

Steve

[Stephanie]

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has been "tellin' it like it is" with regards to Santorum's anti- NWS bill since day one. It's time to put that bill in the circular file - perhaps Santorum as well!

[Skywatch_NC]

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has been "tellin' it like it is" with regards to Santorum's anti- NWS bill since day one. It's time to put that bill in the circular file - perhaps Santorum as well!

AMEN to that!

[pojo]

Santorum has caused nothing but havoc for the NWS. Imagine if the warnings were not posted for New Orleans/Gulfport/Biloxi area... not only would over 1 million people succomb to the deadly force of mother nature, it would have caused massive negativity for the NWS for blowing the forecast of a cat 5 hurricane. Katrina made people understand that forecasters are not there for 's#!t's and giggles' or for public disoray, but for your safety, to keep you alert before the storm hits.

I've worked with the NWS on many occasions and have the utmost respect for those people. I too, like poppysky, know people in the weather field... I'm headed that way also.

There are 2 common misconceptions about weather forecasters.....

1) Mets make the big bucks. WRONG! Yes, SOME personalities rack in the money, however many are on the low-middle class for pay. It all depends on WHAT market you work in and HOW many YEARS you have in the business and IF you have the AMS seal (and/or NWA seal). So many people have the large egos which makes you think they are getting a ton of money.

2) Mets are never right. WRONG! Please refer to my top statement about katrina. I personally know of one TV met that forecasts, yes forecasts using every forecasting tool necessary. He is right 99% of the time (that's much better than other TV weather mets in the Green Bay/Appleton.) He averages 1* off if not ON THE DOT with his forecasts every single day. On the flip side, there is one met in the Green Bay/Appleton area the copies his forecasts verbatim from the NWS GRB site.... I'm dead serious... I've caught him a few times!