National Weather Service poetry and predictions
I love reading the “Area Forecast Discussion” page on the National Weather Service website.
The discussion is written in all caps with very little punctuation. Each entry begins with a rating of the upcoming forecast, like this: FORECAST CONFIDENCE HIGH.
As for the entries themselves, they’re a mix of poetry and science:
“Quiet weather through Wednesday as we await the arrival of a low pressure system.” I like the idea of “awaiting” a low pressure system. Should you do something to prepare? Bake a cake? Get out a sweater?
“With the clear skies will come a shallow cold layer near the surface.” A “shallow cold layer” is beautifully descriptive, readers can almost see the blanket of cold air.
“Either way, the much colder air with the precip will not arrive until the leading 500mb vort max and frontogenesis gets in here Wed. night.”
Umm, well, I’ll have to take your word for that.
According to the National Weather Service, the snow will arrive late Wednesday night. Between five and six inches are predicted for the 30 hours between Wednesday night and early Friday morning.
Should we place bets on how much snow will actually fall?
I'll say 3 inches, max.
Here's the forecast discussion.
Jan 11, 2012 at 9:33 p.m.
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Eyster? /shudder
/me suggests removal of the CAPS bandit ;)
Jan 11, 2012 at 7:47 p.m.
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Thanks for the link, baegucb! I was under the impression that NWS employed a relative of John Eyster.
Jan 11, 2012 at 6 p.m.
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An early April's Fools joke?
The average temperature for April first in Janesville is 50 degrees...as I drove down Milton Av today, the temp was 61!!!
And the forecast for tomorrow is (courtesy of Weather Underground):
Much colder. Snow. Areas of blowing snow in the afternoon. Snow accumulation of 3 to 4 inches. Highs in the mid 20s.
Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of snow near 100 percent.
Dirty weather trick!
It'll be April before we see weather like this again, but we've avoided a lot of winter so far.
Come on Spring.
Jan 11, 2012 at 3:47 p.m.
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Just enough to have to shovel the sidewalk and keep the ground covered until the next snow.
Jan 11, 2012 at 3:18 p.m.
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http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sew/faq.php#caps... official reason for the capital letters.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?... is an alternate reason.
Jan 11, 2012 at 2:14 p.m.
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I hope for only a inch or 2, but am expecting 5"...only because with my luck (all bad) that is way it will be since I have to be out and about tomorrow and I just hate driving in the first snowfalls of winter :(
*
Not because I can't drive in it, but due to all the idiots out there that think it is like driving on dry pavement...They are the ones who most commonly cause the accidents
Jan 11, 2012 at 1:55 p.m.
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fschultz, I think the terminals used for teletype messages didn't have lower case letters. Having a simplified character set to avoid mechanically shifting levers to change between upper and lower case key strikes like a typewriter does, or not adding 26 additional separate mechanical levers for lower case letters helped reduce the complexity of teletype machines and lower maintenance and repair costs.
From the Forecast Discussion link:
"SFC LOW PRESSURE REGROUPS OVER SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN...OCCLUDES AND WAITS FOR THE 500MB UPPER LOW TO SHIFT EASTWARD ACROSS ILLINOIS AND INDIANA."
What I can't figure out is how they calculate a 500 megabyte* file size for a low pressure front. ☺
*Yeah, I know MB in this case is for millibars. I wonder if "New" Science in primary education has trashed the younger generations like "New" Math did?
Jan 11, 2012 at 12:48 p.m.
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I predict 2" of snow and 1" of salt or 10" of snow that will take 2 weeks to get plowed
Jan 11, 2012 at 11:33 a.m.
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I heard 9 in my area, but who knows? All I know is I have one little boy who can't wait!
Jan 11, 2012 at 11:11 a.m.
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2.3 inch, no more. I expect most of it to be liquid, either before or soon after it hits the ground.
Jan 11, 2012 at 9:06 a.m.
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Good one, Missmarysunshine! I think we've had no snow because my neighbor put up a snow fence for the first time (in a highly residential area!). So my prediction is 0 inches.
Jan 11, 2012 at 8:28 a.m.
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I think "frontogenesis" refers to Phil Collins.
Jan 11, 2012 at 1:22 a.m.
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I'm going to randomly declare that frontogenesis is the stuff that comes out when you sneeze.
Jan 10, 2012 at 9:51 p.m.
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The NWS writes in all capital letters because of longstanding tradition. I believe it is the way that radio newsfolk prefer to have their copy. It's annoying, and I believe studies have shown that all-caps is harder to read.
Jan 10, 2012 at 9:36 p.m.
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I say a flurry.. not even an inch. (because I really want NONE).
Jan 10, 2012 at 9:33 p.m.
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lol...this comment will be erased. Don't be stupid.
Jan 10, 2012 at 8:52 p.m.
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umm..I read http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cms...
and packed a duffel bag in case I get stuck at work (support for law enforcement and emergency workers etc.) You'd be silly or stupid to ignore an NWS warning. I expect to sleep at work, or work a lot of hours.
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