DGS49
Diamond Member
As an old bastard who likes to keep tabs on the weather, it drives me crazy when they make hysterical forecasts and interrupt TV programing to provide you with WARNINGS OF SEVERE WEATHER, when nothing of the sort is likely to occur.
Here in Pittsburgh, we are situated between two areas that get - shall we say - a shit-load of snow. Erie, PA (90 miles north) gets lots of what is called "lake effect" snow, which results when cold air flows over Lake Erie, draws moisture from the water, then drops it (as snow) on the 10 miles or so immediately south of the lake. It doesn't have anything to do with Pittsburgh's weather. And the Laurel Highlands, east of Pittsburgh, have a couple thousand feet of elevation, which gives them lots of snow and good skiing. Again, nothing to do with Pittsburgh, but broadly speaking, it's in the "Pittsburgh area."
Pittsburgh itself gets very little of this. In fact, with its roads and buildings acting as a "heat sink," its temperature is usually a couple degrees warmer than the surrounding areas.
So right now, the forecasters on Pittsburgh stations are issuing Warnings for "Up to 6-8 of SNOW!" for "the area."
What this means is that the Laurel Highlands will get 5-6", the Pittsburgh suburbs will get maybe 2-3", and Pittsburgh itself will get enough to need snow plows and delay the schools, but actually no big deal. An inch or two.
Irritating.
Does this sort of thing go on everywhere? The forecasters exaggerate the possibility of bad weather to suck viewers into watching their weather forecasts?
Here in Pittsburgh, we are situated between two areas that get - shall we say - a shit-load of snow. Erie, PA (90 miles north) gets lots of what is called "lake effect" snow, which results when cold air flows over Lake Erie, draws moisture from the water, then drops it (as snow) on the 10 miles or so immediately south of the lake. It doesn't have anything to do with Pittsburgh's weather. And the Laurel Highlands, east of Pittsburgh, have a couple thousand feet of elevation, which gives them lots of snow and good skiing. Again, nothing to do with Pittsburgh, but broadly speaking, it's in the "Pittsburgh area."
Pittsburgh itself gets very little of this. In fact, with its roads and buildings acting as a "heat sink," its temperature is usually a couple degrees warmer than the surrounding areas.
So right now, the forecasters on Pittsburgh stations are issuing Warnings for "Up to 6-8 of SNOW!" for "the area."
What this means is that the Laurel Highlands will get 5-6", the Pittsburgh suburbs will get maybe 2-3", and Pittsburgh itself will get enough to need snow plows and delay the schools, but actually no big deal. An inch or two.
Irritating.
Does this sort of thing go on everywhere? The forecasters exaggerate the possibility of bad weather to suck viewers into watching their weather forecasts?