CDZ What's with Americans and the weather?

[320 Years of History]

I just saw a report on CNN about Floridians bracing for a storm that may become a hurricane. Okay, I get it. It may be a hurricane; that's a big deal event. I think it's more a big deal for folks who don't live on the coast and thus have no routine familiarity with hurricanes. For folks on the coast, what is there to do? Batten down the hatches, as it were, get in your car and leave. Come back after the 'cane and call the insurance company if needed.

But this thread isn't about impending hurricanes. It's about all the concern over far less dangerous weather events, namely rainstorms that aren't hurricanes.

When I was a kid, I recall Hurricane Agnes being something the weather reporters discussed and had everyone freaked out about. Short of that, all I recall was that forecasters predicted rain and people carried umbrellas and wore trenchcoats.

These days, it's as though every rainstorm is tantamount to the apocalypse. What's up with that? It's rain, maybe some wind. Could there be flooding? Sure, that's what flood insurance is for. Hell, I live on high ground, and I have flood insurance. I have a vacation home on the side of a mountain and I have flood insurance there too. Were I to live anywhere near, at or below sea level, or in a floodplain, I'd most definitely have flood insurance. Wouldn't anyone who's risk averse as goes flood repair costs and who lives in such a place?

Rain is nothing new. It's rained for as long as there have been people. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be given weather reports. I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.

 

[TNHarley]

I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.
And it took 9,654 words to say that?

 

[Indeependent]

I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.
And it took 9,654 words to say that?

To ignore 320 or to simply tolerate 320, that is the question.

 

[TNHarley]

I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.
And it took 9,654 words to say that?

To ignore 320 or to simply tolerate 320, that is the question.

I started ignoring his OPs but I got pushed in that thread yesterday. He gave me a toy lol

 

[OldLady]

I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.
And it took 9,654 words to say that?

You need to brush up on your counting skills, TN.

 

[OldLady]

I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.
And it took 9,654 words to say that?

To ignore 320 or to simply tolerate 320, that is the question.

I started ignoring his OPs but I got pushed in that thread yesterday. He gave me a toy lol

Whistle or ring?

 

[TNHarley]

I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.
And it took 9,654 words to say that?

You need to brush up on your counting skills, TN.

Really, Ms AARP? REALLY?

 

[Compost]

I just saw a report on CNN about Floridians bracing for a storm that may become a hurricane. Okay, I get it. It may be a hurricane; that's a big deal event. I think it's more a big deal for folks who don't live on the coast and thus have no routine familiarity with hurricanes. For folks on the coast, what is there to do? Batten down the hatches, as it were, get in your car and leave. Come back after the 'cane and call the insurance company if needed.

But this thread isn't about impending hurricanes. It's about all the concern over far less dangerous weather events, namely rainstorms that aren't hurricanes.

When I was a kid, I recall Hurricane Agnes being something the weather reporters discussed and had everyone freaked out about. Short of that, all I recall was that forecasters predicted rain and people carried umbrellas and wore trenchcoats.

These days, it's as though every rainstorm is tantamount to the apocalypse. What's up with that? It's rain, maybe some wind. Could there be flooding? Sure, that's what flood insurance is for. Hell, I live on high ground, and I have flood insurance. I have a vacation home on the side of a mountain and I have flood insurance there too. Were I to live anywhere near, at or below sea level, or in a floodplain, I'd most definitely have flood insurance. Wouldn't anyone who's risk averse as goes flood repair costs and who lives in such a place?

Rain is nothing new. It's rained for as long as there have been people. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be given weather reports. I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.

OK. You have flood insurance. And you seem to be bothered that some people get more concerned than you do about rain.

The title of your tread is What's with Americans and the Weather? I can't say how people in other countries respond to weather, nor can I speak for all Americans. Still, I am an American and do pay attention to weather. My garden and my ducks have something to do with that. The weather often effects what chores I'll do on a given day. Even before I went rural, I paid attention to weather reports. For example when snow is predicted overnight, I plan to get up early to shovel the driveway out.

It is not an apocalyptic response to observe and ready oneself for weather. It is common sense.

 

[Indeependent]

I just saw a report on CNN about Floridians bracing for a storm that may become a hurricane. Okay, I get it. It may be a hurricane; that's a big deal event. I think it's more a big deal for folks who don't live on the coast and thus have no routine familiarity with hurricanes. For folks on the coast, what is there to do? Batten down the hatches, as it were, get in your car and leave. Come back after the 'cane and call the insurance company if needed.

But this thread isn't about impending hurricanes. It's about all the concern over far less dangerous weather events, namely rainstorms that aren't hurricanes.

When I was a kid, I recall Hurricane Agnes being something the weather reporters discussed and had everyone freaked out about. Short of that, all I recall was that forecasters predicted rain and people carried umbrellas and wore trenchcoats.

These days, it's as though every rainstorm is tantamount to the apocalypse. What's up with that? It's rain, maybe some wind. Could there be flooding? Sure, that's what flood insurance is for. Hell, I live on high ground, and I have flood insurance. I have a vacation home on the side of a mountain and I have flood insurance there too. Were I to live anywhere near, at or below sea level, or in a floodplain, I'd most definitely have flood insurance. Wouldn't anyone who's risk averse as goes flood repair costs and who lives in such a place?

Rain is nothing new. It's rained for as long as there have been people. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be given weather reports. I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.

OK. You have flood insurance. And you seem to be bothered that some people get more concerned than you do about rain.

The title of your tread is What's with Americans and the Weather? I can't say how people in other countries respond to weather, nor can I speak for all Americans. Still, I am an American and do pay attention to weather. My garden and my ducks have something to do with that. The weather often effects what chores I'll do on a given day. Even before I went rural, I paid attention to weather reports. For example when snow is predicted overnight, I plan to get up early to shovel the driveway out.

It is not an apocalyptic response to observe and ready oneself. It is common sense.

Could you please post that again in 50,000 words or more?

 

[OldLady]

I agree with 320 on this one, that weather on the national news and the cable news stations is made into a much bigger deal than it used to be, but I think part of the reason for that is that forecasters can predict what is coming much much better than they could when we were kids and just grabbed the umbrella.
I've only been through one hurricane. It scared me silly and I'm very glad we had ample warning to stock up on pb and batteries because we were out of power for days. For a lot of people it was weeks. Maybe 320 has property on a sand dune, but the vast majority of us don't have an option to evacuate. We just hunker down and hope for the best.

 

[OldLady]

I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.
And it took 9,654 words to say that?

You need to brush up on your counting skills, TN.

Really, Ms AARP? REALLY?

271

 

[Compost]

Speaking of numbers. How many minutes till 320's rant is moved from the debate zone?

 

[320 Years of History]

I just saw a report on CNN about Floridians bracing for a storm that may become a hurricane. Okay, I get it. It may be a hurricane; that's a big deal event. I think it's more a big deal for folks who don't live on the coast and thus have no routine familiarity with hurricanes. For folks on the coast, what is there to do? Batten down the hatches, as it were, get in your car and leave. Come back after the 'cane and call the insurance company if needed.

But this thread isn't about impending hurricanes. It's about all the concern over far less dangerous weather events, namely rainstorms that aren't hurricanes.

When I was a kid, I recall Hurricane Agnes being something the weather reporters discussed and had everyone freaked out about. Short of that, all I recall was that forecasters predicted rain and people carried umbrellas and wore trenchcoats.

These days, it's as though every rainstorm is tantamount to the apocalypse. What's up with that? It's rain, maybe some wind. Could there be flooding? Sure, that's what flood insurance is for. Hell, I live on high ground, and I have flood insurance. I have a vacation home on the side of a mountain and I have flood insurance there too. Were I to live anywhere near, at or below sea level, or in a floodplain, I'd most definitely have flood insurance. Wouldn't anyone who's risk averse as goes flood repair costs and who lives in such a place?

Rain is nothing new. It's rained for as long as there have been people. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be given weather reports. I'm saying that it seems as though weather forecasters make more of a typical rainstorm than is warranted.

OK. You have flood insurance. And you seem to be bothered that some people get more concerned than you do about rain.

The title of your tread is What's with Americans and the Weather? I can't say how people in other countries respond to weather, nor can I speak for all Americans. Still, I am an American and do pay attention to weather. My garden and my ducks have something to do with that. The weather often effects what chores I'll do on a given day. Even before I went rural, I paid attention to weather reports. For example when snow is predicted overnight, I plan to get up early to shovel the driveway out.

It is not an apocalyptic response to observe and ready oneself for weather. It is common sense.

I don't have an issue with objective quantification of impending weather conditions. It's the qualitative depictions that I think are, as Mr. Lochte would say, "over exaggerated."

I agree with 320 on this one, that weather on the national news and the cable news stations is made into a much bigger deal than it used to be, but I think part of the reason for that is that forecasters can predict what is coming much much better than they could when we were kids and just grabbed the umbrella.
I've only been through one hurricane. It scared me silly and I'm very glad we had ample warning to stock up on pb and batteries because we were out of power for days. For a lot of people it was weeks. Maybe 320 has property on a sand dune, but the vast majority of us don't have an option to evacuate. We just hunker down and hope for the best.

TY, OldLady

It's not at all that I think we shouldn't be informed about the weather. It's that I think rain isn't that big a deal until it's a near hurricane type storm or if it's going to rain for days and days and days and hurricane-like flooding is probable.


Blue:
??? What do you mean? How do the vast majority of folks not have an evacuation option? Are you thinking convalescent homes and the like? I understand some people not being able to leave, but "vast majority?"

BTW, you lost me with the "sand dune" reference. I have a house at the shore; it's on the waterfront, as in street --> house --> beach --> water, nothing else. It's the last place I'm gonna willfully be in a hurricane, but during a rainstorm, I'm good there. There are some sand dunes around along with the breakwater dunes at the edge of the yard. I doubt I'd be there in any kind of rainstorm; it's just not a good idea to be the tallest thing around when it's raining. LOL

 

[OldLady]

Your original post made it sound as if when there was a hurricane warning, everyone would be evacuated. Your home on the beach sounds like a place that would have an evacuation order, being directly on the shore, but generally when a hurricane hits a state, there isn't anywhere else to go, unless you want to drive a few hundred miles inland to stay in a motel or something. When you've got cats and kids and a job, and no extra money for a motel, that's not very practical. The vast majority of people battening down for a hurricane don't evacuate and aren't suggested to. Only those on the immediate shore.

I guess up here weather forecasters exaggerate anticipated snow more than rain storms. They figure it's good for ratings if they can get everyone tuning in all day to hear about an impending blizzard. That's all it's about--ratings. You having a lot of rain down your way? We can use some here--send it up.

 

[Compost]

I don't have an issue with objective quantification of impending weather conditions. It's the qualitative depictions that I think are, as Mr. Lochte would say, "over exaggerated."

Yes, I see. Surely, for those watching CNN, it can be argued that what some see as over exaggeration is what others see as good reporting. Such matters of style don't seem worth debating over. Particularly since we have choices of which weather source(s) we consult. I'll leave you to your disapproval.

 

[OldLady]

I don't have an issue with objective quantification of impending weather conditions. It's the qualitative depictions that I think are, as Mr. Lochte would say, "over exaggerated."

Yes, I see. Surely, for those watching CNN, it can be argued that what some see as over exaggeration is what others see as good reporting. Such matters of style don't seem worth debating over. Particularly since we have choices of which weather source(s) we consult. I'll leave you to your disapproval.

That is true; NPR has very low key weather reports. Maybe you should switch over, 320.

 

[320 Years of History]

ou having a lot of rain down your way?

No, not really, but I had heard a weather forecast about the "maybe" hurricane that'll hit FL, which triggered a cascade of recent memories whereby the meteorologist made out as though "the sky was about to fall" over what is a typical summer rain storm.

 

[Ringel05]

Fear sells.......

 

[Treeshepherd]

You have to sell the evening news. Sensationalism helps.

Meanwhile California returned to normal rainfall last year. There was a decent snowpack on the mountains. The drought is out of the news.

We've had some hot weather, which is normal. We've had some cool weather. As of a week ago San Francisco only had one day in August the exceeded 70 degrees.

Lots of fires, but that's not unusual. It's an apocalypse in the news. But it's all pretty normal here, weather-wise anyway.

 

[Holos]

Where is the debate?