Will he ever shut up?!?!

People often inquire about my job. Many think it's interesting...most throw out the usual jokes and insults, of which I've heard them all. I believe there are only two more ridiculed professions in our nation than mine...and that's Lawer and Politician.

I'm not complaining...or trying to sound like some kind of martyr...just stating fact. I mean come on...how many people have you ever heard DEFEND "The Weather Man"?

Well...people make fun of that which they don't understand. When I say I work for the National Weather Service...the most often asked question is, "What channel are you on?". I don't blame them...local media has made such a competition out of weather broadcasts, that most are probably unaware that their tax dollars pay for people like me to compile millions of pieces of meteorological data that make forecasting possible.

Now I have to be careful here...I have no problem with any of this. But there are times I wish people could differeniate between the TV weather folks (most of which in large tv markets are pretty good) and the true meteorologist.

The main job of TV weather personalities is to keep viewers on their channel. Ultimately it comes down to ratings...selling product by providing the largest audience for the commericals aired on their station. Now there's a lot of these types that would take exception with that. I understand. But that's what it comes down to. Just as our job (The NWS) comes down to 2 objectives: 1. Protect lives and property (through severe weather analysis and warnings) and 2. Collect climatological data to monitor the nations climate and to create weather prediction models. Everything else we do is fluff.

Now...the private sector (Joel Myers of Accuweather and others) don't want us to create forecasts...so as to not provide a free service, creating unfair competition for him because he's trying to make money off this stuff. He wants us to stick ONLY to the two things I stated above. The Capitalist/Libertarian in me says he has a point. However, the American Citizen in me says, "I already paid for this stuff via taxes...I want MY information, that I funded the government to collect/create".

This statement is undisputable: The Government is the only agency that has the resources to collect this data and create forecast models at a reasonable cost. I know what you're thinking..."The Government?!?! Reasonable cost???". Yes...we are one of (if not the only) federal agency that is proably well worth the money you're pouring into it.

It is estimated that the cost to each American, to operate the NWS is $3.50 per year (less than a happy meal).

That gets you all the computer models that all the private weather companies and TV weather folks use to forecast. That get's you all the data we collect to study the nations climate (we have nothing to do with the global warming debate...that's a whoooooooole other rant). That get's you all the Severe Weather analysis, advisories, watches and warnings that we provide to you, to help you protect your life and property. That includes the lions share of the expense to operate the Hurricane Forecast Center (I think DOD pays the Hurricane Aircraft) which saved how many lives over the past 2 years. (Regardless of what you think or heard about the NWS...the Hurricane center performed nearly flawlessly during Katrina and Rita). And that get's you all the cool radar data that you see everwhere (with the exception of just a few tv stations across the country that have their own private radar...but trust me...it's a joke) on the web, on TV, on your cell phone, etc. etc.

So we do all that. Is it going to far, to make several more clicks of a mouse and create our own forecast? Or in other words...would you not expect someone working at a chocolate factory to sample the product every now and then for quality? To make sure everything is working properly?

At any rate...I can not believe what this posting has turned into. I had fully intended to blog only the following:

Some people have asked what I do...Here's our website. And here's a product with my name on it so as to prove I was here.

Sorry about everything else. If you're still reading this, that is. There's not too many people that care about this stuff other than us weather geeks.

Later,
K~

P.S. That product link may automatically update when the next issuance occurrs...so it may not be valid depending on when you click.