When Did Local News Become Obsessed with the Weather?

**Bong-Man** · March-10-23, 07:12 AM

I'm more obsessed by Lori Pinson than with the actual weather. The fingers, the expressive hand movements, the outfits, the jewelry, the nails. There's something very unique and a bit freaky about her presentation of the weather that I have grown to appreciate in a Sonny Elliot kind of way. Show us your tats Lori!

One thing no one mentions is if you look past the pick-up trucks and suvs, most passenger cars now have a ground clearance of 2-3 inches. You can't rock your transmission to get out of a rut when you're stuck like the good old days either.

I'm guessing all those boats I see out on the lake are frustrated ice fishermen. Worst year ever.

**jcole** · March-10-23, 08:20 AM

The numbers you are quoting are not single snowfalls; they are the snowfall for an entire month. February, for instance, averages about 16" but this year we only got about 6" total.
The 70's were heavy snow years here in Michigan; second highest snowfall was Dec 2 1974; 19.7" at Metro but a bit more in the outlying areas. I lived about 50 miles north of Detroit in the 70's and we often had drifts of 8 feet or more on the side roads and on the north/south roads in town. We were in a snow belt and frequently had snowfalls of more than a foot. Snow days were frequent and welcome. My husband taught there and we had over 20 snowdays for middle school one year and 15 for the high school.

Originally Posted by Richard

I do not live there but I have this new fangeled thing they call the WWW,it’s pretty informative.

Snow in February ranges from over 19.3 inches in heavy snowfall years to under 5.8 inches in light years.

According to this about once every 10 years it dumps 17 - 19”

historically

https://www.currentresults.com/Weath...n-averages.php

I am just surprised nobody had a problem with long posts in this thread,even the ones that complain about them,or maybe not really surprised.

This chart shows in 2000-2001 in December,Detroit had 25” of snowfall for the month.

https://www.weather.gov/dtx/dtwsnow2000-2020

18.4in. — The one-day record snowfall for Detroit, Michigan was recorded on December 1st, 1974 as seen in the chart below.

https://www.weather.gov/dtx/dtwsnow2000-2020

Flint had over 30”

April 6, 1886 -- 24.5 inches

But they were scooting about with horse n buggy,no need for tire chains.

You can tell it is winter though,people get OCD or obsessed over the weirdest things.

Tamarack, California, holds the record for the most snow in a calendar month with 390 inches [[32.5 feet) in January 1911, according to Burt. That's nearly twice the average snowfall during an entire winter in very snowy Marquette, Michigan, which averages about 204 inches annually.

How would you like to shovel that out of your driveway?

It does seem as though the 70s was a bad winter period,I remember blizzards and snow storms with snow drifts that completely buried cars and piled snowdrifts to the roof peaks,well past 20’ ,not in Detroit though.

**Vic_doucette** · March-10-23, 09:45 AM

Because it brings eyes and ears to the broadcast.

**Gistok** · March-10-23, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

The numbers you are quoting are not single snowfalls; they are the snowfall for an entire month. February, for instance, averages about 16" but this year we only got about 6" total.
The 70's were heavy snow years here in Michigan; second highest snowfall was Dec 2 1974; 19.7" at Metro but a bit more in the outlying areas. I lived about 50 miles north of Detroit in the 70's and we often had drifts of 8 feet or more on the side roads and on the north/south roads in town. We were in a snow belt and frequently had snowfalls of more than a foot. Snow days were frequent and welcome. My husband taught there and we had over 20 snowdays for middle school one year and 15 for the high school.

The winter of 1998-1999 was really bad as well. We had 1 snow storm after another. That was the winter that Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer got crucified for the lack of street plowing [city side streets were never plowed back then]. They were almost impassible in many areas. The ruts alone caused damage to the undercarriage of many cars.

**Richard** · March-11-23, 07:54 AM

They should really have fun with this one

The La Niña climate pattern, which has been present practically uninterrupted since the summer of 2020, started weakening in recent months. Now, La Niña has officially been replaced by “ENSO-neutral conditions,” the Climate Prediction Center [[a division of NOAA’s National Weather Service) said in its “Final La Niña Advisory” Thursday morning,

“The crystal ball is even blurrier than usual,” Michelle L’Heureux, a meteorologist with the Climate Prediction Center, told Nexstar last month. “ENSO neutral effectively means that conditions across Tropical Pacific are closer to average, so there isn’t a big disruption in the atmospheric circulation that is offered by El Niño La Niña.”
The latest outlook for spring indicates warmer-than-average weather for southern states. It also predicts dry conditions for the Four Corners states, as well as Florida. The Great Lakes region, on the other hand, is most likely to see above-average precipitation through May.

https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...ibextid=uc01c0

Which translates into spring is coming along with snow melt and flooding,combined with above average rain fall.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · March-11-23, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Bong-Man

I'm more obsessed by Lori Pinson than with the actual weather. The fingers, the expressive hand movements, the outfits, the jewelry, the nails. There's something very unique and a bit freaky about her presentation of the weather that I have grown to appreciate in a Sonny Elliot kind of way. Show us your tats Lori!

One thing no one mentions is if you look past the pick-up trucks and suvs, most passenger cars now have a ground clearance of 2-3 inches. You can't rock your transmission to get out of a rut when you're stuck like the good old days either.

I'm guessing all those boats I see out on the lake are frustrated ice fishermen. Worst year ever.

I've wondered about her myself. But for different reasons. I'll keep my comments to myself. Mother always said, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say nothing at all"

**Richard** · March-11-23, 11:47 AM

Funny thing is you guys would not even know who she is,if you did not watch “FOX NEWS” contrary to previous accusations lobbed at others,comforting to know you are staying well informed.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · March-11-23, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

Funny thing is you guys would not even know who she is,if you did not watch “FOX NEWS” contrary to previous accusations lobbed at others,comforting to know you are staying well informed.

It's a observation Richard. Nothing more, nothing less...

**Lowell** · March-11-23, 03:43 PM

I watch the ABC national news to see what the mainstream media is pushing. Only the first 15 minutes after which the ads begin. Then it all YouTube fluff and big pharma ads.

A night rarely passes where there isn’t some weather-mageddon story run.

Maybe it’s because weather is still one of the few topics unlikely to immediately break out into a fist fight.

**Richard** · March-11-23, 08:41 PM

If you really think about it,the weather can be more volatile and deadly at a moments notice then a politician,as much as they try.

But yea,what else are you going to talk about,car crashes,crime etc. people are getting numb to that,there is no shock anymore in somebody throwing a hissy fit because their fries were not cooked right.

Our local morning Fox has switched more to highlighting positive things people are doing in the community,businesses and individuals etc. which is kinda nice.

Outside of that I have not watched mainstream manipulation in a long time now.

Just as well because weather forecasts are a crap shoot at best.

I kinda miss Walter Cronkite and the like.

**Ray1936** · March-12-23, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

Just as well because weather forecasts are a crap shoot at best.

Not so much here in Las Vegas. Weather is always mild [[winter) or blazing hot [[summer). Spring and fall do not exist here. Just sayin'.

**Richard** · March-12-23, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

Not so much here in Las Vegas. Weather is always mild [[winter) or blazing hot [[summer). Spring and fall do not exist here. Just sayin'.

Florida is the same way,we are now in the couple of months that are bearable,65 at night 80 during the day.

If I had nice legs or cleavage I could get a job as a weather forecaster,well folks for the next 8 months it will be hot or unbearably hot with a daily 50/50 chance it may rain or not,either way I am covered,so off on vacation see you in the fall.

Something tells me a beard and cleavage would not sit right with the local tv stations though.

**dtowncitylover** · March-13-23, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Bong-Man

I'm more obsessed by Lori Pinson than with the actual weather.

Not much to add because I agree with the sentiments of this thread, but I just want to say I love Lori Pinson! She's calm, collected, and has a reassuring, trusting voice. I remember when she did the weather for CBS Detroit's short weather segment in the evenings with Jim Mathes? Mattis?... and thought she deserved a better role. Maybe that was her choosing, but glad to see she's somewhere.

**JBMcB** · March-14-23, 08:12 AM

As others have said, it's what people react to. It's what people click on in their Youtube channel, it's what people pay attention to when they are watching on TV via their Nielsen boxes, and it's where people go on their web sites.

On top of that, weather is cheap. You don't really even need a real meteorologist on staff any more, as the National Weather Service provides forecasts that aren't available to most local weather stations, with supercomputers being fed weather data from dozens of radars, then crunching all the weather data for the entire midwest to provide forecasts.

In any case, it's cheaper than sending people out to do remotes, or to actually investigate something.

If the stations had any imagination or creativity, they'd do something like what Snowfreaks is doing, and provide ultra-local and extremely accurate weather forecasts using custom algorithms and data pulled from local amateur weather stations.

A couple of the local stations went all-local last Friday morning to cover the snow storm, all 1-2" of it. The snow that had mostly melted off of the roads by noon.

**MikeM** · March-14-23, 11:39 AM

Why did Hank Winchester have to interview Rod Meloni about the bank failure while outside on the sidewalk in a heavy, wet snowfall? Why couldn't he interview him inside? Why is Hank asking Rod about the bank failure instead of business reporter Rod Meloni doing the story himself?

When the station returns from a commercial break, why are the anchors standing in front of a huge screen to do the next story? When it's over, they reappear seated at the desk. Why did they have to get up in the first place? Did they need to move so someone could clean the desk or empty the trash?

**royce** · March-14-23, 12:01 PM

MikeM, that was funny. On Fox2 the anchors sit during the 10 o'clock news, but at 11 they stand next to each other. I guess someone advised the station that it's not good for the anchors circulation to sit that long so they stand for the next half hour. Go figure.

**royce** · March-14-23, 12:15 PM

I've noticed that when the weather casters predict a big snow fall for Detroit and then it doesn't happen, they won't show Detroit's snow fall when comparing nearby communities. I don't live in Highland Township so why is a local news station giving me the snow fall there but not in Detroit? Because it was well below what they predicted.

Also, prior to that Friday snowfall, the weather folks were warning about the Friday snow on Tuesday, even though the weather for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were uneventful. I guess they feel that they've got to sell the doom and gloom to keep our attention. It's pitiful.

**Richard** · March-14-23, 04:14 PM

It’s kinda like when they predict rain chances.

When they say there is a 60% chance of rain,it is not a 60% chance of rain for the entire region,it’s 60% of the population in that region will receive rain,if it rains.

Probably the same for snowfall,a small deviation in a cold front can dump snow on one side of the street and not the other.

Its kinda like when you are driving and no rain then you hit that wall of rain.

It’s like that in Florida with weather fronts,when a cold front moves through it may be 65 at night in Tampa but go 40 miles north and it is below freezing.

It’s crazy how the weather can define a line like that.

**softailrider** · March-14-23, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

As others have said, it's what people react to. It's what people click on in their Youtube channel, it's what people pay attention to when they are watching on TV via their Nielsen boxes, and it's where people go on their web sites.

On top of that, weather is cheap. You don't really even need a real meteorologist on staff any more, as the National Weather Service provides forecasts that aren't available to most local weather stations, with supercomputers being fed weather data from dozens of radars, then crunching all the weather data for the entire midwest to provide forecasts.

In any case, it's cheaper than sending people out to do remotes, or to actually investigate something.

If the stations had any imagination or creativity, they'd do something like what Snowfreaks is doing, and provide ultra-local and extremely accurate weather forecasts using custom algorithms and data pulled from local amateur weather stations.

A couple of the local stations went all-local last Friday morning to cover the snow storm, all 1-2" of it. The snow that had mostly melted off of the roads by noon.

I cannot believe the number of school districts who cancelled the day because of Friday's storm. When I was going to public school back in the day there was no way we would get a day off for that snow. What the hell is going on? Also, school was never cancelled because of wind chill. It just didn't happen.

**sirrealone** · March-15-23, 08:05 AM

I think school districts sort of count on some number of snow days being used. We are [[hopefully) at the end of the 'snow day' season, so my guess is they called it because they knew they had the days to spare. They likely would not have made the same pre-emptive call back in December or January.

**Honky Tonk** · March-15-23, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by sirrealone

I think school districts sort of count on some number of snow days being used. We are [[hopefully) at the end of the 'snow day' season, so my guess is they called it because they knew they had the days to spare. They likely would not have made the same pre-emptive call back in December or January.

Kind of like buying a bunch of needless stuff for your department, to use up your budget, so that next year you can get an even larger budget.

**MikeM** · April-05-23, 08:19 AM

It starts again today. Lead story on all the local channels: "It's April and it's going to storm today."

**Dennis2021** · April-05-23, 08:25 AM

The end is near!!!😂😂😂🍺

**K-slice** · April-05-23, 08:47 AM

My guess is for all the talk of tornadoes and large hail, this ends up being a normal thunderstorm.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong in a few hours though, we'll see.

**royce** · April-28-23, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

I watch the ABC national news to see what the mainstream media is pushing. Only the first 15 minutes after which the ads begin. Then it all YouTube fluff and big pharma ads.

A night rarely passes where there isn’t some weather-mageddon story run.

Maybe it’s because weather is still one of the few topics unlikely to immediately break out into a fist fight.

Well, Lowell, I've noticed, particularly, this week, that all of the major world news broadcasts have opened their broadcasts with "severe weather" stories. Tornadoes and flooding seem to be the focus of the stories. It seems like this is the new trend. Talk about the weather before getting into the top story. Did they get this idea from the local news stations? If they did, then I guess they didn't want to be left out in the cold. Go figure.