The Weather Channel

Moose

Esteemed Member
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10/09/09
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I find that the Weather Channel not very accurate for the temps in my area. They seem to be consistently higher in the Winter and lower in the Summer. Example: A couple of days ago they were reporting 60 F at 6:30 am when it was 55 F in my garden.

Curious as to where they get their temps. I wonder if the "readings" are provided by the Chamber of Commerce or Tourist Bureau? :confused:

If they forecast 37 F and it really hits 32 F, that is a huge difference. At 37 F frost is very unlikely, 35 F and below frost can occur with proper conditions. I don't trust them as a good source of temp readings. :(

Has any one else noticed these descrepancies with the Weather Channel? I do not recall seeing posts using the Weather Channel as a source here or on Palm Talk. :rolleyes:
 
Agreed Ron. Last week they dropped my forecast low from 38F to 28F in a matter of 3 days! Fortunately, the low was only 35F but the point is they don't gradually lower the forecast low like more reliable sources do.
 
My yard is almost always colder than the National Weather Service temperature readings, usually by 2-3 degrees F.
The NWS readings are from a thermometer at the local airport.
I always assumed that The Weather Channel and other weather companies use the NWS readings, but really I don't know what they use...
 
Tempatures in my front yard are different in my backyard. what makes you think that a predicted temperature is going to be accurate anywhere? Just use it as a guideline and nothing else. I like the ten day forecast as it gives a hint at what is coming. They all use the same model data and input sources.

Same with rain forecast. They can say I'm going to get rain, but they forget I live under a black hole that prevents rain from landing in my yard. LOL...bastards...
 
All I'm saying is that my backyard low temps are consistently 2-3 degrees colder than our local airport temps...
I've always figured it had something to do with all that tarmac acting as a big heat sink...
Or the airport weather station thermometer has been compromised by new construction as have many weather stations around the country in the last few decades...
 
I got rain but it didn't last very long. I'd say the tally was less than an eighth of an inch.

From what I can tell, Weather Channel does not use NWS data for their forecasts. I can honestly say that I'm a pretty good amateur meterologist and often forecast better than they do. Unfortunately, I know enough to be dangerous and usually fairly accurate. In understanding the teleconnections (PNA, NAO and AO) as well as how to read the long term GFS and European forecast models, I should do my own weather forecasting. As much as I hate Accuweather's love affair with arctic chill and bringing orange tree killing cold to Florida, they're usually more accurate. At the very least, they change their forecast daily to reflect what the models are indicating. I once believed the long term forecasts were unreliable because let's face it, they often can't forecast more than 2 days in advance. Unfortunately and much to my chagrin, you can see pattern changes weeks in advance. It gives me weeks instead of days to worry about a possible cold snap :mad:. When a pattern for very cold weather in Florida sets up, they can estimate when that will be. The cold air may or may not come down but the proverbial door is open. Right now, all indications are that February could make up for what December and January have failed to deliver. Let's hope they are wrong.
 
55 F at 6:00 am here, dropped to 51 F at 7:15 am. No wind. Watered all my crotons in containers yesterday am. Water from hose around 72 F, warms the roots. Positioned those crotons where they would get sunshine on the containers warming the roots further. Most crotons in pots were moved to the south side of house, using it as a wind break. :)

High of 72 F forecasted here. Much warmer where sunshine lands.
 
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