Framing the forecast

Is my opinion, your opinion of NICE weather ? As meteorologists we tend to wear our weather preference on our sleeve. I thought this morning was chilly when I looked at the thermometer and it read 29 and I saw frost on the roof tops and cars.

Venturing outdoors to explore nature, I put on a coat, hat and gloves. In a quarter mile walk through the neigborhood, I found I was the only one with a warm coat on! I saw many in short sleeves and a couple of school aged kids in shorts, one with flip-flops on her feet.

When we try to shape the forecast with modifiers we must avoid editorializing. It's a challenge, and has been for more than thirty-five years of my career.

One thing I have learned, that when you are in a dry spell don't say the threat of showers, even if it is for the weekend. Most folks would consider it a blessing to have Mother Nature shower us with moisture as we have an expanding area of drought in southeast Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

See Paul Huttner's previous blog.

CE