Whatever happened to "Severe thunderstorm watch"?

[Deja Q]

Statement as of 3:37 PM CDT on June 02, 2007

Expires 5:00 PM EDT on June 02, 2007


... Significant weather alert for _____ and _____ counties until
400 PM CDT...

At 335 PM CDT... National Weather Service Doppler radar was tracking a
strong thunderstorm near _____... and moving north at 20 mph.

Okay, trying to replace "severe thunderstorm watch" with ALL THAT seems to waste time... and sound needlessly melodramatic too. Now note that they can't be bothered to be consistent with the time zones either... EDT here, CDT there... E-I-E-I-O. Old MacDonald would have had a stroke... Why not have some fun and put in PDT later on and really throw people off?

Flame away. I just think the old system where they were upfront in "Severe thunderstorm watch" or "tornado watch" combined with consistent use of relevant time zone stamping makes more sense than "Significant weather alert... blankety blank watch. Blahbedyblahbedyboo...". We know it's significant, otherwise they wouldn't have bothered in the first place.

[SPKrazy]

1. The storms aren't predicted to reach severe levels

and so they don't put a watch out if they are just strong ones

they do a lot more because they get their ass kicked (NWS) for not doing anything, and for doing too much it seems.

:shrug:


they used to be woefully inadequate at warning, now they do go overboard with it.

[Deja Q]

2. Better overboard than underboard, but the shift in terminology seems pedantic...

if not pretentious... or patronizing...

[SPKrazy]

4. I can tell you that the NWS caught hell

here where i live (ft smith arkansas) because they failed to put a tornado warning out, mainly because they didn't have adequate radar, and they were unfamiliar with the landmarks and small towns when they did spot a tornadic thunderstorm.

3 people were killed because they gave no warning. Millions dollars in property damage and an amazing swath of damage done as the tornado ripped through downtown and up the northside of town, jumped the river and basically seemed to almost roll down the side of a hill that the town of van buren arkansas is partially built on.

they caught a lot of hell over it.

deservedly so.

:hi:

[Deja Q]

5. Yipes. (aka 'holy shit!')

I'd rather have them overstate than understate, but still... meandering with needless terminology is better left to Vulcans. Not folks who are supposed to get messages out quickly and efficiently.

(and, yes, I recently took classes pertaining to the efficient use of language. One day I'll apply it...)

[ChoralScholar]

8. That was back in the early 90's wasn't it?

I had a friend in Ft. Smith whose home was destroyed by the tornado.

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. but, HT!

Just knowing all that information makes all tingly inside...oooo o my! ;)

[Deja Q]

6. Oh my!

:blush:

I have lots of information... :evilgrin:

[Generic Brad]

7. It's been replaced with "Severe Thunderstorm Watch Out"

[Breeze54]

9. My area's Severe Thunderstorm Watch just expired but more tomorrow!

Oh joy.... NOT! I hope we get missed by them!!

------------------------------------------------------------

Severe Thunderstorm Watch Update

/O.EXP.KBOX.SV.A.0331.000000T0000Z- 070603T0000Z/

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ALLOWED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 331 TO EXPIRE FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN CONNECTICUT THIS ALLOWS TO EXPIRE 3 COUNTIES

IN NORTHERN CONNECTICUT

HARTFORD TOLLAND WINDHAM

IN MASSACHUSETTS THIS ALLOWS TO EXPIRE 10 COUNTIES

IN CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS

WORCESTER

IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS

MIDDLESEX NORFOLK SUFFOLK

IN NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS

ESSEX

IN SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS

BRISTOL PLYMOUTH

IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

FRANKLIN HAMPDEN HAMPSHIRE

IN NEW HAMPSHIRE THIS ALLOWS TO EXPIRE 2 COUNTIES

IN SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE

CHESHIRE HILLSBOROUGH

IN RHODE ISLAND THIS ALLOWS TO EXPIRE 1 COUNTY

IN NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND

PROVIDENCE

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...
BOSTON... BROCKTON...FALL RIVER... FITCHBURG... FOXBORO...FRAMINGHAM..
GLOUCESTER... GREENFIELD... HARTFORD...KEENE... LAWRENCE...LOWELL...
MANCHESTER...N... NASHUA... NEW BEDFORD...NORTHAMPTON... PLYMOUTH...
PROVIDENCE...PUTNAM... QUINCY...SPRINGFIELD...TAUNTON...UNION...VERNON...
WILLIMANTIC AND WORCESTER.