Really Quiet

For those of you that read the obits daily to see if any friends have passed on, no the Breckster is still here and doing quite well.  I haven’t posted much since not much has been going on locally.  This is the time of the year that would challenge me as to what to say.  I mean…how many times can you say or show hot temperatures, the high heat index and graphics that are the same day after day?   That’s why I NEVER used the “hour by hour” or planner forecast.   They serve zero purpose during the summer, yet that’s what you see weathercasters using day after day.   I would prefer to explain the minute features on satellite pictures, tiny swirls, sea breezes, clouds moving in different directions.   I hardly ever see that by anyone.   The weathercasters don’t interpret satellite and radar loops very much, instead just standing in front of them saying …”as you can see”.  No I can’t see.  That’s why you are there to show me what YOU see and explain what impact it might have on our weather.  This week I addressed the New Orleans’ chapter of the University of Michigan Alumni Club and several comments repeat what folks have told me since I retired.  “We miss your storytelling,…you explained things to us…we didn’t just know the forecast, we knew the whys”.   That’s because I had excellent mentors.  Roy Leep in Tampa exposed me to the Bermuda High/ Atlantic Ridge concept of southern weather.     He showed me that the “axis” of the ridge would shift back and forth (north & south) depending on how far south frontal boundaries would reach.   I always used that during the summer months to show wind direction (Axis to the north, our surface winds would be ESE, ridge to the south would mean winds from the WSW etc).   I haven’t heard anyone talk about that “axis” since I left broadcasting.    Too many just take the National Weather Service discussion and repeat it.   Nothing wrong with that except I don’t need to watch TV to hear it.   With all weather information now available via the internet, one would think local weathercasters would be creative in their storytelling to encourage viewers to watch.   Summer time is boring outside of tropical activity.  Look at the various local weathercasts and see if you can tell much difference between them.   It is a challenge during the summer to be interesting.  Repeating daily information about the heat doesn’t cut it for me.