Jon Slater out at Fox23

[breitee]

All of these guys "cry wolf" far too many times so that when something actually does happen, nobody listens.

[OkieDiva]

Only job in America where you can be wrong more than half the time and still make six figures....

Heard something, wish I knew more, about criteria for tornado warning changing - so that now it's easier for a warning to be triggered. Something about "conditions being ripe" could trigger a warning, versus having to actually see a hook-echo on radar or funnel in the field. If anyone has more info, please advise.

In our household, the result of all the duck-and-cover hysteria has been to tune it out... I don't believe them anymore, and we don't head first for shelter when we hear a siren. I think all of the warnings and stormgasm tactics will have the exact opposite effect than they should - and end up killing someone (perhaps me!) who's been desensitized to it all.

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by OkieDiva

Only job in America where you can be wrong more than half the time and still make six figures....

Heard something, wish I knew more, about criteria for tornado warning changing - so that now it's easier for a warning to be triggered. Something about "conditions being ripe" could trigger a warning, versus having to actually see a hook-echo on radar or funnel in the field. If anyone has more info, please advise.

In our household, the result of all the duck-and-cover hysteria has been to tune it out... I don't believe them anymore, and we don't head first for shelter when we hear a siren. I think all of the warnings and stormgasm tactics will have the exact opposite effect than they should - and end up killing someone (perhaps me!) who's been desensitized to it all.

Excelent.....Could not have said it better...

[charky]

quote:Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:Originally posted by citizen72

We have a friend that used to work for Channel 2. He tells us when a weather event was pending the weather personnel would go around the station in a heightened state of excitement.

Bring on the specter of a tornado and their eyes expand to silver dollar size and they at times would glad hand each other.

The question then is just how can a tornado, which is a killer, bring on that kind of reckless excitement to a so called professional.

For what is is worth, My wife and I also agree the program interruptions are excessive.

I would assume it's because these types of events dont happent everyday and since meteorology is a science, and most weathermen (women) are somewhat of the nerd/dork type, they enjoy this kind of thing from a weather or science standpoint.  Not from a "wow, its going to kill people and destroy their lives" type of thrill.  

I would associate it with kids and snowstorms.  You know the combo of cold weather, bad roads, and slippery driveways/porches is probably going to hurt and probably kill some people either by being stranded in their car, or getting into a traffic accident.  They like the snowstorm because it doesn't happen often and its exciting.  Not because its going to possibly kill and injure people.

Hey...who are you calling a nerd/dork? [] I'm a meteorologist at the Tulsa NWS...closing in on 14 years here and 20 years overall. There's some  truth to the above...often what we consider "good" weather is actually "bad" weather to the public.

I wouldn't say our office gets "excited" or "thrilled" when the severe weather gets cranking. However...our situational awareness shoots through the roof. It's a feast or famine job...and we really earn our money during these events where your normal 8 hour shift turns into a 14-16 hour shift.

For what it's worth...and of course I'm biased...Tulsa is easily one of the best/forward thinking NWS offices in the country. There is some serious talent here...and it's a pleasure to come to work.

And to get back to the original posting...I'm sorry to see Jon go. Good guy. He'll be missed.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by charky

quote:Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:Originally posted by citizen72

We have a friend that used to work for Channel 2. He tells us when a weather event was pending the weather personnel would go around the station in a heightened state of excitement.

Bring on the specter of a tornado and their eyes expand to silver dollar size and they at times would glad hand each other.

The question then is just how can a tornado, which is a killer, bring on that kind of reckless excitement to a so called professional.

For what is is worth, My wife and I also agree the program interruptions are excessive.

I would assume it's because these types of events dont happent everyday and since meteorology is a science, and most weathermen (women) are somewhat of the nerd/dork type, they enjoy this kind of thing from a weather or science standpoint.  Not from a "wow, its going to kill people and destroy their lives" type of thrill.  

I would associate it with kids and snowstorms.  You know the combo of cold weather, bad roads, and slippery driveways/porches is probably going to hurt and probably kill some people either by being stranded in their car, or getting into a traffic accident.  They like the snowstorm because it doesn't happen often and its exciting.  Not because its going to possibly kill and injure people.

Hey...who are you calling a nerd/dork? [] I'm a meteorologist at the Tulsa NWS...closing in on 14 years here and 20 years overall. There's some  truth to the above...often what we consider "good" weather is actually "bad" weather to the public.

I wouldn't say our office gets "excited" or "thrilled" when the severe weather gets cranking. However...our situational awareness shoots through the roof. It's a feast or famine job...and we really earn our money during these events where your normal 8 hour shift turns into a 14-16 hour shift.

For what it's worth...and of course I'm biased...Tulsa is easily one of the best/forward thinking NWS offices in the country. There is some serious talent here...and it's a pleasure to come to work.

And to get back to the original posting...I'm sorry to see Jon go. Good guy. He'll be missed.

He did seem kind of likable, from what I could see. Who knows? By now, he may have found an even better gig!

[citizen72]

quote:Originally posted by charky

quote:Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:Originally posted by citizen72

We have a friend that used to work for Channel 2. He tells us when a weather event was pending the weather personnel would go around the station in a heightened state of excitement.

Bring on the specter of a tornado and their eyes expand to silver dollar size and they at times would glad hand each other.

The question then is just how can a tornado, which is a killer, bring on that kind of reckless excitement to a so called professional.

For what is is worth, My wife and I also agree the program interruptions are excessive.

I would assume it's because these types of events dont happent everyday and since meteorology is a science, and most weathermen (women) are somewhat of the nerd/dork type, they enjoy this kind of thing from a weather or science standpoint.  Not from a "wow, its going to kill people and destroy their lives" type of thrill.  

I would associate it with kids and snowstorms.  You know the combo of cold weather, bad roads, and slippery driveways/porches is probably going to hurt and probably kill some people either by being stranded in their car, or getting into a traffic accident.  They like the snowstorm because it doesn't happen often and its exciting.  Not because its going to possibly kill and injure people.

Hey...who are you calling a nerd/dork? [] I'm a meteorologist at the Tulsa NWS...closing in on 14 years here and 20 years overall. There's some  truth to the above...often what we consider "good" weather is actually "bad" weather to the public.

I wouldn't say our office gets "excited" or "thrilled" when the severe weather gets cranking. However...our situational awareness shoots through the roof. It's a feast or famine job...and we really earn our money during these events where your normal 8 hour shift turns into a 14-16 hour shift.

For what it's worth...and of course I'm biased...Tulsa is easily one of the best/forward thinking NWS offices in the country. There is some serious talent here...and it's a pleasure to come to work.

And to get back to the original posting...I'm sorry to see Jon go. Good guy. He'll be missed.

I have a very good doctor that could treat you if you want. Getting excited over something so serious and deadly is sick.

[charky]

quote:Originally posted by citizen72
I have a very good doctor that could treat you if you want. Getting excited over something so serious and deadly is sick.

Well let's not overreact now...ok?

As TUalum said...it's not like we're foaming at the mouth wanting death and destruction. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

But I'd be lying if I didn't say we feed off some adrenalin during severe weather events. Your brain is aching while assimilating a ridiculous amount of radar data. The excitement or fascination for me (and I would say for our entire staff) comes purely from a meteorological standpoint.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by citizen72

quote:Originally posted by charky

quote:Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:Originally posted by citizen72

We have a friend that used to work for Channel 2. He tells us when a weather event was pending the weather personnel would go around the station in a heightened state of excitement.

Bring on the specter of a tornado and their eyes expand to silver dollar size and they at times would glad hand each other.

The question then is just how can a tornado, which is a killer, bring on that kind of reckless excitement to a so called professional.

For what is is worth, My wife and I also agree the program interruptions are excessive.

I would assume it's because these types of events dont happent everyday and since meteorology is a science, and most weathermen (women) are somewhat of the nerd/dork type, they enjoy this kind of thing from a weather or science standpoint.  Not from a "wow, its going to kill people and destroy their lives" type of thrill.  

I would associate it with kids and snowstorms.  You know the combo of cold weather, bad roads, and slippery driveways/porches is probably going to hurt and probably kill some people either by being stranded in their car, or getting into a traffic accident.  They like the snowstorm because it doesn't happen often and its exciting.  Not because its going to possibly kill and injure people.

Hey...who are you calling a nerd/dork? [] I'm a meteorologist at the Tulsa NWS...closing in on 14 years here and 20 years overall. There's some  truth to the above...often what we consider "good" weather is actually "bad" weather to the public.

I wouldn't say our office gets "excited" or "thrilled" when the severe weather gets cranking. However...our situational awareness shoots through the roof. It's a feast or famine job...and we really earn our money during these events where your normal 8 hour shift turns into a 14-16 hour shift.

For what it's worth...and of course I'm biased...Tulsa is easily one of the best/forward thinking NWS offices in the country. There is some serious talent here...and it's a pleasure to come to work.

And to get back to the original posting...I'm sorry to see Jon go. Good guy. He'll be missed.

I have a very good doctor that could treat you if you want. Getting excited over something so serious and deadly is sick.

You did notice that he said they didn't get excited, right?  He noted something about their 'situational awareness'.

I used to be a trained spotter.  Well, technically I still am, but you have to re-rate every so often and I just haven't done it.

These guys (TV meteorologists) are in a lose-lose situation.  They lose if they don't mention something dangerous and someone gets hurt (remember Ft. Smith about 15 years ago?) or they get lambasted by the general public for being too vocal.

I've been through several storms.  I remember June 8, 1974 and spending it at my uncle's house in Brookside being 7 years old and not knowing what was going on.  I remember the tornado that tore up the U Haul station on 129th and 21st Street.  Why?  My uncle owned that station.  I remember the devastation caused by the 1993 Catoosa tornado.  I remember May 3, 1999.  Although we didn't get hit too bad by that one, I was still covered with a matress in a bathtub.

I've seen firsthand what these monsters do.  They're beautiful and frightening and fascinating all in one.  The attitude some of the people take about a friggin TV show when it comes to saving lives is a little concerning.

I can't help but think about some things Edward R. Murrow said about the power of television:

"This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire, but it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box"

[TulsaSooner]

Sometimes reading these threads is like reading the Comments section at the Tulsa World website.

[tim huntzinger]

quote:Originally posted by charky

Originally posted by citizen72

As TUalum said...it's not like we're foaming at the mouth wanting death and destruction. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

But I'd be lying if I didn't say we feed off some adrenalin during severe weather events. Your brain is aching while assimilating a ridiculous amount of radar data. The excitement or fascination for me (and I would say for our entire staff) comes purely from a meteorological standpoint.

Sure there is the visceral fight or flight response which is natural.  And then there is the disco-beat promos some radio stations use to emphasize their on-air product.  That is fairly ogrish, and designed to create excitement and make it sound like fun.

[breitee]

quote:Originally posted by charky

quote:Originally posted by citizen72
I have a very good doctor that could treat you if you want. Getting excited over something so serious and deadly is sick.

Well let's not overreact now...ok?

As TUalum said...it's not like we're foaming at the mouth wanting death and destruction. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

But I'd be lying if I didn't say we feed off some adrenalin during severe weather events. Your brain is aching while assimilating a ridiculous amount of radar data. The excitement or fascination for me (and I would say for our entire staff) comes purely from a meteorological standpoint.

Sounds like a nerd to me.

[charky]

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger
Sure there is the visceral fight or flight response which is natural.  And then there is the disco-beat promos some radio stations use to emphasize their on-air product.  That is fairly ogrish, and designed to create excitement and make it sound like fun.

I agree with that. I am only stating what I have experienced as a government meteorologist with the NWS.

The broadcast meteorologists play a huge role in the warning process...and I'm thankful that our office has an excellent rapport with the local TV mets (can't say that for other markets).

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by TulsaSooner

Sometimes reading these threads is like reading the Comments section at the Tulsa World website.

This forum has spell check.

[RecycleMichael]

It is just a matter of time before the weatherman breaks into regular programming and  screams the word "Duck!".

[bokworker]

I thought storm sirens were a signal to go outside and look for a tornado.....