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With all of todays technology why cant weather forecasts be more accurate? For example look at todays "National Weather Forcast" there are marine advisories for dangerous weather on the lake including water spouts. Then look at the detailed forecast......waves of 1 foot ....with 20 plus mph wind??? Where to we get these people and what do we pay them for?
I think weather people should get paid by how well they tell the forecast,most of them would starve to death.Quote:
Originally Posted by airshot
lol, and these are the same people espousing diatribes about global warming, it's called weather Duh! and everything evolves around cycles.The biggest hoax ever perpetrated upon the populaces.Co2 is good for the environment, without it we wouldn't be here talking about our fishing stories.Quote:
Originally Posted by SheepDog
also fwiw, I found it rather amusing to listen to the sensationalism on the weather channel about hurricane Jocquin. Its been almost an eternity since they've had a storm to talk about in the Atlantic to reinforce there global warming hubris.They all seemed like they were kids in a candy store.
A lot of boaters and fishers complain about the NOAA Lake forecasts. Yes, they can be significantly off at times. But you also have to understand the forecast.
1-3 feet waves means the waves should be around 3 feet in the most open, longest fetch areas, around 1 foot in the more sheltered areas. For example with an east wind you wouldn't expect the waves to be the same 5 miles out north from Camp Perry as they would be 3/4 mile south west of Catawba Point, where it's sheltered (in the Lee) from the wind by the land. It also reflects (very generously) the variables in the forecast models. It's still a prediction and no we don't have the ability to predict in the 90% range all the time. Some forecasts can be 98% (slow moving high pressure areas or widespread fast moving low pressure systems), others only about 60% (merging weather patterns that can change by the hour) accurate. Forecasts are still rarely precise. Those who have been watching and experiencing the Lake for a long time know how to read weather maps and common situations. If you really want to get a better idea you have to look at different weather sites as soon to when you are going to leave as possible. There are thousands of weather reporting locations listed on numerous websites. Sometimes you can see the winds are already much less than predicted in the general area or reverse. Webcams are also a good source, you can't get any better than seeing the conditions live. Use the NOAA forecasts as the baseline forecast and then go get more details if you think you need them.
I use three sources for my weather forecasts before venturing onto the big lake. If two of the three look good then I go but......the last couple years the accuracy has really gotten much worse. I have been on Lake Erie for more than 50 yrs, in years gone by the wind and wave forecast was much more accurate than what they predict today. Obviously they fail to look out the window before giving the wind and wave forecast and rely on some machine on the other side of the country to tell them what is happening here. Not many years back, Bill Spencer was a fellow boater and his marine forecasts were quite good, but now that he no longer boats he has gotten as bad as all the others. It is just disappointing to plan a trip, buy gas and bait only to find it is much choppier than forecast then have to come back home.