Weather Underground sold to The Weather Channel

**TreeFrog** · 07-02-2012, 06:34 PM

Read all about it here:

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/Jef...?entrynum=2143

I'm holding my breath on this one. Jeff Masters and his team at wunderground.com have been a fine source of definitive information on tropical storms, in general as well as covering specific storms. No "weather as infotainment", no Jim Cantore standing in the blowing rain, just real facts and informed commentary on possibilities.

I'm sincerely hoping that TWC doesn't commercialize wunderground to the point of losing its value to us here on the Gulf. For example, Dr. Masters, never one prone to sensationalizing, was probably the first to call for the evacuation of New Orleans before Katrina.

**Jdarg** · 07-02-2012, 06:58 PM

Oh no!

**BJackson** · 07-02-2012, 07:34 PM

I agree. Oh no!

**jcpd2** · 07-02-2012, 07:53 PM

Since NBC owns WC and their ratings are in the toilet, look for them to screw this up too.

**Arkiehawg** · 07-02-2012, 10:21 PM

Just another confirmation that the Mayans were correct on their prediction for 2012.....

Wonder if they gave Dr Masters the official "Cantore" goggles as part of the deal...

**lenzoe** · 07-03-2012, 03:25 PM

Rats.

Dr. Masters is the only source I pay attention to for tropical weather commentary. I'm with you. Sure hope they don't interfere with him.

**Moto-zen** · 07-03-2012, 08:53 PM

Thumbs down.

**NotDeadYet** · 07-03-2012, 09:18 PM

One good example of what's wrong with the Weather Channel.
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles...edium=facebook

**lenzoe** · 07-09-2012, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by NotDeadYet

One good example of what's wrong with the Weather Channel.
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles...edium=facebook

Good grief. By his logic I'm due to hit the lottery this year. Makes sense to me.

Compare that to Jeff Master's most recent statement on the tropics:

"There are no threat areas to discuss in the Atlantic, and none of the reliable computer models are developing a tropical cyclone over the next seven days."

**Arkiehawg** · 07-09-2012, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by NotDeadYet

One good example of what's wrong with the Weather Channel.
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles...edium=facebook

While I'm not a Cantore fan, I don't see any issue with what he stated. Statistically we are overdue for a Hurricane in the Panhandle. He didn't say that he was predicting one this year or any other doom/gloom. As for Dr. Masters statement, his assessment is on the short term and shouldn't be perceived as his prediction for the remainder of the year. Bottom line, stay vigilant and have your Hurricane plan in place.

**lenzoe** · 07-09-2012, 02:28 PM

I believe the concept of being "Statistically Overdue" is simply marketing hype from Cantore. If I flip a coin five times and it comes up tails every time, what are the odds it will be heads the next time? It's still 50 percent. It's not any greater or less due to prior events. He wasn't talking about storm probabilities increasing due to climate change, which would be a different argument.

In any year there is a certain probability the gulf coast will be hit with a major storm (hence it could certainly happen and then Cantore can claim his "due" theory was right), but prior year storms or lack of them don't make that any more (or any less likely).

I realize my Dr. Master's quote was just short term. I quoted it as an example of his no non-sense style, not a long-term prediction. If Cantore wrote it, I think it would have been something along the lines of "All quiet in the tropics. We're not going to die .... yet." :)

I absolutely agree everyone should stay vigilant and have a hurricane plan, regardless of what happened previously.

**lenzoe** · 08-27-2012, 07:53 AM

Does it seem that Dr. Master's not posting as frequently to his Wunderground blog this season? It's well into morning less than 36 hours before Issac's landfall, still with an uncertain landfall, and there is no update from him. If this is an effect of the buyout, I'm not a fan.

I don't get the weather channel. Has he moved his updates to that medium?

**TreeFrog** · 08-27-2012, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by lenzoe

Does it seem that Dr. Master's not posting as frequently to his Wunderground blog this season? It's well into morning less than 36 hours before Issac's landfall, still with an uncertain landfall, and there is no update from him. If this is an effect of the buyout, I'm not a fan.

I don't get the weather channel. Has he moved his updates to that medium?

So far, he's made daily morning posts on Isaac and one of the staff has done the afternoon, and quite well. He posted yesterday that he'd be on site at TWC for the next couple of days helping with their Isaac coverage. Waiting to see if that makes an obvious improvement, and if there is a noticeable change in the blog content on wunderground.

**lenzoe** · 08-27-2012, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by TreeFrog

So far, he's made daily morning posts on Isaac and one of the staff has done the afternoon, and quite well. He posted yesterday that he'd be on site at TWC for the next couple of days helping with their Isaac coverage. Waiting to see if that makes an obvious improvement, and if there is a noticeable change in the blog content on wunderground.

I still like the quality of his posts. I just remember he always seemed to have an analysis out before I got my morning coffee. Now I'm sitting here refreshing the wunderground site hoping for something to counter the blowing palm tree news and I'm getting anxious.