CaryJo: I would love for someone to explain to me why I can’t get an accurate weather forecast even four hours out. I’m ready to kidnap a meteorologist and withhold radar screens until they spill.

I would love for someone to explain to me why I can’t get an accurate weather forecast even four hours out. I’m ready to kidnap a meteorologist and withhold radar screens until they spill.

bsky.app/profile/harr...

How accurate is the weather forecast in your city? Niko Kommenda and I learned that NWS just began doing gridded assessments of forecast accuracy. We got the data and mapped of how many days into the future they get within 3°F of the observed high temp. www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

I’m in a 3-4 day area and that is easily disproven. They can’t even say whether it will rain or not accurately in a half day time period. As a farmer it’s an enormous issue. It’s gotten so much worse recently!

The point was that you are indeed in a volatile area. That small 3-4 day color is surrounded by 1-2 day. The Great Plains traditionally extends right up and into your farmlands.

Thank you. It’s never been great here, partly because of our local radar according to local emergency management, but it is so much worse this year regarding precipitation it’s crazy! I’m not sure what it is that makes weather do funny things here.

I guess one thing to consider is where your local weather observations are being collected, and if your area is under covered, becoming one? www.weather.gov/coop/BecomeA...

Become An Observerwww.weather.gov

Microclimates, I suspect. You're in/next to the Driftless, correct?

Yeah, right at the tail end.

About an hour east of the Galena area

I wish I had a subscription so I could read this though I’m not sure it would help where I am

Here you go. (And it’s not as important here, but I still get annoyed when my phone says it won’t rain in the morning, and then it does). wapo.st/4co8Twi

Analysis | We mapped weather forecast accuracy across the U.S. Look up your city.wapo.st Everyone complains about the weather forecast, but some people have more cause to grumble than others. Find out how accurate the forecast is where you live.

I guess I also wonder what sources/apps you are using? A good forecast should give you a percent chance of rain/snow, wind, and hail. I tend to use Accuweather and Storm Prediction Center for a generic forecast, and Pivotal Weather to look and the models, then watch radar on Radar Scope.

I have apps and my sister has TV so she gives me the local forecast

I get those percentages, it’s just that they are usually wrong.

I use the weather app on my iPhone. It’s usually good, but I got soaking wet trying to put groceries in my car in the evening when the app that morning had said “eh, nbd” about rain. I think hurricanes mean we have pretty good weather prediction hardware down here.

I've never had good luck with my phone's weather app. The source for it is just not good enough for me (I do long long bike rides in places with no shelter). Try a couple others and see if they do a better job?

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