Weather Over-hyping

B

BrothaHorn

1,000+ Posts
Is it just me or does anyone else think that the news media are overplaying Gustav. Now, I realize that, this is a potentially life threatening storm, but do we need 24/7 coverage. Even as it loses some of its luster.
Here in Houston fox26, is basically blasting us w/ radar, commentary and on-site reporting. Really is all that necessary? If the storm is so bad, do I need to see some reporter telling me how bad it was raining?

How bout how they've scared people? My mom calls me at 5am, yesterday from walmart, telling me how the aisles are cleaned out. She lives in Houston county, quite a ways from NO!! I've even heard of fights at gas stations.

Maybe I'm just getting old/bitter, but I get so tired of everytime, it clouds up, some douche telling me to prepare for hell or high water. I just wish they would calm down a lil bit and tell the truth.
 
Katrina escallated everything. Now all the news stations consider themselves hurricane central. They did the right thing by moving everyone out of New Orleans, but people in Texas going crazy at Walmart is a little over the top. Channel 2 in Houston runs commercials all the time saying that their weather is meant to be informative and not scare anyone. Well that "tropical storm" a month ago made liars out of everyone. Going live to 8 different people all over the city to watch water drain into the gutters for 5 hours was stellar
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Vince McMahon should hire the morning weather tool on 11 on Houston to hype up his pay-per-views. He is so over-the-top in his drama about these things. I remember when Rita was heading towards Houston, he said that it would have as great a storm surge as Katrina. . Well, Houston is not the inside of a bowl surrouned by dilapadated levees, you moron! I dont believe a thing they say any more
 
I have some friends from LA that went to Houston to ride this out. They were at the stores getting provisions for when they go back since they know it is unlikely the water will be potable. They are getting things that will be needed when they get back. A good part of those crowds may be people from there doing the same thing, I hope so.

There are always the over-reactors but I guess that is still better than not doing enough and then relying on others to help out in a bigger role.

A lot of people with family and friends as well as evacuee's want to see the goings on in their area. That may be a part of why the local media is pasting it so much. Then again, tons watch it.
 
Well things are just peachy here Galveston. Maybe they sacrificed a surgery intern to appease the hurricane gods.
 
I'm still trying to figure out why the CBS station in Dallas had to send their chief meteorologist to NOLA
 
It may be their special way of trying to revoke his contract and hire somebody else.
 
Just got some word from Baton Rouge. They are okay so far. They know more is on way. It was brief, not many details. "ok now. will see"
 
The reason Gustav is being over hyped is no one took Katrina seriously and look what happened. It is the nature of people to take storms for granted till a Katrina or Andrew or an even worse storm like Camelle hits and people die, I would much rather see it overhyped than the other way.
 
True, people may be overracting to the media hype. But I think its also true that many people only have a couple tv dinners in the fridge and very little else in the pantry. For those people stocking up on snacks and food is a good idea. Maybe twenty years ago, the average family had a couple of weeks of food. People just go out to eat so much that they don't have a pantry to support them should they not be able get to the grocery store.

Another factor is that Katrina and Rita made people realize that they might not be able to depend on the government. Power won't always be restored in a few hours. It might be weeks. Water can't be depended to be potable. For many people, that's a brave new world.
 
It never hurts to be prepared. I admit, I stocked up on Friday here in Houston, but I did that because I had to be at a certain ballgame and tailgate in Austin on Saturday.

I will eventually drink all that water and eat all that food. So will the dogs. It's no big deal, and hurricane season ain't over yet.
 
My question is why do people wait until the first one gets close to stock up. Why not go out in May and put together a hurricane kit? Nothing in there would/should spoil in 120-150 days. If mid September comes and goes, use the water and cook the beans. Break out the granola bars and drink the beer. Then, next May, do it all over.

Why not have a disaster kit ready to go BEFORE you need it?
 
Not just for the hurricaines, but for any weather event the "reporting" has become a sport or some form of entertainment venue. They can't just tell us it is raining, they have to send out some Jill or Joe to show us the rain, like we don't know what it looks like.
Weather and news are the original "reality tv" shows. I don't watch them much and none of the new reality tv.
How can I, I'm always on Hornfans!
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People will overreact for awhile, then they will forget all about it. Then another big one will hit and the cycle will start again
 
I saw this morning that the ultimate overreacting weather personality, Austin's own Jim Spencer, was broadcasting from NOLA and my thought was "ok, this is ridiculous."
 
Mercy, do not let a snowflake fall in North Texas because all four local channels will go to weather 24/7. It is enough to make you want to reach through the TV and bang some heads together. I just want them to go back to regular programming and STFU. Let Darwinism run its course if they are too stupid to realize roads are going to get slick and icy, low lying areas will flood in torrential rains, or you need to get your fat *** off the couch to watch if tornadoes are dropping out of the storm that is approaching your neighborhood.
 
if we're not constantly reminded that there is a phenomenon called weather than we will forget to pay attention to the people who are obsessed with global warming.
 
I'm really tired of people standing in the wind to show how hard it's blowing, or how hard it's raining.

Not to pick on Geraldo Rivera, but I saw him clamber up the incline to where water was coming over a NO levee. If there was a real chance of him being swept away, would he have done it? Of course not. He didn't have to be standing in the middle of everything to catch video of an actual rescue.

We realize it's dangerous, and it's stupid to be out in the middle of it, whether you are from the Weather Channel or some local station or 300 miles away.
 
Another factor is that Katrina and Rita made people realize that they might not be able to depend on the government. Power won't always be restored in a few hours. It might be weeks. Water can't be depended to be potable. For many people, that's a brave new world.
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It has always been like this, the only difference is that in the old days, people preferred it that way.
 
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