Sensationalist weather reports?

[hayesey]

Is it just me, or does it seem like weather reports these days exaggerate their reports?  Presumably to make more people watch?  It just seems like they are always saying things like "arctic weather", "20cm snow overnight", "worst xxx since xxx"...etc...etc.. yet it never seems to actually happen? 

Last night perfect example, reports saying 15-20cm snow overnight with blizzard conditions this morning, loads of "Weather Warning" banners and signs flashing up during the report and warnings of horrendous conditions on hilly motorways, specifically naming the stretch of M62 I drive on over the pennines every day.  What was it actually like this morning?  Raining and no wind at all, not even cold really, car's outside temp said +2.5deg which is better than the last few days.

[lance]

yea i live on the west coast of cumbria and watched the weather last night expected to wake up in a snow drift and i woke up to rain as normal!

so not only do they make it sound ten times worse they get wrong in the first place!!!

[Gary]

I even had a long lye in this morning thinking I could use the snow as an excuse, ended up late for my first job and having to use the flat tyre excuse instead! 

[scotsjohn]

I reckon the name of the game is "cover your arse", give out a crap forecast and if it turns out OK then nobody gets too wound up. Give out a more modest forecast which turns out wrong and they look bad. Eventually nobody has any faith in their abilities, but that won't matter; not that is until people die because forecasters have cried wolf too often.

[superchargedpolo]

Classic Gary,

Was almost going to do the same myself today.

Just as well I didn't just rain, no snow.

Craig

[hayesey]

I reckon the name of the game is "cover your arse", give out a crap forecast and if it turns out OK then nobody gets too wound up. Give out a more modest forecast which turns out wrong and they look bad. Eventually nobody has any faith in their abilities, but that won't matter; not that is until people die because forecasters have cried wolf too often.

actually you are probably onto something there.  They are probably too scared of being sued if they are too optimistic and people are late, injured, die because the weather is far worse than they said! Wouldn't surprise me anyway.

[g40_jez]

There probably is some sensationalism, but speaking meteorologically, predicting exactly where + when snow will fall is notoriously difficult.

[vwmk3jon]

Our weather reports said snow showers but i dont think its been cold enough for it.