Who Said What Last Night?

As mentioned before...we tried (at Wayne's suggestion) something I've never seen done in Portland.  We made the storm forecast a "one stop shopping" experience.  We compared all the forecasts on Portland television last night, including video from each station's weathercast. 

Here is what everyone was saying at 10-11pm:

NWS (your tax dollars, official forecast):
2-6" snowstorm 10am-10pm (strange timing)

KGW (Zaffino):
2-6" snowstorm...High of 35! (same as NWS)

KOIN (Baskin):
Likely not much...maybe a dusting or so. Lots of snow in air

KATU (Hill):
Probably no snow...worst case scenario 1-3"...lots of snow in air.

KPTV (Nelsen)
No sticking below 1000', lots of snow in air

Phil Volker (Meteorological consultant to city and ex-KOIN Wxman):
Good snowburst 4-5am, then all rain...some flooding?

Lots of you seemed to like this from the comments and feedback we are getting.   We may have to give out grades tonight eh?

Comments

[john conlon]

Mark Nelson,
You have the most accurate weather forcast! I trust your forcast more than any other news station around the metro area! Keep the good work up!

[Garron S]

I'd like to thank you again MR. NELSON!!! You are a hero among us weather-geeks!! YOu are doing for a living what I've wished I'd gone into further when I was a kid. I got to meet another hero of mine, JIM LITTLE on my 13th birthday when he was on KGW. He is truly a wonderful person, and a great influence on my adolescence. Now I just wish I'd taken his advice and gone on to study meteorology, but for now, I have your wonderful weather site to keep me occuppied, and god-bless the internet as a tool as well!!!! Thanks again for all you do!!! And HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

[Wally]

The "one stop weather" is such a great idea I wonder why I haven't seen it before. Perhaps caused by the "legal folks" or a management policy of ignoring the existence of other stations--both of which obviously ignore reality. After all, what TV can't change channels?

Given that one of those other weathermen is more celebrity than meteorologist, I'd guess his forecast had more to do with ratings than science or judgement.

Mark does such a great job distinguishing between fact and speculation. Especially the reasoning. This makes the weather very accessible. It also helps organize the assumptions the forecast is based on, so when an assumption isn't met, it's possible to predict the outcome without consulting the forecast.

[Ayatt]

Hey mark, I have a chance to watch all the weather forcasts, and I find you to be the most accurate. I just wanted to say, snow or no snow, keep up the excellent work!
However we are all wishing for snow. Work your magic and don't get us dissapointed =)

[RIAN MULEBACK]

MARK,

SO DO YOU FEEL ANY SMARTER NOW? JUST KIDDING. I WASN`T HAPPY WITH YOUR NO SNOW FORECAST, BUT YOU ARE MY FAVORITE METEOROLOGIS, SHH DON`T TELL THE OTHERS, SO I HAD FAITH IN YOU. I LIVE IN GRESHAM AND THE EAST WIND KICKED IN, BUT MY TEMP. DROPPED. MAYBE MY WEATHER SENSOR IS IN A BAD AREA. ANYWAY, SNOW STARTED AROUND 4 AM AND WAS LIGHT. WOKE UP AT 7 TO MODERATE SNOW, BUT ONLY STUCK TO MY DECK. GREAT JOB ON THE FORECAST AND TWO QUESTIONS. FIRST ANY FEEDBACK FROM 2, 6 OR 8 ON YOU COMPARING THEM AND WHAT IS THE EARLIEST PORTLAND HAS SEEN FLAKES? THANX FOR THE HELP.

[Anuhea]

I love seeing the forecasts compared like this! I live at about 800' in Boring, and the snow was coming down thick for about an hour, but none of it was sticking.

I wonder if forecasters tend to get a little sensationalistic sometimes in order to get people hyped up to watch their channel....

[Peter W]

Wow, you were right after all :). I have to admit I was unsure, but it turned out that you were correct in your forcast of our weather. Great Job! Also, showing all the different forcasts from around the Portland metropolitan area was a great idea. It shows that you are willing to be wrong and that your main goal is to get ALL the information to us.

[Jackie Buisman]

As a newbie blogger, I celebrate this initiation with reading and loving the comparative snow forecasts! Smart tactic and I appreciated this way to gain information.

[Steve B]

I like the comparative of all the forecasts. Give's an opportunity to "blend" them to get an overall idea of what the pros are thinking. Thanks

[lorz]

I liked seeing the side-by-side comparison and thought it was a creative thing to do.

[Bert Davis]

Mark Nelsen,

I often have a chance to catch the weather on every station. I look forward to the chance of snow in the portland area. But I just want you to know, that I find you and only you to be the most accurate. My husband and I stay up until 10:30, just to hear what you have to say. Thank-You, Bert Ann Davis

[Venkat]

I really liked it.

Also I should appreciate your analysis and being closest to the reality.
Congratulations.!!

[Gary Madison]

Great idea to grade the others Mark (NWS gets a an F as ususal). I missed the segment (went to sleep) but you nailed the forecast. We live on Skyline at 1000', just wasn't cold enuf for much and very little east wind ever developed.