Can someone tell me how the Weather Channel's local forecast is generated? Wasn't it at one time linked to the National Weather Service? Here in the Hampton Roads area of Va, they frequently include the word "thunderstorms" in their foreacst during the warm season when rain is predicted. Even when it is a cool day with a steady light rain and there is absolutely no chance of thunderstorms, the Local Forecast will have thunderstorms in their forecast.

Hey Dave,

Can only advise you not to watch the weather channel for more than entertainment. Other than Paul Kocin, not many on their that can forecast their way out of a paper bag.

Jim

I was wondering the same thing until recently, when the TWC for my area appeared to match the intellicast version. Not sure if it was by chance or not, will have to check again!
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as an aside, I tend not to watch TWC other than for Kocin, Lyons, or Cantori.

In the short range, they do their own forecasts just like the NWS. However, beyond 48 hours, I would be willing to bet that they use purely computer-generated, GFS-based forecasts. Thus, the long-range stuff (sometimes they show a full week out... other times just three more days) is of virtually no value.

as an aside, I tend not to watch TWC other than for Kocin, Lyons, or Cantori.[b]

I'm kinda partial to Heather, Stephanie, and Mish, myself...

Oh, you meant real analysis. My bad.

The Weather Channel back in the day when I watched it all the time used to get their local forecasts from the National Weather Service. I am not exactly sure when they switched over (at least a few years ago), but they now generate their own. I was a STEP at the NWS in Juneau, AK, last summer, and the Weather Channel uses wording that the NWS would never use. For example: "A few isolated thunderstorms." The weather service would either use the term "few" for aerial coverage or the term "isolated" for probability; using both is redundent.

-Nick
-Home in Buffalo, NY for Winter Break from SUNY Oswego