A note from Earl’s weather desk
The Holler Herald’s weather motto is simple: stay prepared, stay confused.
Our meteorological team has studied the radar, checked the woolly worms, looked outside twice, and called somebody’s grandpa whose knee has been hurting.
These sources do not always agree.
The radar says one thing. The porch says another. Grandpa says it feels like the winter of a year nobody remembers, and then begins a story about a truck.
At this point, the forecast has become a meeting.
Earl “Radar” Mullins insists that local observation remains essential. A weather app can tell you what is happening across the region, he says, but it cannot tell you whether the fellow standing beside you plans to say, “We needed this rain,” for the fourth time.
That information must be gathered in person.
What the forecast confidence means
The desk’s familiar confidence figure of 37 percent is a running joke, not a scientific probability. Earl selected it because it sounded specific enough to discourage follow-up questions.
Unfortunately, readers began asking what happened to the other 63 percent.
“Different holler,” he said.
The Herald’s forecasts are comedy. For actual travel decisions, storm warnings, or plans that depend on conditions, readers should consult current National Weather Service information and their local forecast.
Earl supports this advice, although he asks that people also look out the window before telling him it is sunny.
Within the newsroom, practical preparations remain unchanged. Keep a coat handy. Bring the porch cushions in when rain is expected. Remember where you left the scraper before the windshield turns white.
And if the day turns out exactly as predicted, enjoy it quietly.
Earl will already be claiming credit.
Weather resources: National Weather Service Charleston, WV provides forecasts and warnings for its service area. Use your location to find the forecast office covering your part of the state.
The Holler Herald — West Virginia’s Least Reliable News Source.
