Sunday, July 29, 2018
Legalistic rules
The Weather Bureau has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for today and tomorrow, predicting 98 or so both days.
Social media are getting weeweed up as usual. But is this really an emergency?
Two weeks ago we had two 96s in a row, and we somehow survived without an Excessive Heat Warning.
Broader perspective: The last three summers were hotter than normal, with LOTS of 90s and 100s. We survived those. This summer is strictly normal, mostly 80s, some 70s, some 90s, a couple near-100s. The 90s and 100s are hard on people who live in modern houses without AC, but 98 isn't any harder than 96.
The Weather Bureau has to operate by rules, and they do a damned good job of applying the rules to reality. I'm NOT complaining about their performance! I'm questioning the rules. Legalistic rules for weather make it hard to keep things in perspective. Most of the REAL emergencies don't get warnings. Now we get a warning for a slight increment above a non-warned situation.
Social media are getting weeweed up as usual. But is this really an emergency?
Two weeks ago we had two 96s in a row, and we somehow survived without an Excessive Heat Warning.
Broader perspective: The last three summers were hotter than normal, with LOTS of 90s and 100s. We survived those. This summer is strictly normal, mostly 80s, some 70s, some 90s, a couple near-100s. The 90s and 100s are hard on people who live in modern houses without AC, but 98 isn't any harder than 96.
The Weather Bureau has to operate by rules, and they do a damned good job of applying the rules to reality. I'm NOT complaining about their performance! I'm questioning the rules. Legalistic rules for weather make it hard to keep things in perspective. Most of the REAL emergencies don't get warnings. Now we get a warning for a slight increment above a non-warned situation.
Labels: Metrology
¶ 11:31 PM
