California: A storm of hyperbole

[Gardenarian]

Once again the weather forecasters went with the worst-case scenario.
There are a few power outages and some branches down, but mostly it's just a beautiful rainy day.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/readaboutit/10849761_10205353368172465_285627774115387453_n_zp s6d4f0a9d.jpg (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/readaboutit/media/10849761_10205353368172465_285627774115387453_n_zp s6d4f0a9d.jpg.html)

[bae]

We had 75 knot winds and 20 foot seas, during a high tide, here. It caused one of my Amazon Prime shipments to be delayed several hours.

[JaneV2.0]

We're still waiting for Stormageddon. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, since I'm surrounded by trees. Sigh.

[Teacher Terry]

It will be interesting to see if Donner, etc gets all the snow that is predicted. They are saying it will be white out conditions. My hubby is trying to decide if he can make it home tomorrow nite.

[awakenedsoul]

Hope some of that rain heads down our way. It usually does...

[JaneV2.0]

A family friend is due into SF from Europe tonight; haven't heard if their flight is canceled.

[SteveinMN]

Personally, I like the way a big storm is not worth reporting unless it's either a tornado or hurricane or it hits one of the coasts. Those of us in Flyoverland get plenty of "weather" but no one seems to take notice unless there's a TV camera nearby...

[iris lilies]

haha OP that's hilarious!

The media Weather People get all bent out of shape about small things.

[Packy]

California, California! Unbelievable, un-believeable! Ya Better Believe it, Ya Better Believe It. < That's what they say out there, in California.

[Packy]

haha OP that's hilarious!

The media Weather People get all bent out of shape about small things. That is not quite true. Media People are actors who say things that are intended to get the audience aroused--especially some negative emotion, like Fear. Weather Forecasters just have their own special way. See? I would not be surprised if they occasionally hold rehearsals for forecasting that big one along the San Andreas or New Madrid Fault--lots of potential for drama, there!

[Seven]

Those of us in Flyoverland get plenty of "weather" but no one seems to take notice unless there's a TV camera nearby...
If it happens all the time, it is just "weather". I guess they think that you are used to it and do not need warnings, because your homes are always prepared.
Sounds like our situation with snow. In the mountains, there is always snow in the winter. And guess what - they just call it "winter".
If it snows in our capital, everyone panics and traffic breaks down.

[shadowmoss]

It's the same way when it rains here for more that 2 days in a given week. The weather folks go nuts. Water cooler talk at work in about the next forcast rain. Really strange to me after living in the SE US.

[ApatheticNoMore]

But ... but ... I got a flashflood warning on my cell phone at 3:30 am or so. That was really really really important. Like important enough to wake me up at 3:30am from the deepest sleep. Not.

Hmm, enough to make one consider the no cell phone people, or honestly enough to look into turning my cell phone off at night perhaps - would be easier if I had more landline jacks if I got an important call that wasn't a 3:30 am flash flood warnings of course ...

Really it's neither ok nor acceptable to wake people up at 3:30 am for flood warnings when they are hours and hours of sleep away from being on any road than it is for a someone to call you at 3:30 am with "I heard this really funny joke ...". Yes, so funny you had to wake me up at 3:30 am? But trying to reason with the government is of course impossible. I would opt out for sure if I could. But I suppose they are forcing people to opt out of cell phones if they want to sleep. /daily peeve

[CathyA]

I agree that the media makes far too much of some things. But if the weather/flood/rains/etc. turn out to be bad, then people will get pissed that they weren't warned sooner.

[Tammy]

You can turn off weather warnings on your phone

[ApatheticNoMore]

Maybe this will work: I'll try it later:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/25/technology/personaltech/opting-out-of-emergency-alerts.html?_r=0

This isn't a smart phone, it's a really low IQ phone I wasn't even aware had warnings. That's why I assumed they were like the Amber alerts being sent by the government (well that and the government is out to get me .... if they ever wanted to implement mass sleep deprivation ...)

I guess they are this:
http://www.noaa.gov/features/03_protecting/wireless_emergency_alerts.html

I don't live anywhere that would be a flash flood risk, and while I suppose roads might get flooded and I will drive the next day, I really don't want to take on the whole worlds problems at 3:30am at night! I'm sorry to hear there's a flash flood somewhere in California but I need to sleep ...

[Tammy]

I think that any phone capable of texting is preset to receive warnings and I think it can be silenced on any phone ...