Build the Ark...hard rain is a coming...

[RecycleMichael]

They are predicting 4 to 6 inches of rain on Thursday/Friday this week. That is probably enough to wash the Expo Square clean from the carnival worker residue.

[PonderInc]

I am amazed to hear that meteorologists in Oklahoma are predicting "100% chance of rain."  Indeed, I'm not sure I've ever heard anybody say that.  Even when you look outside and it's pouring, they say: "good chance of rain today."

I thought 100% was reserved for death and taxes.  Ever since Will Rogers made his famous statement about weather in Oklahoma, I think our meteorologists have been hedging their bets with phrases like "partly cloudy."

By the way, shouldn't a "meteorologist" be predicting meteor showers?  What do meteors have to do with weather?  Did early meteorologists spend their days looking at the sky for meteors, but when folks noticed that they were always looking up, they started asking about the weather?  ("Looks like rain, eh?") 

And since rain fell to earth more often than meteors...

[cannon_fodder]

Ever since Will Rogers made his famous statement about weather in Oklahoma, I think our meteorologists have been hedging their bets with phrases like "partly cloudy."

As an off topic side-note . . . they have the exact same saying in every other state I've ever been in.  Well, that's not entirely true, but I can recall hearing it at least in Washington (rain, no rain), New Mexico (three weeks ago), Iowa (many times), Minnesota (in relation to snow levels), Illinois (lake effect weather), Missouri (same as OK), Florida (sun, rain, sun), and Kansas (same as OK).   I have to wonder if Will Rogers was the first to say it and everyone else stole it or if it was common before and he popularize it.

/back on topic, or not.

[Red Arrow]

By the way, shouldn't a "meteorologist" be predicting meteor showers?  What do meteors have to do with weather? 

Meteors are the real cause of global climate change, therefore the amount of rain will be certain.

[RecycleMichael]

I am organizing a rain dance tonight. We are usually effective.

The secret to a good rain dance is timing.

[rwarn17588]

I am amazed to hear that meteorologists in Oklahoma are predicting "100% chance of rain."  Indeed, I'm not sure I've ever heard anybody say that. 

The NWS gives a "100 percent" forecast it every few weeks or so. It's usually a case in which it's such a big storm system developing that there's no chance of it missing us, or there's a line of storms approaching from the next county over, less than an hour away.

Big rain coming ... cue up shadows complaining about the storm drainage tax.

[Conan71]

Stormgasm coming on channels 2, 6, 8, & 23

[Hoss]

Stormgasm coming on channels 2, 6, 8, & 23

Not so sure of that since it appears that we won't have any severe weather out of this.  But this is a tropical-type storm.  The QPF coming out of this (it's a fancy way to forecast the amount of water that can be squeezed out of a parcel of air based on atmospheric conditions) for the next 24 hours is 3 inches.  That doesn't happen too often.  So we could see upwards of 3-5 inches in a 24 hour period.  Better than getting 4 inches in 45 minutes like I did last week or so.

Guess I'll have to watch my storm drain again.

[sgrizzle]

Not so sure of that since it appears that we won't have any severe weather out of this.  But this is a tropical-type storm.  The QPF coming out of this (it's a fancy way to forecast the amount of water that can be squeezed out of a parcel of air based on atmospheric conditions) for the next 24 hours is 3 inches.  That doesn't happen too often.  So we could see upwards of 3-5 inches in a 24 hour period.  Better than getting 4 inches in 45 minutes like I did last week or so.

Guess I'll have to watch my storm drain again.

Watch the cuda across the street. If it gets close I'm coming over with a tow cable.

[Townsend]

Watch the cuda across the street. If it gets close I'm coming over with a tow cable.

Might bring some bumpers and nav lights

[waterboy]

I remember someone telling me that a 70% chance of rain really means a 70% chance of rain occurring somewhere within the broadcast area. Thus, they can still be right if it doesn't rain at all at 21st & Lewis, but pours down at 71st.  Is that correct? If so predictions could be made by looking at the clouds from nearby Lookout mountain. Save the radar expense.

[Red Arrow]

I remember someone telling me that a 70% chance of rain really means a 70% chance of rain occurring somewhere within the broadcast area. Thus, they can still be right if it doesn't rain at all at 21st & Lewis, but pours down at 71st.  Is that correct? If so predictions could be made by looking at the clouds from nearby Lookout mountain. Save the radar expense.

I think the definition has changed over time.  I took a course in meteorology back when dirt was still rocks.  At that time, the professor explained that a 70% chance of rain meant that the forecast was for rain with a 70% probability of being correct.

[Hoss]

Watch the cuda across the street. If it gets close I'm coming over with a tow cable.

Not this time, it's gone...maybe he wised up or sold it.

[Hoss]

I think the definition has changed over time.  I took a course in meteorology back when dirt was still rocks.  At that time, the professor explained that a 70% chance of rain meant that the forecast was for rain with a 70% probability of being correct.

Technically, what NWS forecasters have told me, is that it means that 70 percent of the forecast area will have precip, not that there is a 70 percent chance of rain.

But yes, that could have changed too as I was told this about five years ago.

[PepePeru]

I thought, too, it was a 70% chance of any point withinin the forecast zone receiving rain, snow, blood or plague of locusts.