Comments on: Being Accurate is Easy, Right?

By: Leo

Leo — Sat, 22 Oct 2005 15:37:20 +0000

So, what’s the arguement? How the news is reported? Who reported it first? This is the lowest “RECORDED” -doesn’t that mean we can assume there have been other non-recorded low events?

By: Jim Angel

Jim Angel — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:41:07 +0000

I meant to say “satellite assistance”, not “satelitte assistance”. This is what happens when there isn’t a built-in spelling checker – you actually have to remember how to spell.

By: Jim Angel

Jim Angel — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:27:11 +0000

Regarding “lowest pressure on record”, keep in mind that we watch hurricanes much closer today thanks to satellite coverage. Hurricane flights only started at the end of WW II and I bet in the 1940 and 1950s it was more of a hit or miss afair than it is today w/o satelitte assistance. Before WW II, the only pressure records came from ships and they were trying their darndest to stay away from hurricanes or from sfc stations (usually when the hurricane is making landfall, which we know may diminish the intensity). So if we had modern day coverage for the last 100 years, I would be even more impressed with Wilma’s lowest pressure.

By: EliRabett

EliRabett — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 02:15:03 +0000

Rodger, HSG posted

“BASED ON DROPSONDE AND FLIGHT-LEVEL DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE PLANE JUST RETURNING FROM ITS MISSION IN WILMA…THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE 882 MB…26.05 INCHES. THIS IS THE LOWEST PRESSURE ON RECORD FOR A HURRICANE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN.”

at 1:01 PM. You posted at 4:14. If HSG is accurately quoting the NHS, you are simply wrong, and AP was accurate.

Don’t you understand?

By: Roger Pielke Jr.

Roger Pielke Jr. — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 22:14:46 +0000

Yes, I am picking nits. But it is a fair picking, no?

By: HSG

HSG — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 19:01:18 +0000

You’re using the 5:00AM report to make your point, but the AP article was published at 9:00AM, approximately an hour after the 8:00AM NHS report which is much less cautious, stating:

By: kevin v

kevin v — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 17:02:23 +0000

C’mon RP, you’re nitpicking!! The AP is a business and their business is selling news. Clearly the report said LOWEST EVER!!! The news-reading public doesn’t want caveats, they want extremes and records. I didn’t read far enough to see any HOWEVER…’s. Did you? Is it really the responsibility of the AP to get the story _exactly_ right if the news-reading public will settle for not-completely-right-but-sounds-really-good? If you want accurate reporting you’re going to have to go to The Onion.

[This was all in jest, by the way.]

By: Dano

Dano — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 16:52:15 +0000

>>> Is it really too much to expect the AP to use the word “unofficially”? <<<

You are assuming that the AP’s budget allows for hiring and retention of quality reportage.

Best,