How Forecast Get Distorted

Do you remember playing the game where everyone stands in a circle and one person whispers something to the person beside them and then each person tells the next what they heard? By the time it got back to the person who started it ... it rarely resembled what they actually whispered to start with. That happens a lot with weather.

One thing I hear all the time is that it is going to rain when actual the chance is only 20%. Someone sees a picture of rain on television and does not even look at the percentage. They then tell everyone that it is going to rain and the bad information train has left the station.

There are also some non-media types who put out forecast that intentionally scare people. I read one today taking about freezing conditions Tuesday morning in East Texas and central Louisiana. That's not even us, but by the time it starts spreading the word will be that we are having more ice Tuesday morning. All the panic contributed to by someone who gives a forecast in OUR area that is not even for Our area.

I'm sure this aggravates meteorologist more than it irritates me. I don't think I would like that job.