Ever tried comparing different sites for the weather predictions?

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/Weather/Cities/Can/Pages/CAON0696.htm?ref=wxeye
http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/city/pages/on-143_metric_e.html

plus the Toronto Star, Canada.com & 680 news website.

I wonder why they differ in their predictions for the same place?

Yesterday, I was looking for the snowfall predictions for today. But everybody had different information. Some said it was 5 cm snow, some said it was flurries.

THe funny part is, that guy on 680 news - Harold Hussain claimed, that we are sure to get 5 cms of snow. He went on saying that even though weather canada has removed the snow warning, they will bring it back.

680 news always exaggartes snowfall. You always get half of what they predict. I wonder, if exaggerating snowfall predictions is a way for them to increase listeners

Meghal

I see two main reasons:

1. Location - that precise location for which the prediction is made.
* When the location says "Toronto, ON", it could mean different for different channels/persons.
Could be Toronto Island, Toronto Downtown (just downtown) or even Toronto including surrounding area, or in general terms - the entire GTA.

Some TV channels gives predictions based on their weather office location (which could be on one corner of the city).
Some, just gives predictions for entire GTA.

2. Person - who actually makes the predictions.
Consider a scenario: warm air system located on "Sudbury, ON" (example) moving south-east-south at wind speed of "N" KPH. So this system is almost heading towards around-GTA.
There are numerious factors that could change this system over time :
. the wind speed.
. the temperature of the air.
. the direction of wind.
. any other system approaching from anyother direction.
. any other geographical aspects (lakes, desert, mountains, forest, elevation, etc)

Each individual understands these aspects as per their own ways. Few include their own human-errors
So, let's say I made a prediction that the above mentioned system will move on to GTA and bring warm temperature.
Unfortunately around Gerogian Bay, the system lost it's energy (due to certain reason which did not considered !) and failed to reach GTA with enough strength.
The prediction was made based on certain factors. Not all were satisfied and results were no where near perfection.

Only Mother Nature can provide full details You can't beat Her!

I usually stick to one channel and one person. It took time. But then I can easily read him. When he says traces to max 5 cms snow, I don't care about it.

Quote:

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Orginally posted by l5a
warm air system located on "Sudbury, ON"

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