Local resident expresses concern after noticing disturbing trend on local weather forecasts: 'It's weird'

Weather forecasting has become much more accurate, but common misconceptions persist about the science behind it. 

A Reddit post questioned the accuracy of local weather forecasts. 

"They will say no rain is expected and we will get flooded practically. They will be off the high or low by like 30 degrees sometimes," wrote the user, who felt meteorologists were blatantly lying. 

"I remember growing up and watching the weather and they were pretty accurate about things. It's like they have gotten worse at their jobs over the years," they wrote.

While advanced forecasts can contain errors, data from the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center shows weather forecasts have steadily improved over the past five decades.

Today's seven-day forecast is as accurate as the three-day forecast would have been in the 1990s — at least in terms of predicted daily high temperature. 

This is thanks to improvements in computer-generated forecasts combined with human forecasters who have knowledge about local conditions.

However, accuracy can vary widely based on where you live. According to The Washington Post, coastal regions and the Southwest are easier to forecast. The middle of the country is more prone to unpredictable temperature swings. 

Our warming planet adds another variable. Weather forecasters rely on past weather patterns to predict future conditions. That is harder with rising temperatures causing frequent extreme weather events. Technology will have to adapt to keep pace with our changing climate. 

Common misconceptions about rising temperatures and weather manipulation frequently gain traction online, so it's important to be critical about what you read. 

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Conspiracy theories about weather hurt efforts to tackle the issues affecting our warming planet and undermine education efforts to reduce the use of dirty energy sources. It also erodes trust in the scientific institutions and professionals working hard to provide accurate information.

This distrust can be deadly. Weather forecasts and warnings are critical to saving lives, especially during extreme weather events. 

The original poster's concern may have stemmed from a misunderstanding, as they wrote: "The other day I saw a lady on the news reporting it's supposed to hit 100 degrees this week. She said it was the first time since 2012 it will hit 100. That's a flat out lie. 2015 we hit 100 several times. In 2019 it hit 100 a few times. Why lie about that?"

As one commenter explained, "Often when they talk about record temps they are talking about the historic records for that particular day."

"'Meteorologist being wrong about the weather' is such an old joke that it's weird to see it as an unironic conspiracy," one commenter wrote.

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