You may have noticed some graphics lately on NewsChannel 9, our Facebook pages or at 9wsyr.com indicating that our forecasts are rated as “Central New York’s Most Accurate.” Where does this come from and what does it mean for you?
WeatheRate is a company which specializes in rating television forecast accuracy. They gather forecast information such as high and low temperatures, sky conditions, and forecast precipitation within a specific television market, and rate the accuracy of the forecasts. We know internally by comparing our forecasts to reality, all of the hard work that we put into writing the forecasts that you see on television and our media platforms are good. No one gives us the forecast you see. Chris, Jim, Julia and I roll up our sleeves and crunch the numbers, looking at the various forecast data available to us, to come up with what we think is the best forecast.
Frankly, I would feel uncomfortable saying that we’re the most accurate if it wasn’t true. Looking at the numbers for awhile now and through various periods of independent observation, we have consistently performed better than the competition in our area.
Does this mean we’re always right? No. Not by a long shot. I’m sure there will be a forecast “bust” here or there. However, with the consistent work we do on a day to day basis, we’ll keep that number low. What’s important to remember is that this rating is a way of telling you that out of all of the sources of weather forecast information, what we provide at NewsChannel 9 is consistently the best that’s out there. With Live Doppler 9 we always provide the best view of severe weather as it’s affecting your backyard. With the WeatheRate certification, it’s good to know that you can make plans around inconvenient weather that can affect your daily activities by tuning into NewsChannel 9 or visiting the
NewsChannel 9 app, 9wsyr.com,
Facebook or
Twitter.
