Team Harvey

Alright. Below was my lovey dovey reflection of snow days, one that I wrote while snuggled up after a long day of work.

This is my realistic, non-reflective reaction to what happened yesterday, or rather what did not happen. No lovey. No dovey.

First, I think weather is one of the most fascinating topics on our globe for two reasons. One being the fact that weather as a subject is a divine conversation starter. If we did not have weather, what would we talk about at the beginning of staff meetings, or during a preliminary awkward encounter?

Secondly, weather has been studied for generations, yet somehow, there is always new, complex, multi-receiver Doplar radar that can predict and measure weather more accurately than its predecessor. The meteorologists who have the capacity to translate what this said radar says, go to the masses and share the ever updating atmospheric conditions. Us commonfolk have no such technology to predict the weather patterns, nor do we maintain the knowledge to understand it, therefore, our well-being is in their hands. They are the disciples of the word of the Doplar. Thanks be to God?

Ultimately, each machine eventually fails, and as Americans, it is our civic duty to blame someone else when something goes wrong, God forbid something go wrong without us pointing the finger. Here enter the poor meteorologists.

I have always said that meteorology is the most recession proof career path. No matter what, we will always need someone to tell us what the weather will be like. Further, weathermen can consistently be wrong and still remain employed. Essentially, they earn their salary as educated guessers, and hope their predictions reflect the outcome. I wish my job description was to stand in front of a blue screen while holding clicker, and guess at the end result of large fronts moving our way, but then again, I wasn’t smart enough to make that career choice. Maybe I am under-complicating this science, but at a far glance, this is what I think.

This is not to say that I don’t value and respect meteorologists. I find meteorologists to be highly esteemed and dedicated members of our society. Not only do they deliver both good and bad news, but they also battle the elements at their own expense to bring us the most up to date weather as possible. As if that contribution isn’t enough, do you know how coordinated one needs to be in order to stand in front of the blue screen, stare at a monitor on the side wall and somehow manage to point and circle things that you cannot even see while maintaining a semi-conversational monologue? Pure talent.

Today was the first time where I feel that it is my job to defend good, ole faithful, weatherman favorites. So, because of my undying loyalty to meteorologists, I will here defend their cause (briefly.)

Yesterday, we followed Harvey Leonard’s every word and were captivated by every last detail, today we have shunned the very man who we have instilled such faith in less than a day ago. He who stands in the rain and gets pelted in the face with snain just to prove a point has now become victim to our anger toward unsuspecting change. Is it Harvey’s fault that the storm made an unsuspecting shift? Most certainly not! So why do we blame him? Because we can.

Lets reverse the situation. Would you rather Harvey not forecast the weather until he is positive of the results? I doubt it. Would you rather send your children to school, and then have them stranded there when 1+ feet of snow move in? Certainly not! At the end of the day, it is better to be overly cautious than caught off guard, especially when New Englanders get even more angry if snow totals exceed original expectations.

So what do I say? Leave Harvey alone. Weather is a guessing game where you are damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. This messenger has most certainly been shot…and today, he has been critically wounded.

Alright, enough of my semi-uneducated rant, bring on spring! Harvey, I’ve got your back!