NBC Hypes Weather Forecasters Factoring 'Global Warming' Into Hurricane Predictions
On Wednesday's NBC Today, correspondent Keir Simmons reported
from the European Weather Center in Britain that projected Hurricane
Sandy's path and touted how "Global warming could make their work more important than ever."
The center's Professor Alan Thorpe explained: "If it turned out to be
the case that such storms became more common, then our weather
forecasting models need to factor that in." [Listen to the audio]
Simmons then cited Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to bolster
the point: "Already the scientists are planning more research to help
them, and all of us, plan for the future. Because if it's true,
as New York's governor says, that we are now dealing with extreme
weather patterns in a way we haven't seen, then centers like the one
you've just seen are more important than ever."
Here is a full transcript of the October 31 report:
8:21AM ET
MATT LAUER: We're back now at 8:21 with more of the widespread damage
from Sandy. It's been described as a once-in-a-lifetime storm, but a
week ago there was one group of scientists who saw it coming and let us
know. NBC's Keir Simmons caught up with them. Keir, good morning.
KEIR SIMMONS: Good morning, Matt. Thousands of miles from the storm,
here in England, that group of scientists were making cutting-edge
calculations last week, providing an early warning of the damage Sandy
would do. It was a storm warning that must have seemed incredible to
some. And because it was so early, helped millions of Americans prepare
for the worst. One week ago today, last Wednesday, Al [Roker] relayed a
dire forecast on Today, scientists in Europe predicting Sandy would hit
the east coast.
AL ROKER: The European model keeps it hugging the coast, and by early Tuesday morning it's inland in the northeast.
SIMMONS: The early call came from the European Weather Center in
England, 250 staff process 150 million weather observations every day,
but they'd rarely seen something like this. A front from the north
joining forces with a hurricane, causing Sandy to make a left hook into
the northeast. When you first saw this, what was your reaction?
ALAN THORPE [PROFESSOR, EUROPEAN CENTER FOR MEDIUM-RANGE WEATHER
FORECASTS]: Obviously we were concerned. Even eight days ahead we could
see this tropical cyclone developing.
SIMMONS: To assess the odds of Sandy hitting the east coast, their
super computer had created 51 forecasts, all had one outcome.
THORPE: All took the storm north and then towards the eastern seaboard.
SIMMONS: By the weekend, the American and European models had
converged. Without these forecasts, the human cost might have been far
worse. Essentially, you and the other 250 scientists working here
probably saved lives.
THORPE: I think it certainly motivates all of the people who work here.
SIMMONS: And global warming could make their work more important than ever.
THORPE: If it turned out to be the case that such storms became more
common, then our weather forecasting models need to factor that in.
SIMMONS: If the weather patterns are changing, then so is our ability
to predict them. Already the scientists are planning more research to
help them, and all of us, plan for the future. Because if it's true, as
New York's governor says, that we are now dealing with extreme weather
patterns in a way we haven't seen, then centers like the one you've just
seen are more important than ever. And, Matt, that warning from Al last
week was just so important, wasn't it?
LAUER: It certainly was. Keir Simmons good work on their part and yours, by the way.
