US Navy won't torpedo hurricane forecast satellite feed after all The US Navy has announced plans to continue distributing satellite data needed for hurricane forecasting, months after authorities said the data stream was to be turned off. The U-turn comes after protests from weather forecasters and an alternative approach from amateur satellite enthusiasts, which showed users how to receive …
as there will be fewer opportunities for him to divert hurricanes with his sharpies.
If you live in FLA, AL and all the other SE USA States (plus Texas) then be afraid, very afraid. Be prepared for at least 1 cat-5 storm this year. Get your supplies of food, water, fuel for generators in NOW.
Probably the fact they realised it actually cost next to nothing to process and distribute the data for as long as they receiving it.
The next question is, is there any form of replacement data for after the sat shuts down next year? Hurricanes can cause $billions in damages, not including the $cost of lives, so better warnings means better protections and more lives saved. The Government is supposed to protect American lives. I'd guess another satellite is cheaper than the extra cost incurred (and potentially lives lost) if hurricane prediction is delayed.
Of course, anyone who doesn't give a shit about the lives and suffering of others will be against spending that money.
This program is not the only source of data for forecasting hurricanes. I can look at Windy.com and see satellite pictures of approaching hurricanes and extrapolate their track by eye without any need for this special microwave data. I might not be able to predict within a few miles exactly where the "eye" will hit the coast, but here in Florida you don't make preparations based on which county gets the brunt of it. A big hurricane can be 200 km across so such precision is not necessary.
