Sandy Weather Forecasts & Outlooks...Your Opinion Poll Added

[Pfishingruven]

As you all know, I take weather and meteorology very seriously.  It is something I am very passionate about.  While, I am not a professional, I have a good idea about what is going on and am studying meteorology now.  I also know how to interpret the crazy lingo the NWS and other meteorologists use on their forecasts.

I always like to improve, so I want to get everyone's opinion...good, bad or indifferent!  I am easy going, open to suggestions and want to make sure the "service" I am providing to the members here is adequate or just a waste of time?

What was your opinion of the Forecasts and Outlooks for Sandy?

Did I properly portray the storm with the facts, or was the storm understated or over hyped?

Did I give you adequate time to make the right preparations and be ready and prepared for what we got hit with?

Were updates too frequent, not enough or just right?

Overall, let me know what you think?

You don't have to do this right now.  I know many are recovering and still without power like myself.  I just got enough cell service to tether the laptop to the phone(and heard Verizon and many other providers are not charging for data overages to any disaster declared areas!).  You can either leave a comment here, send me a personal message or send me an email.  As most people in the weather field, these are the storms that keep us up at night, reviewing the models and data, the atmosphere and making sure we give the information out properly!  While, the forecasts and outlooks I post are from the NWS and other meteorologists, I am paraphrasing and reviewing the information and passing it along.  I want to make sure that I am doing everyone a service here and not hindering or misleading!  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, as it will make me better during my education process!

I hope everyone is well, safe and recovering how they have to.  For those of you with significant losses, I am very sorry!  If I can be of any help, please let me know.  As a State we will get through this and as a NJSWF Family we won't let any of our family falter!  Thankfully, there are very few fatalities from this storm, so far.  I again, want to say, that the group of people we have here are the BEST!  The preparation and readiness that this group, as a whole, expressed before this storm, is a model of what every citizen in the US and the world should do.  While others were saying this storm would be nothing, everyone of you said it was possible, but didn't wait and take that risk.  Then the check ins and offers for help; this place is great!

I will be putting together some information of the possible next Nor'Easter along with an abbreviated forecast for the upcoming days by tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks,
Matt

[Still Running]

Thanks for all of the hard work Matt. You info is where I kept updated. 

[Hotrod]

Matt.  you reports were the only thing I was reading.
   I was just saying to myself what a great asset you are.. right before I seen this topic

Was this my idea.. or yours 

[Bucktail]

Fantastic job Matt!

[IrishAyes]

A job well done. Some of the maps are above my level, but the word stuff was good for the lay person. 

[FishOn]

 
I always read your posts

[paul-e]

A job well done. Some of the maps are above my level, but the word stuff was good for the lay person. 

Yea Matt. Awesome work of weather data analysis. But I, like Joe, don't really understand some of the "cool map stuff" but that's what you're for.

Keep up the good work!

[IrishAyes]

And to think, most of the time it's only the pictures I look at in the magazines. 

[fellinger]

Awesome job!

[Andys Delight]

I loved your updates.  Some of them were a little over my head in detail, but the gist was there and remember I'm Polish.   

Looking back you were calling this from day one where other weather stations were still unwilling to do so. I for one hope you keep doing it, lets me know that I will have ample time to prepare next time.   

[Treebeard]

Matt, thanks for your efforts.. You do a stellar job of mining  the data that is of most value to our members.. and your method of presenting and describing the info in a consolidated post, makes it very convenient and  easy  to comprehend..  Keep up the great work!     

[wimpy]

Great job Matt, i'll admit it, weather and meteorology has also been a passion of mine after taking several classes in college. Everyday i look at the same charts you post on here and as confusing as they look they tell an enormous story which effects everything. Had my eye on Sandy over a week ago and what it could end up converging with, it was amazing and something we'll all never forget. Stick with it.

[Pfishingruven]

Thank you everyone!  I did not intend this to be a self-promotion post.  I wanted to make sure that the information I gave you about Sandy was accurate and sufficient to make the decisions you needed to make.

As for the maps, they are confusing and difficult if you don't know what you are looking at...just a bunch of lines and colors .  I will try and better explain them, while still keeping it summarized.  If anyone would like some basics on the graphics and models, I would be more than happy to put some information or links up.  I am also going to work on a weather links post to sticky in the Weather Section.

So, thanks again!  I will keep "carrying on."  Also, other members who have knowledge and experience in weather, please feel free to add, disagree, discuss, etc...I am easy going, not a know it all and welcome other information and opinions.  This is a team effort.

Thanks,
Matt

[Pfishingruven]

Matt.  you reports were the only thing I was reading.
   I was just saying to myself what a great asset you are.. right before I seen this topic

Was this my idea.. or yours 

The Weather Outlooks were all your idea !

[Hotrod]

 

[Luna Sea 5]

great job.. I agree with the above, some of those maps were way above my head.  My only added opinion as I mentioned a few days ago, as the days get closer, delete the old and leave the most updated reports, as some people who quickly look at it don't look at the older reports on accident, especially with while browsing on the Iphones.

[wimpy]

Isobars,pressure gradient force and Coriolis force oh my!! Maybe this can help:
http://www.srh.weather.gov/srh/jetstream/synoptic/synoptic_intro.htm