NEWS
By John E. McIntyre and The Baltimore Sun | October 27, 2012
Yesterday, I sent this message to the newsroom staff: We will not be using the word “Frankenstorm” in coverage of Hurricane Sandy, because the term trivializes a serious and potentially deadly event. It's acceptable in direct quotes, but even there we shouldn't overdo it. In doing so, we were following the lead of Phil Blanchard at Testy Copy Editors, who had posted that advice on Facebook, and CNN, which had adopted the same policy. The advisory to the staff was not a flat ban, as you see from the mention of quotes, and Frankenstorm is a word that people are using, and using as an SEO term to find information.
NEWS
By Scott Dance, The Baltimore Sun | October 3, 2012
The Weather Channel's plans announced Tuesday to assign names to winter storms in the same way as hurricanes may have stirred a debate among weather forecasters. AccuWeather.com has released a statement criticizing the move. Henry Margusity, AccuWeather's lead severe weather forecaster, had poked some holes in the plan on Twitter on Tuesday, but the statement released Wednesday comes from the weather service's founder and president. “In unilaterally deciding to name winter storms, The Weather Channel has confused media spin with science and public safety and is doing a disservice to the field of meteorology and public service,” Joel N. Myers said in the statement. “We have explored this issue for 20 years,” he continued, “and have found that this is not good science and importantly will actually mislead the public.
NEWS
By Scott Dance, The Baltimore Sun | October 2, 2012
The massive snowstorm that blanketed Baltimore and much of the northeast in February 2010 garnered the name "Snowmageddon" from social media users suffering from extreme cabin fever. This winter, how about storms named Brutus, Iago, Helen or even Q? Those are some of the names on a list the Weather Channel released Tuesday to assign to snow and ice storms during winter 2012-2013. The channel created the list to "better communicate the threat and the timing of the significant impacts that accompany these events," according to a post on its website . Weather Channel forecasters plan to name systems no more than three days before they are expected to impact major urban areas.
FEATURES
By Jill Rosen and The Baltimore Sun | August 27, 2012
McDaniel College may be tucked away in Westminster but boy does the school know how to party. Don't take our word for it -- this is coming directly from Southern Living. The magazine just placed McDaniel on its list of the country's best tailgating schools. And don't take it only from Southern Living. The Weather Channel also ranked McDaniel a heady No. 6 on its best tailgating list. (Who knew the Weather Channel was paying attention to tailgates?) Tailgating is serious business in schools across the country.
NEWS
By Scott Dance | April 17, 2012
Destructive and devastating tornadoes have grabbed the weather headlines so far this year, with the 416 tornadoes observed through April 9 about one-fourth more than normal. But does the apparent spike in severe weather, also including hail and damaging thunderstorms, mean added risk for Maryland? Not according to the National Weather Service and AccuWeather.com severe weather blogger and meteorologist Henry Margusity. Granted, last week Maryland marked "Severe Storms Awareness Week" to get residents mindful of severe storm preparation.
SPORTS
By Scott Dance | March 30, 2012
Opening Day is a week away, and little has changed in AccuWeather's long-range forecast -- the Orioles could be meeting the Minnesota Twins under drizzly skies. But the outlook isn't unanimous. Next Friday is still a few days outside the National Weather Service's forecasts, but AccuWeather is calling for a high of 61 with "a few showers" in the area. That's slightly less wet than the forecast looked 10 days out. Weather Underground predicts a zero percent chance of precipitation and a high of 59. The Weather Channel, meanwhile, is also calling for clear skies, but it is predicting a high of 69 degrees.