New Twitter Rule Once Again Disrupts Life Saving Weather Warnings

A new Twitter rule limiting views could interfere
with meteorologists' efforts to track severe weather. 

Over the weekend our buddy Elon Musk over at Twitter decided to impose a new rule that limits how many tweets somebody can read in a single day.

So-called verified accounts have a limit of reading 10,000 posts a day while unverified have access to 1,000 posts. That's a change from the first announcement of this change on Saturday, when verified accounts could read 6,000 tweets per day, while unverified accounts could read 600. 

This will all seem pretty esoteric and unimportant to most people who have either a passing relationship with Twitter or none at all.  

But it caused an uproar for heavier Twitter users and caused anger and concern among those focused on weather on the platform.

Here's why: 

National Weather Service offices across the nation and other meteorologists use Twitter to track severe weather and damage reports from the public. These reports are extremely helpful in tracking storms, and also helps meteorologists learn forecasting lessons from particular storms. 

These weather offices often scroll through Twitter, looking for reports and updates so they can track severe weather.  This would make them hit their viewing limit pretty quickly. Many people, myself included, often use Twitter to report severe weather to the National Weather Service as it happens. 

I have a local for-instance of this new Twitter limit.  The National Weather Service office in South Burlington covers all of Vermont from Rutland and Windsor counties north and northern New York, including the Adirondacks. 

A serious flash flood hit areas in the mountains west of Plattsburgh Saturday night, and heavy rains threatened to cause flooding (but did not, really) in Franklin County, Vermont. 

This morning, the South Burlington National Weather Service office tweeted: "Twitter has established temporary rate limits that prevent us from seeing tweets from our users. If you need us for any information or to report flooding, please tag us directly and we will be able to see your tweet and respond. Thanks!"

Other National Weather Service offices said basically the same thing. 

During big weather emergencies, National Weather Service offices tweet out tons of information, and some people have come to rely on Twitter to receive weather warnings. This could hamper this habit. It's all the more reason why  you should have multiple ways to receive weather warnings, like the flash flood warnings I've seen in northern New York today. 

Musk of Twitter said he had to impose the limits because of data scrapers. Those are computer programs that comb through posts to extract useful data from the platform. 

Twitter and Musk says this limit is temporary, but we don't know how long it will last.  Musk, ever the mature, not-at-all like a fifth grader, always just sends poop emojis to any reporter that asks question. 

This isn't the first time Twitter messed with weather forecasting

Back in the spring, Twitter  (Musk) banned the dissemination of automated tweets.  The National Weather Service and other meteorologists use automated tweets to blast out weather warnings quickly and efficiently. 

Since people often use Twitter for weather warnings, this would be a bad thing.  Musk later reversed course and allowed the automated tweets again. 

Public Pressure Reverses Twitter Plan To Throttle Very Useful Severe Weather Warnings. We Think

An example of one of the automated Tweets from
the National Weather Service that were 
threatened until Twitter abruptly change
course on their decisions last weekend. Note
this is NOT a current warning. It's just an
example of an automated alert.

 I've been hating on Twitter for an increasing number of reasons, ever since our buddy Elon Musk took over last fall.  

For this blog, given it's all weather and climate geekdom, recent news that Twitter would limit automated tweets that distribute alerts for dangerous weather like tornado warnings was pretty dismaying,

So it's relief that, over the weekend, Twitter appears to have hastily reversed course and will allow an unlimited number of automated warning Tweets from National Weather Service offices all across the nation. 

Late last week, meteorologists were up in arms about the proposed changes. 

As the Washington Post explained a few days ago: 

"When tornadoes, flash floods and thunderstorms strike, or threaten to, the National Weather Service and broadcast meteorologists warn their followers using automated tweets, among other methods of dissemination. 

Twitter has long allowed users free access to systems that allows them to program such posts in response to external sources of information, be it the Weather Service's alerts, the movement of Musk's private jet or entries in the dictionary."

The automated tweets are handy because, since they're, well, automated, meteorologists don't have to squander precious seconds and minutes laboriously typing out tornado warnings and such. On this automated system, they're just blasted out on Twitter with no effort. 

As, the National Weather Service said in a statement, for every single warning, "seconds could make the difference between life and death."  Which means the automated warnings Tweets are a great help. 

As soon as a NWS meteorologist figures out a tornado is looming, they need to get the warnings out now if now sooner.  

Yes, people can get weather warnings from sources other than Twitter. But Twitter's immediacy and far reach meant it became an important source for people who need to be apprised of incoming tornadoes, flash floods or other dangerous events. 

The automated Twitter warnings became a favored way of warning the public. I have to say those warnings Tweets are a lot better than Facebook.  That social media site's algorithms seem to think I'm interested in a flash flood warning that expired over a week ago for a remote Utah canyon 2,500 miles from my home. 

Yeah, not helpful.  The Twitter automated alerts, on the other hand, were great because they blasted out in the moment, then seemed to disappear forever when the threat was over.  

Late last week and This past weekend, National Weather Service offices across the nation, broadcast meteorologists and others flooded Twitter with messages saying these warnings would go away, so Twitter would no longer be a go-to place to receive warnings of dangerous weather. 

But maybe Twitter will remain a good source of warnings  after all. As CNN Meteorologist Jennifer Gray reported:

"Twitter originally said there would be no exceptions to its ruling to limit the number of automated tweets. But in a surprising move over the weekend, Twitter has reversed course, saying in a tweet 'Twitter will allow the National Weather Service accounts to continue Tweeting weather alerts without limits.'  The move highlights the importance of weather alerts. Weather warnings save lives."

Despite the welcome reprieve, you could see a hint of why Musk doesn't like these automated systems. What's really driving Musk's attitude is cold, hard cash. 

Twitter has told users that it would limit automated tweets. They would allow 1,500 of them per month free. That sounds like a lot, but the National Weather Service and broadcast meteorologists burn through many more such tweets routinely when severe weather occurs. 

Musk's crew said there will be no exceptions to this policy, even for potentially life saving things like tornado warnings. 

But no worries!  Musk had another offer: For the low, low price of just $100 per month, you could get as many as 50,000 tweets.

Spoiler: The National Weather Service and other organizations weren't  going to bother with that stupid fee structure. Which is why it is such a relief that Twitter apparently is letting the National Weather Service go on with unfettered automated Tweets.

According to Gray at CNN, Daryl Herzmann is a systems analysts for Iowa Environmental Mesonet and helped create the automation software used by Twitter.

Herzmann is still unsettled and worried by Twitter's erratic moves on this issue and others. 

"'I am glad Twitter reversed course and made an exception for the vital services provided by the National Weather Service,' Herzmann told CNN after he heard the news. 'It does continue to be a concern that Twitter can make wild changes like this and not fully consider the implications of their changes.'

'Since Elon has basically gutted all the employees, it's impossible to interact with them at a technical level,' explained Herzmann. 'It's very frustrating."

Looking at the big picture, Twitter might still become a not so reliable source for life and death weather warnings, because Elon Musk is so erratic. 

Twitter had become a somewhat reliable source of news, and now that reliability is diminishing quickly under Musk. There's been all kinds of incidents, including removing the New York Times verified badge and labeling NPR "government funded media" even though only 1% of its budget comes from the government and NPR's news content is not subject to any government oversight or control. Twitter jus did the same to CBC, the Canadian news broadcaster.

Even though Twitter did the right thing this past weekend when they reversed course and allowed the automated warnings, I have still lost trust in Twitter.

When there's a risk of severe weather, don't just rely on Twitter for warnings. Make sure you have multiple ways to receive critical weather alerts.

Blizzard Twitter Thread Hilariously Abuses People In "Alternative Realities"

A Twitter thread set the logic of anti-vaxers and anti-maskers
to last weekend's blizzard in New England
to hilarious effect. 

I spotted a Twitter thread  this past Sunday that perfectly and hilariously used the Blizzard of '22 in New England last weekend as a jumping off point to highlight the absolutely logistic boneheadedness we see in the national "dialogue" over Covid vaxes and masks. 

You've heard all the stupid ways of "thinking" in the examples below, but applying the line of "reasoning" to winter weather just makes it both funny and sad. It also makes it clear how a lot of people don't think at all before opening their mouths.

 James Hamblin (@jameshamblin) started it with this post: 

"So we're supposed to ''prepare for blizzard conditions' just because the scientific establishment and the media say so? And anyone who says it will be sunny and 70 is canceled? All's I' saying is, lots of $ changing hands in snow shovel industry. Do your own meteorology."

The post garnered responses like these:

"I can't breathe with a scarf covering my face. Gloves are for the fearful. Frostbite only affects 1% of total skin surfaces."

Joe Rogan and his misinformation sort of gets a shoutout here: "I never listen to MSM weather. I get my info from Snow Rogan. He drives in blizzards all the time and doesn't even use snow tires. It is a hoax perpetrated by Big tire. Don't be a sheep."

How about the "just take your vitamins and let your immune system protect you" crowd?  Here's a good takedown: "If you exercise, eat well, megadose on vitamin C+D, you won't even need coats, gloves or hats. Your natural immunity to cold will take care of you. Everyone wearing warm clothes are sheep with pre-existing sensitivities to temperature. Do your own research and stick it to big cotton."

Photo of a commie socialist using government overreach
to clean up after a snowstorm. 

Some people get Covid even if they've had the vaccine, cry the anti-vaxers. So how's this? "And some people still freeze to death when they wear a coat! What's the point of wearing one if it's not guaranteed to keep me from dying of hypothermia? Not to mention it's made out of 50% Luciifester. That's how the satanists will control us in the blizzard!  

 Those people on Facebook outsmarted Anthony Fauci with their miracle cures, right?  "My aunt's next door neighbor started drinking this stuff called 'rum.' It doesn't freeze! So if you drink it, you won't freeze!"   

Or: "My neighbor Bob had an accident even after putting on winter tires. Some drivers are already on their 3rd set of tires, which proves their ineffectiveness. We do not know what the tires are made of. The tire manufacturers scare us with winter just to enrich themselves."

And: "I just talked to my sister in Texas...get this. No snow where they are. None. But all these liberal northeast states are screaming about snow? Something doesn't add up."

We can't get through this discussion without bringing up our "rights", um, right? "What about my rights as a parent? I don't want some atheist communist weatherman telling my kid that water freezes at 32 degrees. If I say it's safe to drive it's not their place to contradict me." 

So yeah, we covered pretty much all the talking points that the anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers have, but applied the logic to the Blizzard of '22.  

It all seems pretty silly, no?

There's Still False Storm Hype Out There, Despite Tranquil Forecast

This image on the National Weather Service home page was
not at all colorful this morning. That's a good thing. Lots
of color on this map means lots of warnings and 
weather dangers. Seems mostly clear for 
Thanksgiving travel today! 

 Gawd, I  hate clickbait. 

That's when you put out some sensational or shocking news out there on social media to garner clicks, eyeballs and presumably income, even though the actual news is much less exciting. 

With weather forecasts, it's fine to say some long range computer models suggest something noteworthy, like a big storm, IF you qualify it somehow in the headlines and prominently in the story that the storm is not set in stone. 

As of a week ago, some computer models a week ago were suggesting the possibility of a very disruptive storm in the United States Thanksgiving week.

As better data came in, it became clear by Friday that the early computer models were a bit overwrought. No major storm would form. Just the typical November ick in spot. 

Still, as of Friday and even Saturday, major players like AccuWeather hyped the potential storm in their headlines, which I think pushed it too far.  At least AccuWeather backed down somewhat with the headlines when it became clear Thanksgiving travel would not get screwed up by any kind of big storm. 

Still, as of this morning, AccuWeather still had a link to their story on Twitter, posted just yesterday, headlined, "Brewing storm to threaten disruptions at worst possible time."

To be clear, there might be periods this week where some corners of the nation might have kind of "meh" weather that's not great, there is no storm to speak of that's brewing.  

As of this morning, the Weather Channel still had a headline up headlined "A Couple Of Rough Travel Days Ahead."

With the volume of travelers, and staff shortages, combined with not-at-all-extreme rain showers and gusty winds in the Northeast Monday, flight delays and a few cancelations are inevitable, but this isn't Armageddon, and weather will only be a bit player in any chaos. 

NBC News was still tweeting on Friday the headline, "Thanksgiving week storm gearing up to affect busiest airports in the nation."   Sorry, no it wasn't. 

There are YouTube videos up posted just yesterday, some correctly saying no big storms are on the horizon, others still hyping.

 To pat myself on the back a little bit, my headline for potential Thanksgiving week storminess that I posted last week said. "Still Question Marks For Next Week."

My Friday morning headline was, "We Can Forget About That Thanksgiving Storm, (I Think!)"

The "I think" was to cover my ass in case there was an unlikely surprise shift in the forecast. So far the only shift I see is turning an already mediocre expected cold front even more lame. 

I'm not a meteorologist, even though I've had training in the field. I'm just a weather enthusiast who relies on outfits like the National Weather Service to get my information. Sometimes I get things wrong.  Happens to everyone. I apologize, correct or explain myself and move on. We're all humans. Nobody gets it right all the time. 

I also happen to like, even love clicks in my direction on social media.  But it's irresponsible for anyone to exaggerate things to cause false alarms, all in the effort to gain attention.

I know that's the way of the world these days. Social media clicks are the new personal validation and also money making enterprise. But this old fart still rebels against all that. 

So sue me already.