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Residents of Escambia County may not have seen a significant impact from the 2021 hurricane season, but forecasters are predicting that might not be the case with the 2022 season that begins today.
With forecasters predicting an above-average season in regard to named storms, preparing for the season may be needed at the top of priority lists for area residents.
Residents along the Gulf Coast and across the region will be able to get locally-significant weather updates throughout the season from Spinks Megginson, a local meteorologist who broadcasts on social media.
Megginson’s RedZone Weather offers up-to-date forecasts and storm details as they happen and as they impact the local area.
With many outlets and the increasing popularity of social media, Megginson offers a warning to be aware of the source of your news regarding weather.
“This is a relatively new problem that has developed over the last few hurricane seasons.” Megginson said. “Everyone these days has a social media account. Unfortunately, some people are using social media to push anxiety-provoking, single images of weather models that are not grounded in reality. I use weather models every, single day to produce a forecast. Posting one run of one weather model and passing it off as a ‘forecast’ would be like me posting one ingredient of a recipe and calling it the finished recipe product. It is truly absurd. Folks should be aware that teenagers and even some adults are pushing this fake news content. What is truly disturbing is some supposed ‘weather pages’ are aware that this is not an acceptable practice, yet choose to proceed with distributing the viral, anxiety-causing single model run images. Bottom line: These people are more interested in their own ego and wanting the dopamine hit of getting 10,000 likes on Facebook. These are disturbed people that have no regard for the general public. It’s sick. I can’t tell you with precision or accuracy what our weather forecast will be beyond 7 days out. The skill simply isn’t there, for me, or for anyone else. The people promoting these single image model runs are often using data from models suggesting a storm will happen 3 weeks out. Again, no skill. Total fake news.”
Megginson said the solution to the propaganda of the ‘fake news’ is very simple.
“The solution to this problem: Stick with reputable weather sources,” Megginson said. “Local, established media outlets, local meteorologists, the National Weather Service, and EMA are all great sources. ‘Big Bob’s Weather Page’ on Facebook is not a reputable outlet. Another solution to the problem: ‘Don’t feed the trolls.’ When you come across one of your friends sharing these viral, wildly inaccurate model images, help spread truth. Kindly tell your friend not to feed the fear mongering trolls. Friends don’t let friends share fake news!”
Details for areas local to Brewton, East Brewton and surrounding communities is one of the areas receiving pin-point coverage by Megginson and RedZone Weather.
Megginson’s services also include an app for smart phones that will provide alerts and warnings via social media. To download the free app, visit redzoneweather.com/app.
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center has released information on their predictions for the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
Forecasters at NOAA are predicting above-average hurricane activity this year — which would make it the seventh consecutive above-average hurricane season. NOAA’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which extends from June 1 to November 30, predicts a 65 percent chance of an above-normal season. For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher).
For information concerning Hurricane Season and preparations suggested in anticipation of a storm, see page 10 and 11 of today’s edition.