OKC Weather Coverage Wars 2013

[Plutonic Panda]

I just wanted to say that I hope Channel 9 can hang on to Michael Armstrong. He's incredibly knowledgeable and professional.

Couldn't agree more

[kevinpate]

Is it wrong to not feel bad, in advance, should a certain too loud and dramatic newcomer to tv9 cuddle up too close to a west ok storm tonight?

[bucktalk]

I just wanted to say that I hope Channel 9 can hang on to Michael Armstrong. He's incredibly knowledgeable and professional.

I wonder why channel 9 seldom, if ever, uses Jed Castles during storm season. Sure he does morning weather but when its time for 'all hands on deck' channel 9 doesn't seem to use him.

[bucktalk]

I think Mike Morgan was very, very irresponsible for bringing a sense of panic for people by telling them to get in their cars and run from the storm. He placed more people in danger in their car than they would have been staying in their house. The traffic problems have been horrific, in part in my opinion, due to Mike Morgan's panic. Am I wrong?

[RadicalModerate]

I just hope that our visitors to the immediate north of us (enconsed at La Quinta a couple of miles to the north of us) surfed the local channels other than Channel 4. Tornadoes are not unheard of in Minnesota (and, thankfully, they flew in this morning) but they had questions about sirens . . . and locations of The Threat. I had to respond to a couple of questions via cellphone to them to moderate their fears regarding global positioning in unknown territory vis-a-vis THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT SO GET IN YOUR CAR AND DRIVE AWAY FROM THE DANGER (so you can be stuck in traffic/flooding and let THE ACTUAL TORNADO ROLL OVER YOU (so to speak, c/o Channel 4 Coverage, Tie Guy Mike). My wife got on the phone to her for real BFF and said, "It's as far away as Branam from Isanti."

The classic, caught on video clip, would be when the In The Field other driver, had to HONK to get the Video Storm Chaser on the correct side of the center lane. In traffic. Could have been a minor tragedy. Or not.

My advice to the semi-freaked out (just like me) visitors from UpNord was: Come on down and have a bite . . . Dinner's waitin' fer ya'. I think the worst has passed. Those visitors: Flew in today c. 10:00. Me: 1974.=)

[RadicalModerate]

I wonder why channel 9 seldom, if ever, uses Jed Castles during storm season. Sure he does morning weather but when its time for 'all hands on deck' channel 9 doesn't seem to use him.

Probably it the Talent/Screen name.
Sounds too much like a Beverly Hillbilly.
Or a chess move.

[RadicalModerate]

I think Mike Morgan was very, very irresponsible for bringing a sense of panic for people by telling them to get in their cars and run from the storm. He placed more people in danger in their car than they would have been staying in their house. The traffic problems have been horrific, in part in my opinion, due to Mike Morgan's panic. Am I wrong?

I'm not certain that "irresponsible" covers the potential liability.
but that's okay . . . even a local media talking head can only be so much of a multi-tasker.

[zookeeper]

I think Mike Morgan was very, very irresponsible for bringing a sense of panic for people by telling them to get in their cars and run from the storm. He placed more people in danger in their car than they would have been staying in their house. The traffic problems have been horrific, in part in my opinion, due to Mike Morgan's panic. Am I wrong?

Hey, the guy told people to flee south. That's exactly where the storms turned to. Very irresponsible to even suggest outrunning such a widespread storm. I was shocked.

[zookeeper]

Kudos again to Gary England for a very sharp night and controlling the coverage. He slapped David Payne down a couple of times. That guy is out of control, seriously. Michael Armstrong, as I said earlier, is the consummate professional and sharp as a tack. I still think KWTV has time to somehow nix the David Payne deal as Chief Meteorologist after Gary leaves. Michael Armstrong is so much more prepared for the job.

[Plutonic Panda]

Is David Payne a for sure thing?

[bchris02]

Hey, the guy told people to flee south. That's exactly where the storms turned to. Very irresponsible to even suggest outrunning such a widespread storm. I was shocked.

I agree. I usually listen to Mike but yes he was very irresponsible for this. I wonder how many people are stranded because he told people to flee south.

[jn1780]

It was irresponsible, but I bet people would have fled anyway after the May 20 storm. People and Morgan apparently were assuming it would behave like a typical thunderstorm and either go east or northeast.

[zookeeper]

Is David Payne a for sure thing?

Meteorologist David Payne leaving KFOR-4 to join KWTV-9 | News OK

"Payne eventually will succeed Gary England as KWTV chief meterologist when he decides to retire, said David Griffin, CEO and chairman of Griffin Communications."

[bluedogok]

Maybe Payne will calm down some if he is stuck in the studio and not in storm chaser mode.

[king183]

I couldn't believe my ears when I heard some of the weathermen tell people in OKC to get in their cars and drive south to escape the storms--only to have the storm turn southward. Getting in your car to outrun the storm is probably #3 on the list of things not to do. I'm sure people were injured because of it and the panic they caused. Unbelievable.

Apparently some of the praise heaped upon them this past week is not deserved.

[zookeeper]

I couldn't believe my ears when I heard some of the weathermen tell people in OKC to get in their cars and drive south to escape the storms--only to have the storm turn southward. Getting in your car to outrun the storm is probably #3 on the list of things not to do. I'm sure people were injured because of it and the panic they caused. Unbelievable.

Apparently some of the praise heaped upon them this past week is not deserved.

Sorry, I responded to you in the Weather thread. Did you hear anybody but Mike Morgan say that? I know he did and couldn't believe it as there were cells close together and one was moving to the SE. It was incredibly irresponsible.

[king183]

Sorry, I responded to you in the Weather thread. Did you hear anybody but Mike Morgan say that? I know he did and couldn't believe it as there were cells close together and one was moving to the SE. It was incredibly irresponsible.

No...sorry, I should have been more precise: Mike Morgan said it and it was repeated on TWC, which was apparently using Morgan's feed. So he was the only one who said it that I know of, but it went out through two separate sources.

[zookeeper]

No...sorry, I should have been more precise: Mike Morgan said it and it was repeated on TWC, which was apparently using Morgan's feed. So he was the only one who said it that I know of, but it went out through two separate sources.

Gotcha. Just crazy.

[boscorama]

I'm not a Morgasm basher but admit my jaw dropped over this. We had loved one near NW 23/Penn asking us what to do. I urged him to drive south. Thankfully, he remained in place, suffering only mild hail (no damage). Horrific to imagine the traffic jam heading south, especially on the interstates.

I wouldn't call it "irresponsible" so much as a bad call. Hope Mike learns from it but doesn't beat himself up too much.

[zookeeper]

I'm not a Morgasm basher but admit my jaw dropped over this. We had loved one near NW 23/Penn asking us what to do. I urged him to drive south. Thankfully, he remained in place, suffering only mild hail (no damage). Horrific to imagine the traffic jam heading south, especially on the interstates.

I wouldn't call it "irresponsible" so much as a bad call. Hope Mike learns from it but doesn't beat himself up too much.

I don't know. It's pretty irresponsible in my view. I'm watching CNN's live coverage of all this and they're treating this like a scandal. The OEMA director just told Wolf Blitzer they'd like to know "how this rumor got started" to drive south out of the I-40 area. Well, they'll know soon enough it wasn't a "rumor" but real advice from Mike Morgan at Channel 4. NO, Gary England did NOT say this, in fact just the opposite. I have a feeling Mike will have to address this publicly and explain.

[zookeeper]

They are AGAIN talking about this "scandal" on CNN. Somebody will be held accountable said Chad Myers earlier.

[Plutonic Panda]

Anyone listening to this guy going on a rant on CNN? He has some good points though. The comments he made about the flooding situation is dumb though. He made it sound as if there is no flooding going on at all around OKC.

[venture]

Morgan I think is just setting himself up to head for an early retirement if KWTV keeps crushing them in the ratings. The other part is that they also had two chasers (if Reed was chasing for them today) get too close and suffer damage to their vehicles. KWTV had David and Val get a bit too close, but Gary jumped on top of it and got them repositioned quickly. Of course the icing on the cake was TWC's vehicle getting flipped for being aggressive know it alls. I'm sorry. I chased for 15 years, I knew when I screwed up, but I would never ever ever put myself in that position on a day like today.

About KWTV...Michael is really impressive lately. I think we might see where he stays in the studio and Payne is in the field. Though I wouldn't be shocked if there is some language in the contract with Payne if they find things not working out.

[Jrunner]

I don't know. It's pretty irresponsible in my view. I'm watching CNN's live coverage of all this and they're treating this like a scandal. The OEMA director just told Wolf Blitzer they'd like to know "how this rumor got started" to drive south out of the I-40 area. Well, they'll know soon enough it wasn't a "rumor" but real advice from Mike Morgan at Channel 4. NO, Gary England did NOT say this, in fact just the opposite. I have a feeling Mike will have to address this publicly and explain.

Yeah, it seemed irresponsible. I can't remember the exact phrasing but I'm pretty sure Mike said something along the lines of, “If you live in El Reno, Yukon, Mustang, anywhere along I-40 up to a couple miles north of I-40, you need to get in your car and head south right now or you will die."

[Plutonic Panda]

Morgan I think is just setting himself up to head for an early retirement if KWTV keeps crushing them in the ratings. The other part is that they also had two chasers (if Reed was chasing for them today) get too close and suffer damage to their vehicles. KWTV had David and Val get a bit too close, but Gary jumped on top of it and got them repositioned quickly. Of course the icing on the cake was TWC's vehicle getting flipped for being aggressive know it alls. I'm sorry. I chased for 15 years, I knew when I screwed up, but I would never ever ever put myself in that position on a day like today.

About KWTV...Michael is really impressive lately. I think we might see where he stays in the studio and Payne is in the field. Though I wouldn't be shocked if there is some language in the contract with Payne if they find things not working out.

I heard Wolf Blitzer say that there was going to be an investigation into who said go out onto the highways and try and outrun the storm. Don't exactly know what he meant other than maybe just finding out who did it and that's that, from what I've heard it was Mike Morgan. I wonder if this will really hurt him and 4Warn?