I do wonder about the value of articles like this - why should it be news that the winds gusted to 160km/h at the windiest place in New Zealand? The winds often gust to that speed there, but no one lives there. Its actually not important. Its irrelevant. Winds are not (yet) gusting to damaging speeds anywhere that actually matters, and when they do that will be news. But until then, are we just feeding the green eyed monster by wanting to have the most sensational and awful sounding news stories out there who's purpose can only be to impress or titilate, rather than actually inform? "My web site is better than your website because I reported a higher wind gust than you".
We see similar things with other weather stories - 10,000 lightening strikes in Fiordland, 300mm on the main divide, 170kmh at Castlepoint. What is the value of reporting these events in the sensationalist way that we do when in fact these things are not unusual or problematic? What purpose does it serve, and what potential harm can it do?
What would be problematic would be 10,000 strikes over Dunedin, or 300mm in Wellington, or 170kmh in Masterton. That would be news. So, what happens when there is "only" 150mm in Wellington, or "only" 85kmh in Masterton, or 2,000 strikes over Auckland? Do the public go "oh yeah, so what?" because those numbers are (literally) only half as impressive as the ones they are used to seeing? Is there a danger here that the more the public get used to the sensationalist numbers popping up regularly, the less they are going to appreciate the newsworthyness of numbers which are not nearly so impressive but potentially much more significant to them? Are we in fact leading the public down the garden path and pulling the wool over their eyes by pretending that numbers like these matter? Isnt it our job as meteorologists (professional, analytical, amateur or otherwise) to help educate the public, and the journalists which report to them, rather than lead them astray with trivia?
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10536171
Storm's winds hit 160km/h - forecaster
UPDATED 8:32AM Tuesday Oct 07, 2008
By Vaimoana Tapaleao
Wellington is already being battered and Auckland is expected to be hit this afternoon. Photo / Richard Robinson
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A severe storm hitting the country today has brought winds of up to 160km/h to Wellington this morning, one forecaster has reported.
Radio Network weather analyst Philip Duncan said there was a report of a wind gusts of 160km/h hitting Mt Kaukau in the capital.
Earlier, he reported gusts of 102km/h downtown in Wellington. Further north, the Manukau Heads are experiencing gusts of 83km/h.
Meanwhile, the conditions were bringing heavy rain to parts of the South Island and some snow to Queenstown.
Mr Duncan said the heavy winds will hit lower lying areas later this morning.
He said Aucklanders have woken to a calm morning but ferry trips could be disrupted later in the day.
MetService yesterday issued a severe weather warning for wind and rain to hit the North Island today before moving on to the rest of the country tomorrow.
Weather ambassador Bob McDavitt yesterday said northwest gales may reach 150km/h on the higher hills of Wellington and 120km/h from Auckland to Marlborough.
"People in the North Island and northern parts of the South Island need to brace themselves for a few days of wind and rain," Mr McDavitt said.
Temperatures would remain high with an average in Auckland of 20C.
Mr Duncan said today's storm will affect many people. "The big difference to all the other storms, is that they've mostly affected the remote places - Fiordland, Stewart Island and the likes.
"This one, unlike previous storms, is all over the North Island," he said.
Winds of up to 130km/h will mainly hit the top of the South and all of the North Island today, Mr Duncan said, with gales reaching 150km/h set to hit parts of Auckland's Waitakere Ranges and the Manukau Heads.
Last night he said winds were beginning to build up, but this afternoon would be "the main event. It's going to be pretty windy".
"We're just advising people that even in downtown Auckland, some of the winds could gust at 130km/h. That's enough to throw people while they're standing at the traffic lights."
Winds are expected to ease on Friday and clear by the weekend.