Melting in D.C.

I have been in Washington all week at the American Metr. Society Broadcast Meteorology conference. While there was little time for sight seeing, I had still hoped to do some. The weather did not cooperate though. The heat and haze and smog were horrible. This was expected of course. There are few places in the USA with a more brutal climate in August than D.C.

Still I managed to grab my camera and take some night shots of Ford's Theatre over at 10th and E street. The shots came out pretty well too. Washington is fairly familiar to me having had a friend who lived there and getting around on the metro is also easy. Take my advice though. NEVER go in the Summer. Go in October or November. No lines and no heat.

Some interesting sessions at the conference and I learned some new science in several areas. Best of all I had a chance to meet many of my cohorts from around the country. I sometimes get emails from people who are moving to another part of the country and want to know who to watch for weather on the local news. Feel free to do that. I know excellent forecasters in most major cities.

There are quite a few people who have degrees in Metr. and work on air now. Many more than in the past. I know of some that have no degree but are still excellent presenters and are self taught. I have the utmost respect for them and they will give you a solid forecast.

I am myself becoming more involved in the International Association of Broadcast Meteorolgists. Several of my friends from other countries were in D.C. this week. Gerald Fleming from Ireland and Bill Giles, recently retired from the BBC. Claire Martin of the CBC in Canada is very active in the AMS and IABM. (The CBC prime newscast is in my opinion the best national news broadcast on the planet)

They do weather differently from us in many cases, but we don't necessarily have a monopoly on the best weather format! Weathercasters from across the world will gather in Monterey Mexico in 2007 and I plan to be there too. The world is a smaller and smaller place and interest in vital and many times life saving weather information does not end at the USA border. (Remember the TSUNAMI?)

I will write some more about some things I picked up in Washington next week.

Later,
Dan (somewhere near the Potomac)