Latest news with #Panovich
Axios
15-04-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Charlotte meteorologist Brad Panovich explains chance of rain, talks AI in meteorology and more
We recently caught up with WCNC's chief meteorologist, Brad Panovich, to hear his thoughts on the Apple weather app — and why he thinks you should delete it. Why it matters: During the interview, we hit on a few other topics in the world of meteorology, including what "chance of rain" means, AI replacing your local meteorologist and federal cuts impacting forecasts. On the chance of rain. A few years ago, a trend on TikTok made many people realize they didn't understand what the chance of rain in a forecast actually meant. Panovich explains it like this: The probability of precipitation, AKA "chance of rain," is how much of the area will see rain multiplied by the confidence in the forecast that it will rain. "So, 100% chance of rain doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be a heavy all-day rain," Panovich says. "It just means we're 100% confident that everybody's going to get some rain at some point." That said, it might just be a short shower, not a reason to cancel your beach plans. On whether AI could replace your local weatherperson. So far, it hasn't. Panovich says he's been using AI for years as a tool to improve weather models and save time. "It just makes our job easier," Panovich says. "I can focus more on communicating the forecast, putting out better people understand it, and I don't have to spend as many hours crunching numbers." On federal cuts impacting the forecasts. Government cuts have led the National Weather Service to reduce weather balloon launches across the U.S. Those balloons gather crucial information for forecasting, such as a three-dimensional view of the atmosphere. "If there's a cold front in North Dakota right now and it's going to be our weather this weekend, we would not have a good sampling of that storm," Panovich says, "because the weather balloons in Fargo or Grand Forks are not being launched."
Axios
11-04-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Why Charlotte meteorologist Brad Panovich wants you to delete your Apple weather app
Brad Panovich says it's for your own good (and his): Delete the default weather app off your phone. "I'm tired of taking the blame for it," the Charlotte meteorologist posted on social media recently. Why it matters: An inaccurate weather forecast can ruin your day. It's how we plan what to wear, where to go and what to do. Yes, but: Most people still use stock weather apps (or as Panovich and others call them, "crap apps") that are automatically uploaded to their devices simply for the sake of convenience. How it works: These apps rely on automated information, sometimes from unknown sources, without human insight. The apps also can't filter out "ground clutter" or "false returns" on a radar, Panovich explains. For example, on a sunny day, it might interpret wildfire smoke as a thunderstorm. Case in point: Last fall, when Hurricane Helene was coming, one of those apps might've only warned of a 100% chance of rain with a thunderstorm icon, Panovich explains. "There's nothing in the app that tells you this is going to be a catastrophic flood, and there's going to be landslides and the worst storm to ever hit western North Carolina," Panovich adds. By the numbers: Default apps are right about 80% to 85% of the time, Panovich says. However, human-driven forecasts reach about 90% to 95% accuracy. That roughly 10% of added value may seem insignificant, but could be a difference of 25 to 50 days out of your year. "If that's your day off or a holiday or maybe you got a wedding, that day could be pretty important," Panovich says. Be smart: There are better options, Panovich says. Of course, he plugs WCNC's app. However, any app from a local TV station is a more reliable choice.
