Post Irma recollection - please add yours

[zipplewrath]

1. Chris Cuomo

Cuomo specifically, and CNN in general really need to do a reflection on their work. The hysteria coming out of that network was off the charts. They need to contrast and compare it with both the Weather Channel's work, and some of the local stations work. The difference was startling.

I understand they are broadcasting to a national/international audience, but they get so much wrong it isn't funny. Early on they put way too much faith in the path predictions. They don't acknowledge (actually they try to understate) that there are significant differences between Cat 4 and Cat 5 storms. They speak in terms of peak gusts instead of sustained winds, even though they are relatively meaningless numbers to anyone but a structural engineer looking at a specific structure. There is a difference between evacuating within a county to a shelter and evacuating a state. And they quote storm surges as maximums that apply to very localized areas as if they apply to entire regions. And really, they should get more local talent to work the broadcast because their ignorance of local features and geography, not to mention past storms is irritating.

If they were truly professionals, they would hire some outside firm to review and critique their work. At the very least they should have local affiliates offer objective evaluations of their broadcast.