Reply #30: Actually, that does bring up a good point...

[huskerlaw]

I don't think that Californians are generally obsessed with the forecast *except* when the forecast calls for rain. At that point, it becomes a huge deal. CA is also in a drought and has suffered from some really horrible wildfires recently, so rain is both desperately needed and also dangerous (potential mudslides in the burn areas). Also, rain is rather uncommon even in normal weather years, so it's an event.

I guess the best way to put it is that Americans discuss the weather/forecast whenever something out of the ordinary or different is occurring with it. In California, that doesn't happen so much. The temperature is usually steady. But then there are days like today, where it was 39 C in April. Weird, and therefore noteworthy.

The weather in the midwest, on the other hand, often swings greatly from day to day. For example, in Nebraska today it was snowing lightly and about 7 degrees (celsius). By Tuesday, it's supposed to be 23. So they always have something to talk about!