Central Park totals worse than ever.

I HAVE THE ANSWER TO THE ZOOKEPER ISSUE!! A little birdie told me he's seen him do his "official" snow measurements under the spruce trees just outside the zoo entrance!

syosnow94 wrote:I HAVE THE ANSWER TO THE ZOOKEPER ISSUE!!  A little birdie told me he's seen him do his "official" snow measurements under the spruce trees just outside the zoo entrance!

I know you jest but it wouldn't surprise me.

From my conversations with NOAA and the state climate office it seems whoever does it just doesn't really give a sh!t. Some days I believe they don't even measure and NOAA just estimates from the precip that fell, what the snow fall was. Of course days like last week when .05 QPf fell in the park while the temperature never went above 20 degrees the ratios were high and 1.2 inches of snow fell. NOAA went with the standard ratio and recorded .5 inches in the park when all stations within 5 miles Newark, LGA and JFK all recorded over an inch. It wouldn't be a big deal if they did it once but they've been doing stuff like that for years and they even acknowledge it's a big problem.

The easy solution of Course is have several trained spotters that live near Central Park do the observations instead of a low payed city employee from the zoo that's doesn't give a rats ass how much snow has fallen. I've suggested that at times and they asked if I'd do it. If I lived on Central Park west I'd be happy to but why not just find one of the quarter of a million people that live a couple hundred feet from Central Park.

I'm done for the day.

The whole scenario reeks of Third Worldness when in fact we are dealing with the most important City in the most advanced, intelligent and industrious country in the world.

I understand your frustration and anger CP.

Great idea in having local trained spotters take over the duty.

NY is unique in that we use a city park as the official observation station while most cities rely on an airport. Airports have aviation purposes as motivation to keep accurate records. Unless it happens to be a weather buff working in the park no one is going to care about the smaller details. LGA and JFK are official stations but media has gravitated to CPK with its proximity to midtown and its historical significance. Its one of the oldest weather stations around and they are reluctant to make any changes regarding a station with over 100 years of reporting. Any change and they would have to put a asterisk somewhere, they don't want to do that. Basically despite its imperfections CPK is grandfathered in due to its history.
I read a letter NWS put out several years ago to answer some complaints about CPK, it was regarding summer readings however, but NWS answer was basically...we know its not perfect but we are not about to interrupt a 100+ year streak of reporting, CPK might not represent NYC perfectly but it is what it is. There are other stations ppl can rely on that may more accurately reflect your specific neighborhood...
Problem with that is the avg person isn't going to go through climate data etc. Whatever the news reports is what will be accepted as accurate.

There must be someone close to CPK who would do some measurements. NWS just has to make the request to the public. The zookeeper would probably be happy to not have to worry about it anymore

The NWS - NY has spotter training every year and assign us all id numbers to keep track of where we are. It would be so easy to find a trained spotter by the park....

DTone.

I am aware and agree with everything you said. I've always been a proponent of Central Park remaining as the spot for official measurements. Geographically it is the most central land area north to south in NYC proper.

Of course I've always been a proponent of accurate measurements too but going back to the blizzard of 78 and probably before that, accuracy never seems to happen. What's worse is 9 time out of 10 the measurements are low. The obvious answer as I've always stated, and as you seem to agree, and as Janet agrees, and Doc also, is to just get a trained spotter, several if need be and use them for official snow measurements and case closed. I'm sure a person that takes the time to go through the training would do a much better job then a CP Zoo employee. Why they haven't done that in all these years is just mind boggling.

okx.webmaster@noaa.gov

Please e-mail the address above and let's stop the madness. Idiot zookeeper came in with 2.5 inches this morning when obviously at least 4 inches fell.

Just send a short note, this sh!!t has to stop.

I can't take it. Of course Amy Freeze just repeated those numbers and said the city only got a couple of inches.

okx.webmaster@noaa.gov

Below is a sample letter to send, just send to the e-mail address at the top of the page. Just copy and paste it if it makes it easier. Surprisingly it will make a difference.

Hello Men and Women of NOAA:

It looks like the zookeeper is at it again.

His so-called official measurement at 5:40 this morning came in at 2.5 inches.

Every reporting station and trained spotter within 10 miles, south, east, north, and west, has higher to much higher amounts, the majority of them reporting earlier than 5:40. As you well know and are aware, this goes on with almost every storm. The totals always come in low and the people in the zoo that supposedly take the measurements don't really care.

Can this finally be fixed, and can several trained spotters in and around Central Park just do the measurements. I'm sure there are many people, weather enthusiasts, and snow lovers, that would be more than happy to do the job.

Thanks as always for your time.

Sign your real name

You go CP and you have all hard data to prove this smuck wrong!! Light the torches, get out the pitch forks and hide the woman and children - to the CP mobile and CP ZOO Keeper's shack we ride!

Good stuff Mugs, I mean Sir Moderator, Congrats BTW.

Now go email NOAA my friend.

10 o'clock update, the zookeeper sticking at 2.5 inches Laguardia at 4.0 inches, Newark airport at 5.1 and CPK in the middle of both at 2.5???

That's not even possible.

Come on everyone send those e-mails. We can get this fixed.

CPK is way off with this one. It seems undeniable this time. I measured 4" which may be conservative b/c it was already raining. If the concrete slab in the east river aka LGA can get 4" in very marginal temps then CPK shouldn't be so much less.

Dtone wrote:CPK is way off with this one. It seems undeniable this time. I measured 4" which may be conservative b/c it was already raining. If the concrete slab in the east river aka LGA can get 4" in very marginal temps then  CPK shouldn't be so much less.

Email NOAA Dtone, we have to get this fixed. It can't hurt

I know there's lots going on today but please go to top of the thread and e-mail NOAA about another dreadful performance in Central Park today regarding another ridiculous under count of the snow.

Did your e mail, CP and also went to NOAA.gov and filled in the survey complaining about Central Park in the comment section.

Saw ABC news tonight and a reporter quoted " and there was a little less than 3 inches at Central Park." Cripes, they take this Zookeeper's measurements as something sacrosant, fer crying out loud.Can see why this would steam up a stat guy like yourself.

docstox12 wrote:Did your e mail, CP and also went to NOAA.gov and filled in the survey complaining about Central Park in the comment section.

Saw ABC news tonight and a reporter quoted " and there was a little less than 3 inches at Central Park." Cripes, they take this Zookeeper's measurements as something sacrosant, fer crying out loud.Can see why this would steam up a stat guy like yourself.

That's why I voted for you in the last Parliamentary elections Doc, you're as loyal as you are funny.

Good to see Snow Man back, but I noticed he's hiding on the Mainland now and has not set foot on OTI. We should probably get Moderator Mugs to use his pull on the Mainland and have him extradited back to OTI to face AWOL charges.

I'll stand for you until I drop, CP, in this matter until we get it fixed!!!

Snow Man mentioned in a Mainland post he will return to OTI with an explanation for his absence and we must allow our good citizen some slack in that matter.

Well look at the bright side CP, with CPK's 5.7" seasonal snow total, it is now out of the bottom five. The next season for it to overtake: The 7.4" from 2011-12.

Also, I remember getting a lot of snow from the 2003 President's Day Storm and I could not understand the 19.8" by CPK.

Also, when I was 9 years of age (I'm 24 now) I read about the epic Blizzard of 1888 and the huge snow drifts and the brutal cold and wind. How the heck did Central Park measure just 21" from that storm???

That 1888 measurement is just bizarrely bad and it is truly a shame that it has stood for over 125 years because it gives the impressuin that the storm was not that bad.

Math23x7 wrote:Well look at the bright side CP, with CPK's 5.7" seasonal snow total, it is now out of the bottom five.  The next season for it to overtake: The 7.4" from 2011-12.  

Also, I remember getting a lot of snow from the 2003 President's Day Storm and I could not understand the 19.8" by CPK.

Also, when I was 9 years of age (I'm 24 now) I read about the epic Blizzard of 1888 and the huge snow drifts and the brutal cold and wind.  How the heck did Central Park measure just 21" from that storm???

This is why I want to make you my apprentice Math. When I'm gone in 50 years at 103, you must carry on my work grasshopper.

I doubt you'll get the grasshopper reference Math but Doc, Snowman, and Mugs will. Old TV show from the 70's Kung Foo.

You are wise, Obi-Wan, to make Math your apprentice! The kid is the Luke Skywalker of snowstorm facts and statistics!!!

Oh, yeah, great,great show.Kung Foo!! Gotta check out the ole YouTube for any of those eps.

docstox12 wrote:You are wise, Obi-Wan, to make Math your apprentice! The kid is the Luke Skywalker of snowstorm facts and statistics!!!

Oh, yeah, great,great show.Kung Foo!! Gotta check out the ole YouTube for any of those eps.

Hate to say this Doc but at the weather meetup two weeks ago, I wasnt really a kid. I was the 4th youngest (behind Frank, Alex, and Ryan). In fact, someone in my family noticed my hair is starting to go grey...ugh.

http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&format=CI&version=1&glossary=0&highlight=off&issuedby=OKX&product=PNS

If the above isn't an indictment of the zookeepers 2.5 inches today I don't know what is.

All NYC totals other than JFK, at 3.4, which is usually the lowest because it's the southernmost part of NYC and right on the water, reported 4 to 5 inches and change for snowfall totals.

I know technically parts of Staten Island are further south than JFK but it's elevated in parts.

I believe Dtone mentioned this in another thread too.

Please send those e-mails everyone. E-mail address for NOAA below..

okx.webmaster@noaa.gov

OK, Math, you wanna be 64 like me,LOL!

Hang around this website at times like this with these models and your hair will fall out!

PS. Last time someone called me a kid , Nixon was President!

docstox12 wrote:You are wise, Obi-Wan, to make Math your apprentice! The kid is the Luke Skywalker of snowstorm facts and statistics!!!

Oh, yeah, great,great show.Kung Foo!! Gotta check out the ole YouTube for any of those eps.

I remember watching it every week. I remember the episode when he was in training and he had to walk on the rice paper without tearing it. I agree Doc great show.

Everyone make sure please to get e-mails sent to NOAA today.

They must feel the pressure especially before what could be a historic storm on Tuesday. If we have any hope of at least getting a somewhat accurate measurement in central Park,they have to feel the heat so they have a responsible person there and not an underpaid lion feeder.

Remember the only reason the record-setting February 2006 storm in central Park of 26.9 inches ever came to be was because Paul Kocin called the Central Park zoo every hour and made sure they took an accurate written measurement. True story and I heard him talk about it on one of his interviews.

CP - this is a political, governmental plot for the global warmers - do you not see this - they lower the average by miss measuring to show that KYNC average snowfall is dropping. HAHAHA!!! Can't fight city hall BUT you can drive them crazy with your freedoms and I have and always will back you on this and send in emails urging them for change.