Overkill or mislocation?

Now that the Godzilla of a blizzard for New Jersey and New York City turned out to be as mythical as the movie giant itself, weather forecasters are soul-searching.

They think maybe they shouldn’t have used such scare-mongering words at “historic,” “epic” and “crippling.”

The storm was bad for the Northeast, just not where most of the attention was gathered. John Stewart on his “Daily Show” on Comedy Central had a field day replaying the panic-inducting pre-“storm” posturing by TV forecasters and news personalities.

The forecast, while off the mark along the southwest fringe – from New York City to Philadelphia – was reasonably accurate for southern New England.

Part of the problem, of course, is that the next time such dire events are forecast, those who remember the colossal misfire may not take cover. Sort of like the boy who cried "Wolf!" too often.

To read the entire article, click on http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/01/28/wisdom-on-the-state-of-weather-forecasting-and-the-embarrassing-new-york-city-blizzard-forecast/