Katie Horner, rightly or wrongly, was dubbed “Tornado Katie” and given other such unflattering nicknames for what many considered her over-the-top weather forecasts during her 18 years as the head meteorologist at KCTV.
Horner literally became a lightning rod for criticism. There were blogs titled “FireKatie.com.” There was even a drinking game developed based on how she dressed and her breathless predictions.
Although Horner’s supporters said she was only following management’s orders to be “first on and last off” when severe weather was predicted, she was unceremoniously let go by KCTV in November 2011. Chris Suchan replaced her.
The question now is whether KMBC meteorologist Erin Little will be taking over Horner’s role for over-the-top forecasts and criticism.
Little was brought in to replace Pete Grigsby in 2008. She does forecasts at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
Little has been fairly and unfairly criticized in the blogosphere for the way she dresses and for two pregnancies where she seemed to have gained an inordinate amount of weight.
But now her weather forecasts are being questioned, particularly her prediction for Sunday (6/3).
“On Saturday’s newscasts, save for FOX 4′s Joe Lauria, the local TV meteorologists ginned up the severe weather outlook for Sunday,” says a local professor who wanted to remain anonymous. He is currently obtaining his Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University (where Horner received her degree).
“Erin Little, in particular, has to have the worst track record for predicting weather generally. Lisa Teachman (KMBC meteorologist) isn’t much better. Saturday night, we turned it off; I told my wife ‘it’s nonsense, this WILL NOT happen, she’s hyping it again.’”
Basically, on Saturday Little predicted a 60% chance of severe thunderstorms during the day along with a strong chance for damaging hail. None of that happened.
“I have some working knowledge of what happens in forecasting and the ALWAYS changing weather,” the professor says.”I also understand the National Weather Service placed Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas under a S-L-I-G-H-T risk (5%) of severe weather Sunday, but the only event was some rain in the far southern suburbs, and drought time up north.”
What really was upsetting to him was despite being totally wrong on her forecast, Little never acknowledged her wayward prediction.
“We tuned in for an explanation at 10 last night..OOOOHHHH BOY …HOT!! As if the poor forecasting didn’t happen,” he says. “I also understand their 20-something producers are goading them into making drama out of ANYTHING, since these days, news is only a continuation of the previous three hours of comedy and (real or created) drama.
“Where’s the reality and accountability here?”
KMBC’s LITTLE CRITICIZED FOR HYPING WEATHER
11 Responses
Leave a Reply
Featured Client
Featured Client
“He is currently obtaining his Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University ”
Um, this dude has no room to talk if he is getting his certificate from a diploma mill.
I’m in favor of a better-safe-than-sorry strategy in forecasting the weather, but I would like to see some sort of an explanation offered to viewers when predictions of bad weather don’t pan out. It’s all a part of the educational process.
Bryan Busby gave a plausible explanation about the busted forecast at 10 pm Monday,but it would have been nice to hear that Sunday.
Dozens of folks, maybe more, likely adjusted their activities on the possibility of bad weather.
Thing is, with the cloud cover Sunday morning, that is the clue, without heating at the surface,the opportunity for “lift” decreases. The “mix” in the upper atmosphere is depressed. Last, given the temperature difference on either side of the approaching front were not that extreme, the “clash” of airmasses was also depressed.
Joe Lauria pointed out Sunday night he hadn’t expected any severe weather; I’d like to see his “batting average” against the other meteorologists in town.
I think Lisa Teachman presents much more effectively than Erin, but that’s a personal opinion.
The issue, John, seems to lie with the newscast producers. I have heard (as you may have) from on-air folks that they drive on the on-air drama; why would you use a lot of new age music, slo mo, and other enhancements if your goal wasn’t to “dramatize” the news?
It’s a visual stance, not grounded in journalism.
Mississippi State a “diploma mill”?? I think not.
http://geosciences.msstate.edu/bmp.htm
News producers do not create weather forecasts.
For weather people to blame them for their blown predictions is ridiculous.
Where is Katie Horner when we need her? Please see the forecast from the KC Star and KCTV5.
Monday: 40% T-Storm Chance
Variably Cloudy
High:
88
Low:
65
: 20% Scatt. Storms
High:
87
Low:
193
Read more here: http://weather.kansascity.com/#storylink=cpy
Isn’t KC sort of a major market? I’d expect this from KSNT of Topeka or KOAM of Pittsburg but not of the highly regarded partnership of our mid market media.
He complains about those at channel 9 hyping the hell out of our weather, yet I bet if/when he gets into forecasting, he won’t be any better. Count in it. The general manager tells them how to act on the air, tells them when to go on, tells them when the extended coverage ends, ect. It’s exactly why KMBC is becoming the new KCTV, it all boils down to who runs the place; the anchors, reporters and weather people have zero control over that.
Either way, Erin Little may hype, but she will NEVER get into Katie Horner’s league. Little will never force herself onto the set in jeans and a ball cap while the meteorologist who’s SUPPOSED to be there doing his job is doing it just fine without any intervention. That unnecessary move on Horner’s part is exactly why Ted Texter left. Management thought he was doing fine on his own, but no, Horner thought she ran the place and could just jump in, whenever. Channel 5 has become a far more reputable place since they dumped her.
Some professor here. Criticizes somebody publically but doesn’t have the balls to say his name. Says a lot about him and his credibility. Why is he ripping Little one second and then throws in Teachman? Being a little sexist here by listing the two females together-just throwing in Teachman’s name cause she is a woman, too.
I watched Teachman Sunday morning and she even said that the storms might not come together because the warm front might not lift north and the clouds could keep the storms away.
Also, forecasters try to keep their forecasts consistent. That means you can’t keep having a battle between meteorologists when they might differ on a forecast.
Sounds like this professor isn’t so smart to me and a horrible “source” to use in a story. A disgrace to journalism if you want to call this blog.
LITTLE EMPATHY
Living a good deal of my life in Washington state, Oregon and northern CA/bay area, I feel little empathy for people building their life around weather reports other than the most severe weather (<5%). My complaint is the area that's part of the forecasts here in KC. Most outlying areas have their own local station that give them their forcast but the network stations here use a huge spread to boost their hyped accuracy. In the bay area there are 4 distinct weather forecasts that are 20-40 degrees different in 45 miles. (Coastal, bay, east bay or over the Oakland hills/mountains and central valley). They're distinct and pretty accurate in all 4. Seattle predicts Seattle weather and not Yakima or desert weather unless separated from the local forecast. Portland separates coastal weather that's 50 miles away. Here its all lumped together over dramatically as one forecast. The next day they claim accuracy on their forecast but that slim chance happened on the Iowa border. Really? It's easy to be accurate with a 150 mile spread of risk. Dramatic news doesn't need dramatic forecasters. The same is true with weather. Give me the news and I'll think for myself without their help. Its all drama with much more time spent broadcasting what's coming up in the forecast than the 20 second forecast. The sun is always shinning above the clouds unless its dark.
KIDDOS!!
I LOVE listening to KMBC9 News and have done so for years but honestly if I hear Erin Little say “kiddos” JUST ONE MORE TIME I’ll SCREAM!!!!!
FAKE
I do not like Erin Little. She seems fake.