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From the front lines The most important thing our viewers and neighbors can do is
Southwest Florida’s TV chief meteorologists weigh in with their know your source. If you see something floating around on the web
sides of the story: that’s questionable, verify the source. Weather information should
Allyson Rae from NBC-2: come from a degreed meteorologist, one of the local meteorologists
We really pride ourselves in giving a calm, trusting voice with you see on TV, for example, or from NOAA or the National
facts and reasoning on our side. Hurricane Center (NHC). If something looks fishy, don’t share it.
Watching storm coverage Verify it.
may seem overwhelming but How can you stay informed? Follow our updated forecasts
try to really understand the online and on TV –even YouTube.
forecast and what it means to The hurricane season officially ends on Nov. 30. Though we’ve
you and your home and prepare kicked into our wonderful “dry season,” it’s still important to check
accordingly. in regularly with your local meteorologists or the NHC to know
Not every storm will be what is (and isn’t!) out there.
life threatening, but there will be more storms in the future that Matt Devitt from WINK-TV:
threaten life and property again.
Anxiety and fear can be managed with information, and we will
be here for you with that information.
Katie Walls from Fox 4:
The biggest issue that I’ve seen develop and worsen in the past
two years is the fear-mongering posts circulating on social media.
One of the worst: someone actually photoshopped an old forecast
cone with a new name and timeline for a storm hitting Florida,
when there was nothing forecast to develop. Those are the kinds
of posts that spread like
wildfire, especially when
you’ve gone through
back-to-back storms.
Likewise, be very
wary of “social media-
rologists” posting
deterministic models
beyond seven days. People get nervous or scared of hurricanes because of the
There’s a reason we, as unknown. What wind can I expect? Will I see surge? Will I be
actual meteorologists, flooded? My job is to fill in those holes with calm information to
don’t show particular feel better about the situation or take action.
models out that far in You also want to turn a negative into a positive. Make the best
time; they will inevitably of the situation. Make your favorite food, listen to your favorite
change. music, watch your favorite shows (between coverage), or hang out
When forecasting with friends or family.
beyond seven days, Find comfort.
meteorologists use Find a sense of normalcy in a not-so-normal time.
specific models called “ensembles.” So, if you see a single model
Jeff Lytle is the retired editorial page editor and TV host of the Naples
“snapshot” beyond seven days out, showing a hurricane hitting
Daily News. Contact him at jlytle1951@gmail.com
Florida or the Gulf, for example, take it with a grain of salt!

Life in Naples | December 2024 61