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Really Hasn't Changed
g to Weather Service

days." As an example, the three years with the most snow were in 1960-61 with 81.3 inches; 1963-64 with 74.7; and 1969-70 with 61.1 inches.

This does not mean there is a long range trend in this direction. Last year, 1970-71, there was only an average amount of snow of 33.9. No one can forecast how much snow will fall this year or next.

Clark certainly has the educational background to make very positive statements about the weather business. He has received his basic education at the University of Wisconsin; secured a commission in the 
to

UCLA for training in meteorology where he took a year of graduate work.

He is flat in his denial the various almanacs have any real accuracy.
"Usually it is someone's pet system or average for the area," he said.
The weather bureau people even run into trouble three days off, and their long 30 day forecast is very general and vague.  It just shows trends.
The "averaging" system of forecasting has a good chance of being correct, but it is just based on a guess. As an example, you could say it will be very cold on a date early in January, or hot and humid in mid-August and your chances of looking good are about 50-50.
This is not really weather forecasting.
The weather people attempt to give specific forecasts for the next two days, and the predictions beyond this point are less specific as so many things can and do happen.
People often ask the forecasters how come the predictions for the next day's weather was about 80 percent accurate in the 1920's, and in 1972 still is only about 80 percent accurate?  This does not sound like improvement.
The answer: the forecasts today are more complicated than the old "It will be clear tomorrow" type forecast in the 20's.  Today, they include "probability" or precipitation.
People often misread this.  They hear there is a ten percent chance of rain; and if the sun shines the next day, say "The weather forecast called for rain." Actually, it only called for once chance in 10 of rain.
The general public hears or reads a weather prediction but often really do not fully hear or read it.  Maybe the Weather Service is talking of storm conditions in the mid-west, and the public will apply this to their own area.
Sometimes the Service folks hear complaints on the multitude of details on the daily weather broadcasts, and others complain there is not enough.  The answer: these broadcasts cover much more than the local area, and you can only do so much in maybe three minutes.
In fact, the general public only see the "top of the iceberg" when it comes to forecasts. There are many detailed forecasts for farmers especially people with most critical crops such as fruit growers in nearby Adams County.
Clark lives with his wife, five sons, and a daughter in the Green Lane Farms area of Camp Hill.  Four of the children are now in college, and twin boys are the youngest. They have one grandchild.
He enjoys weather jokes as do most of the employees atop the Federal Building. They hear a number of them, and many are just repeats of ones heard years ago.
Any truth in some of the old myths concerning the weather? The answer usually is a flat, "no." Just last Feb. 2nd to prove a point, the two

[[partial photograph]]

could not

The capacity of computers ean much more to securing better forecasts. Today problem even with vel models.

THE GUIDE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1972
3

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