Crucial role for meteorologists in weather reporting

AS reported by the World Meteorological Organisation through its State of the Climate 2021 Report, extreme weather events, such as downpour, heatwaves, hurricanes and tornadoes are predicted to become a norm.

Some of these occurrences have happened in front of our eyes, such as the flash floods in Kuala Lumpur recently. Hence, there is a need for television broadcasters to put new emphasis on weather reporting.

For instance, short weather snippets can be inserted in between shows. This is normal practice for broadcasters in Western countries, which are often pummelled by severe weather.

These up-to-minute reports are important because weather is dynamic and it may change rapidly. These reports can then provide updates, especially on extreme events that may involve lives and livelihoods.

Broadcasters can also consider hiring meteorologists in their news and current affairs department.

This too is a normal practice for international broadcasters, which employ meteorologists like Al Roker on NBC and Janice Dean on Fox News, who will provide consistent weather updates during news bulletins or when extreme weather events take place.

This will not only add credibility to a weather report and its news division, but they may also become a “magnet” to attract an audience based on their interesting personalities.

They can also help calm the audience, especially during extreme weather events, compared with “hard news” anchors or journalists, who present news in a sensationalised manner.

More importantly, weather reports on television should be delivered comprehensively and effectively. It is not enough to just show “simple graphics” on a particular day.

Supposedly, such reports must show live visuals from the weather forecast radar with crucial elements, such as wind and cloud movements, the amount of rainfall and some sort of countdown to an extreme weather event.

Weather reports should also focus on efforts to educate society on how they should respond. There is no need for broadcasters to repeatedly show visuals of destruction as a warning to prepare for the worst.

It is better if the reports can insert elements that empower people to make crucial decisions in protecting themselves and the people they love.

Yes, we cannot control the weather, especially extreme weather events, but we can decide on how we respond as early as possible with the help of effective reports on television.