About Those Dish TV Tornado Warning Ads

By -
Dish TV's web site
I can't remember the last time, if ever, that I have commented on a TV commercial. But, I believe a couple of comments need to be made about the current Dish-TV commercial that depicts a tornado warning. 
Screen capture from Dish commercial depicting
people taking shelter during a tornado warning.
Besides getting the simulated image of a tornado's hook echo wrong, it is important to keep their claims in context when it comes to extreme weather warnings. 

Dish says it is 99% reliable, which means it is out of service 1% of the time. Now, let's do a little math:

.01%  X  365 days  =  3.65 days 
with a service issue

So, out of a 365 day year, Dish would fail nearly 4 days during that year. And, per Dish's web site, those days are most like to be when there is -- wait for it -- extremely bad weather. 
I do not care how you get your TV but it is misleading to imply that consumers can depend on satellite TV (we frequently lost signals when we briefly had DIRECT-TV) during tornadoes, blizzards, flash floods and other extreme weather.

If you have satellite TV or wish to subscribe, fine. Just have at least two of: a weather radio, an app like AccuWeather's, a commercial radio tuned to a station known to have quality weather coverage, or a digital off-air antenna that will allow you to receive local network stations. They will provide the storm warnings you need.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Today's Tornado and Giant Hail Risks

By -
Image
Another Day With a Tornado and Giant Hail Risk The brown area has a significant risk of tornadoes. The risk may be a bit higher in Texas than in Oklahoma or Arkansas.  The hail outlook has hatching where hailstones more than 2" in diameter or larger are forecast to fall.  The red area has an enhanced risk and the yellow area has a significant risk of 1" or larger hail. 
Read more

Overnight Tornado Forecast Posted at 7:05pm

By -
Image
Here is the tornado forecast for the rest of the night (till 6am CST). Red, hatched = high risk of strong tornadoes. Yellow, hatched = enhanced risk of strong tornadoes. Blown = significant risk of tornadoes.  This will be the last update of the night. Tornado Watch until 2am. Please make sure you have ways of getting warnings of tornadoes and 80 mph winds.  6:15pm  NWS believes the chances for tornadoes and damaging winds are increasing in Mississippi. They also say they are going to extend the tornado watch to the east later this evening.  5:35pm: The northwest part of the tornado watch has been cancelled Here is the area where tornadoes are more likely from 4:30 to 7:30pm. From Atmosphere Analytics Rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Tornado Watch till 9pm If you live in these areas it is vital  to monitor the weather until the watch expires at 9pm  Note the forecast is for "numerous strong tornadoes." A very rare "particularly dangerous situation" ...
Read more

645pm Update: Heads Up For Louisiana, Texas and Tamaulipas

By -
Image
Note: this forecast has been updated. Go here for the latest.  Update at 6:45pm. The National Hurricane Center now seems to agree with my forecast.  The red area is where they are forecasting an 80% chance of a tropical depression, or stronger storm, to develop sometime during the next seven days. I believe the best chance is in the Tuesday to Thursday period for tropical storm development.  Update at 6pm: The afternoon model runs, among the models I trust, continue to show a good chance (at least 50%) of a tropical storm forming in the western Gulf. I will update this forecast Sunday morning.  Update at 1pm: The new run of the models I trust are in and my confidence has only grown that there is a threat of a tropical storm developing in the western Gulf of Mexico to the west of the orange line. The rest of this forecast (below) is still valid.  People in the USA and northeast Mexico (west of the orange line) should keep an eye on the weather this week. While t...
Read more