We are living in the age of influence. Look no further than the number of Kim Kardashian followers on Instagram or the number of views the latest viral video has received. The power of influence is wielded by savvy marketers to strengthen a brand and to generate presumed expertise.
However, it doesn’t work that way in the world of weather. Weather organizations that achieve a high standing must do so by producing verifiable data that withstands the piercing light of scientific rigor.
Some well-known weather personalities have achieved a level of expertise based on a longstanding record of credibility that speaks for itself. For example, Rick Knabb, now a tropical weather expert on The Weather Channel, was a former director of the National Hurricane Center for many years. And Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, a frequent contributor to Forbes Magazine, is renown for being a leading international expert in weather and climate.
Similarly, ForecastWatch is recognized and trusted in the weather industry. Those who seek expertise in the assessment of weather accuracy know that ForecastWatch founder and CEO Eric Floehr is a reputable and unbiased source for reliable information. In his book The Fifth Risk, author Michael Lewis cited ForecastWatch as “the closest thing to an authority on the relative accuracy of weather forecasts.” Likewise, an article in Forbes Magazine dubbed ForecastWatch “the J.D. Power of weather prediction.”
Indeed, we’ve worked hard to build and maintain our status as the world’s premier weather forecast monitoring and assessment company since 2003, when we released the largest public weather forecast accuracy study at the time. We use our vast collection of data to evaluate and compare weather forecast providers, improve decision-making by governments and business entities impacted by weather, improve weather forecasting by meteorologists around the world, and educate customers with unbiased reporting.
So, if Kim Kardashian suddenly starts posting weather forecasts on Instagram, we ask — with equal parts humility and self interest — consider the source.