Weather Warning or Fear Mongering?

[TimmyE]

FEAR MONGERING

Ditto. Colin and the press have succeeded in driving down business this week. Flood, flood and that's they talked about.

[Jlabute]

I am with Graham. Officials/Medias have overblown the possibilities IMO. Perhaps after the first thunderstorm and flooding we were shocked(there was no warning). Then as it appeared we would have more thunderstorms, we were told we'd be facing a statistical 200 year event due to snow/rain. A lot of that did not seem to pan out. Does the city still stand by the 200 year declaration? Or will it actually end up inline with a 20 year event as the lake rises? Are calculators in full swing or are we guessing? The 200 year event warning has not been changed.

My guess is no one understands the complex weather events and intuition is guiding the precautionary advisories for the purpose of risk avoidance. It may be a good idea to put some sandbags in place if you haven't already since everyone is guessing. Just like Y2K as a complex event that was 100% manmade and was not understood at all and had no effect, the regional weather is 1000x more complex and understood even less.

So I am all for warnings, but exaggerations are harmful to our sanity, and truth/openness is best policy. By the way, no one is prepared for Y10K. Are we borrowing from climate change fanaticism saying the oceans 'may' rise 10 feet according to models? Anything supported by such words, may, might, could, probably etc are probably unsubstantiated guesses.


Oh, and to add to my previous posts, mill creek level under Richter bridge is unchanged/average.

[gardengirl]

FEAR MONGERING

Ditto. Colin and the press have succeeded in driving down business this week. Flood, flood and that's they talked about.

I saw sandbags in front of the doors of two businesses on Ellis St yesterday (between Doyle and Cawston)....unless these businesses were very poorly constructed and had drains from eaves troughs draining in their doorways, it is pretty unlikely they are in imminent danger.

I am pretty sure there is someone who lives near the lake or a creek that could have better used those sandbags.

[Urban Cowboy]

Well all I've got to say is I know about a dozen places that have their basements full of water, so I tend to think they'd disagree with anyone calling it fear mongering.

I just came from the low lying areas, and Vernon Creek is still over it's banks and carving a new channel in some areas.

Duck Lake is beyond full, and has forced many Commonwealth Road residents out.

I think those who are high and dry, should be grateful they aren't flooded, and demonstrate a bit more compassion to those who are.

The mayor was simply doing his job, given we live in a time, when many are too dumb, to figure things out without precise instruction.

With Okanagan Lake at full pool, and the dam in Penticton letting water out at full capacity, we are still quite a ways from being able to breath easy, as the snow melt is just getting going, and we still have unstable weather in the area.

The Mayor also made a public statement informing people it's business as usual, so beyond that I fail to see what more he could do.

Had he kept quiet, there would be a thread complaining about that, so another great example how politicians are damned if they do, and damned if they don't.

[StraitTalk]

As we speak, Mill Creek is splashing over the metal-bridges near Enterprise (something to do with the storm drains, not sure what all that infrastructure is) - I was just there. As we speak, people are draining and recuperating from flooding all throughout the Okanagan. A major weather event was forecasted which would have caused serious additional flooding - the weather changed, the warning was rescinded and precautionary activity/disaster preparedness (which I have very much been a part of) more or less stopped.

I simply cannot understand the ignorance some of you are displaying over all of this - had business and homeowners not prepared and had that storm hit hard I wonder if the same people would be bashing the city and emergency center for not warning people.

Any way, unlike many of you couch potatoes I've spent hours over the past few days filling and transporting sandbags, helping nearby businesses and preparing for the worst and I regret nothing. We've done some pretty cool stuff over the past few days helping others out.

If you lack critical thinking skills and are unable to take a warning as a warning, and nothing else, that's your own fault. The mayor, and emergency crews did nothing except warn people of the possibilities and tell them to prepare.

Go take a bloody look at the creeks - even now, without the rain, they are very near overflowing. If you want to be mad at someone be mad at the forecasters - everyone else is just doing their job.

[Fancy]

It may be a good idea to put some sandbags in place if you haven't already since everyone is guessing.

Did already and know what we've done may not be enough. Lake has risen in the last few days and all I can hope for is little to no wind or big storms. We have experience from past years to rely on and lots of pictures to compare different years. The differences are amazing.

[MAPearce]

As we speak, Mill Creek is splashing over the metal-bridges near Enterprise (something to do with the storm drains, not sure what all that infrastructure is) - I was just there. As we speak, people are draining and recuperating from flooding all throughout the Okanagan. A major weather event was forecasted which would have caused serious additional flooding - the weather changed, the warning was rescinded and precautionary activity/disaster preparedness (which I have very much been a part of) more or less stopped.

I simply cannot understand the ignorance some of you are displaying over all of this - had business and homeowners not prepared and had that storm hit hard I wonder if the same people would be bashing the city and emergency center for not warning people.

Any way, unlike many of you couch potatoes I've spent hours over the past few days filling and transporting sandbags, helping nearby businesses and preparing for the worst and I regret nothing. We've done some pretty cool stuff over the past few days helping others out.

If you lack critical thinking skills and are unable to take a warning as a warning, and nothing else, that's your own fault. The mayor, and emergency crews did nothing except warn people of the possibilities and tell them to prepare.

Go take a bloody look at the creeks - even now, without the rain, they are very near overflowing. If you want to be mad at someone be mad at the forecasters - everyone else is just doing their job.

I call *bleep*.. I just spent the day on a roof at Richter and Elliot... That's where Mill Creek crosses Ricther ...The water that was there last weekend is NOWHERE in sight..

While the levels of water are indeed high , they are not as high as they were last weekend. While there may be an obstruction somewhere in that area , it is not as "critical" as some like us to believe.

All it takes is to take a look see outside.

[Fancy]

Okanagan Lake is higher FYI

[GordonH]

^^^ last thing lakeshore owner want now is a strong windstorm.

[MAPearce]

Okanagan Lake is higher FYI

Of course it is... But it's not at the "biblical" over flowing capacity that should have people running to the churches to repent their sins...

The rain levels that were predicted haven't manifested and I'm sure the dam at the south of the lake is STILL letting out an above normal amount of water ..

But if it makes you all feel better, you can all REPENT NOW , THE END IS NEAR !!

[Fancy]

^^^ last thing lakeshore owner want now is a strong windstorm.

You have that right. I've been there and it's no picnic trying to salvage boats, docks and gad knows everything else I've salvaged over the years because people don't read the weather right and don't plan for the inevitable or otherwise and this forum is more a giggle than anything else because the real world is out there and I'm sore from sandbagging and may have more in the works and if we don't it could mean rebuilding but all us neighbourly people work together - go figure.

[Urban Cowboy]

I think you need to get your eyes checked MAPearce.

They're letting water out of Okanagan Lake at full capacity, but it's coming in faster than it's running out.

Every creek/stream around here is full or has breached it's banks.

This is simply not the time for one of your petulant displays.

[Urban Cowboy]

Go take a bloody look at the creeks - even now, without the rain, they are very near overflowing. If you want to be mad at someone be mad at the forecasters - everyone else is just doing their job.

In fact some are overflowing. Vernon Creek has been flowing over its banks for about a week now in some sections.

In some instances people are pumping and vacuuming water in shifts 24/7 to keep damage at a minimum.

It's gonna suck to be MAPearce when karma catches up.

[Fancy]

But if it makes you all feel better, you can all REPENT NOW , THE END IS NEAR !!

Not doing that but it's getting a little discouraging with all the negativity here on the forums because I have issues to deal with concerning the water and I really don't want to sandbag anymore (I'm not getting younger) and my neighbours are worrying about water levels. We don't deal with this every year - this year we are paying particular attention to the weather.

[MAPearce]

I think you need to get your eyes checked MAPearce.

They're letting water out of Okanagan Lake at full capacity, but it's coming in faster than it's running out.

Every creek/stream around here is full or has breached it's banks.

This is simply not the time for one of your petulant displays.

Uh huh ...Petulance , "eh" ?

You got that I watched NO chaos or over flowing of Mill creek while I was RIGHT THERE for 8 hours ?

Has Uhaul , which is right near Mill Creek, been evacuated ? You do know that they offered up free storage to those affected by the flood right ?? why would they do that if they thought they'd be flooded ????

Oh , I get it .. You just don't know ... Tomorrow is Sunday. Grab your old testament or King James bible and hit a church.

If you see two "humpty back caramels" ,some chimpanzees but NO unicorns.. It's too late for you.

Now , I'd suggest sitting back and relaxing. It's NOT as bad as they say .. They're just covering there *bleep*

It's gonna suck to be MAPearce when karma catches up.

Yeah , yeah ... Karma.. We know each other very well .. Perhaps that's why the water has receded around my work sites .. BOTH of them on Mill Creek..

Go ahead , curse me now.. Cuz you know , Karma's a *bleep* dude.