The purpose of forecasting is for life saving and money saving purposes. This is very evident in the transportation industry. It is safe to say that a large majority of transportation accidents are due to inclement weather (alcohol and drugs are a major cause also). On days with inclement weather it is important to notify your viewers or clients to "slow down" or "stay home". Really, this is the most powerful advice. That is why this advice has turned into a cliché. It is up to the powerful personality of the broadcast or consulting meteorologist to turn this cliché into a call for immediate action. Even if someone takes all precautions the risk is not eliminated. Some people will continue to commute the same way in adverse weather. These people risk harming others. Therefore, from the advice of "slow down" or "stay home", staying home is the safest. But what if travel is absolutely necessary? In that case, a combination of slowing down and commuting when less people are on the road is good advice. In conclusion, using transportation on days with inclement weather must be adjusted from "normal" driving, flying, etc, conditions. The following is a list of transportation engagements and the most common weather hazards. CAR *Fog and low visibility *Ice on roads *Very heavy rain (flooding) *Sun Blinding (low sun angles) *Severe thunderstorm AIRPLANE *Wind shear *Icing of wings *Fog and low visibility *Heavy rain *Inclement runway condition *Fog and low visibility SHIPPING *Tropical cyclone *Mid-latitude cyclone *Rough seas *Strong wind WALKING *Lightning *Flooding *Slip on ice SPACE SHUTTLE (Rockets and spacecraft) *Wind shear and strong wind *Clouds (esp. dense overcast) *Large temperature inversion *Cold surface temperatures *Instability *Fog and low visibility MILITARY ENGAGEMENT *Fog and low visibility *Clouds (esp. dense overcast) *Strong wind *Same hazards as AIRPLANE *Mid-latitude cyclone The top three hazards are: (1) Winter precipitation (2) Fog and low visibility (3) Heavy rain |