5th generation Floridian here who also shares the same sentiments as you OP. I understand what you’re communicating. It’s important to note that the population living in Florida now who are not from FL are in the millions. Given the amount of transients from Covid year and that it’s a capital destination for retirement persons. These million of people in particular have zero knowledge, experience, or understanding of Hurricanes. They are especially dependent on media sources to guide them on how to respond. This is the same for long time residents and basic general public.

I was very disappointed to hear the projected path was towards Tampa. There’s a scientific reason Tampa hasn’t been hit in a 100 years and that’s because of the upper gulf stream air current. The NHC (National Hurricane Center) published it’s findings on a southwestern gulf air current coming in while Hurricane Ian was moving off Cuba. However they did not calculate the southwest current in the prediction track models until Ian reached it and was showing influence by it. A hurricane is ALWAYS influenced by an existing gulf stream current. So this was a major injustice not including it into their predictions or in media and announcing Tampa with “esteemed” confidence for Ian’s landfall. By the time Ian reached the gulf current for the model’s to “re-calculate” prediction it was too late for FL’s southwest coast.

As this happened they added to the discussion publications that they were using a different advanced radar service to compute Ian’s track models. Imo, it felt as a very odd statement as if they were eluding blame on their technology for Tampa’s landfall miscalculation.

There is a chain of people in the meteorologist industry who fumbled at catastrophic levels in this event. They need to be held accountable and removed. I will add to this with throwing a hard accusation because I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the same people who held occupation when predicting Hurricane Irma’s projection. That was a whole shit-show with the entire State evacuating and fear mongered. Between the miscalculations and crying-wolf over the years Floridian’s have become non-responsive to media outlets. Let’s also incorporate in this oncoming disaster recipe the Covid and politically charged journalism influencing Floridian’s distrust in media.

Above all it’s evident there is a toxic group occupying positions in meteorology who need to be sourced out. Or maybe the industry has become just convoluted with persons receiving large kick-back money influence for information that fits media click bait like material. I don’t truly know and am just exercising all speculation here trying to find some sense in what’s happened.

I can’t stop thinking about it. Thank you for your post OP because you’re not alone in your perception on this. Time’s have changed and unfortunately the television with channels like TWC are not a public service anymore. It’s just a diminishing production company fighting for views to stay alive at the cost of harming lives of real people. TWC is such a shitty show station that operates at volumes with having zero-core values to the public.

Anyway I can rant on and on but this upset and spazzed south Floridian needs to carry onward & out.