What’s the first thing you hear when you turn on a radio or television newscast? Unless there’s some disastrous event taking place, it’s the changing weather forecast. Often the weather forecast is the catastrophic event. Even if we’re not expecting a hurricane or blizzard, the weather forecast in most cities is high on the list of Google searches. Maybe that’s because it’s so unpredictable.
To find out which cities have the most fickle forecasts, we combed through Google Trends data to see where people searched most often in 2018 for the term “weather forecast.”
Top Cities for Unpredictable Weather Forecasts: Philadelphia
You may not want to plan an outdoor wedding or a significant event in the city of brotherly love-unless you enjoy taking risks on what could go wrong. It’s no surprise we see Philadelphia ranks as No. 1 on the list when it comes to internet users searching for the term “weather forecast.” Their mercury surpassed the 90-degree mark 21 times last summer. The city also documented record lows and precipitation, with more than 30 inches of snow for the 2017-2018 season. 2019 looks to be just as volatile, with a lot more snow in the forecast.
Philadelphia isn’t the only city seeing drastic climate changes. Omaha, Neb., ranks No. 2 on the list of Google Trends data when it comes to searches for the term “weather forecast.” Not surprising, since agriculture is one of the state’s top five industries. Higher temperatures and less rainfall could take a toll on Nebraska’s corn crops and cattle production.
Portland, Ore., sees a lot more rain with 39.14 inches a year. With an average of only 144 sunny days a year, the city ranks third on the Google Trends search meter. No doubt from residents eager to find out when the sun will return. The weather changes quickly, so it’s not unusual to hear the old cliche: “waiting for the weather to change? Wait five minutes.” That joke often told in all the top ten most weather confused cities.
Interestingly enough, three cities in big-ole Texas make this list based on the 2018 Google Trends searches. Here are the top ten cities that seem to be the most confused about the weather.
1. Philadelphia
Google Trends score 100
2. Omaha, Neb.
Google Trends score 97
3. Portland, Ore.
Google Trends score 97
4. Austin, Texas
Google Trends score 90
5. Denver
Google Trends score 87
6. Boston
Google Trends score 77
7. New York City
Google Trends score 76
8. Charlotte, N.C.
Google Trends score 71
9. Houston
Google Trends score 71
10. Plano, Texas
Google Trends score 70
It’s not that the weather is terrible in any of these cities, it just tends to change drastically, making it tough for gardeners, wedding planners, and farmers. An unexpected change in the forecast is not only inconvenient, but it’s also costly. Cities like Denver have to dig deep into their reserve budget to pay for extra snow removal and road maintenance. Taxpayers in Philadelphia will fork out more than a million dollars for frozen and broken water-mains in 2018. An early or late snowfall can cost you on added heating bills and lost plants and tree limbs.
The Most-Predictable Cities
It’s no surprise many young couples choose Honolulu as a destination wedding site or that the flowers are plentiful and the people are happy. The average temperature there is 77-degrees and fluctuates only about 6-degrees. As for the rest of us battling extreme heat and frigid temperatures? Maybe we should bring our plants in and leave them in year-round.
Need additional help with your yard when the weather confuses you? Visit our lawn care page for more info!
