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Winter storm warning in Washington: What to expect and answers to frequent questions
* Winter storm warning for areas along and west of Interstate 95 in D.C. area, including the District, 7 p.m. Monday to 2 p.m. Tuesday | Winter weather advisory in Stafford, Charles, Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties | School closures and delays *
(This post, originally published at 11:50 a.m., was updated to include Capital Weather Gang’s winter storm impact scale ratings at 1:30 p.m. It was updated at 2:45 p.m. to add several new graphics, and information on wind speeds at the bottom. It was refined at 6:20 p.m. based on the latest forecast information.)
A powerful Nor’easter developing tonight in the Mid-Atlantic promises to deliver every type of winter precipitation imaginable across the metro region. Heavy snow is likely to plaster our far north and west areas. A mix of accumulating snow, sleet and rain will hit the District and close-in suburbs, while our southern and eastern areas see more cold rain with some sleet and snow mixed in.
Precipitation will move into the region between about 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. but should not cause problems for the evening commute, given temperatures above freezing.
NAM model simulation of Nor’easter in Mid-Atlantic.
Overnight, conditions will vary considerably over short distances. By dawn, you may only have to travel 10 miles to go from 5 to 10 inches of snow to very little. Tuesday morning’s commute is likely to be a mess, with heavy snow in our colder areas and a sloppy mix in the immediate metro.
The snow amount forecast is extremely complex as, after a period of snow this evening, the rain-sleet-snow line is likely to set up right along or just west of Interstate 95 in the middle of the night.
The Weather Service described the uncertainty in the exact location of the rain-sleet-snow transition zone as “tremendous” in its morning discussion.
Areas that are likely to fall north and west of the rain-snow line should experience at least 6 inches of heavy snowfall. This includes much of Loudoun and Frederick counties and northern Montgomery County.
Snowfall amounts may then decrease rapidly as you go farther south. We have bumped down snowfall totals in the immediate metro area for the second time in the past day as the likely storm track has shifted closer to the coast, which will draw in more mild air.
Inside the Beltway, 2 to 4 inches of snow and sleet is most likely, with amounts quickly increasing to the north and west, and decreasing to the south and east.
In our colder north and west areas that see heavy snowfall, the weight of the snow on trees that have flowers and are leafing, combined with strong winds late at night, could lead to power outages.
Timing and storm evolution
6 to 9 tonight
Precipitation should begin to develop in the region between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., from south to north. It may start briefly as rain but should change to snow quickly in most areas. With temperatures above freezing initially, we don’t expect travel problems for the evening commute.
HRRR model simulation between 8 p.m. and midnight.
9 p.m. to midnight
Once the snow gets going, temperatures should quickly fall to near freezing between about 9 p.m. and midnight, except near the Bay and Southern Maryland. Some snow accumulation could begin in our colder areas by around 10 p.m. and probably closer to 11 p.m. or midnight in the immediate metro region.
Midnight to 3 a.m.
Between midnight and 3 a.m., an area of mixed precipitation (sleet and some rain) will try to advance toward the metro region from the southeast as the snow is really picking up in intensity. The big question is how far northwest it moves. It is likely that areas inside the Beltway will mix with or change to sleet, rain, or freezing rain for a period of time. But before any changeover, a quick one to three inches of snow is possible. Temperatures hover around freezing.
Farther to the northwest, the changeover to sleet and freezing rain overnight is less certain, although some mixing with sleet is a good bet even into upper Montgomery County and eastern Loudoun County. In areas well south and east of Washington, mixed precipitation becomes all rain in this midnight to 3 a.m. window.
NAM model simulated radar between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. overnight.
3 a.m. to 6 a.m.
Between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., mixed precipitation is likely in the immediate metro area, rain in Southern Maryland and along the Bay, and heavy snow from northern Fauquier County through central Loudoun County and northwest Montgomery County (and to the north and west). The snow may really pile up in these colder areas during this window, with snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour.
In the mix zone in the immediate metro region, accumulating sleet is possible — although some areas could change to freezing rain or plain rain while others see snow. Temperatures will be near freezing, so it’s going to be a sloppy mess.
6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
In the immediate metro area, heavy mixed precipitation may change back to snow. Some additional accumulation of an inch or two is possible — although this is low confidence. This window coincides with the morning commute and slick roads and reduced visibility are possible. Our far southern and eastern areas may also see the rain switch to mixed precipitation, but accumulation, if any, should be minimal.
Snow will continue in colder areas to our north and west, where roads are likely to be snow-covered and travel difficult.
GFS model simulation of storm between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. Tuesday.
9 a.m. to noon
Steady snow and/or mixed precipitation should taper off from southwest to northeast. Not much additional accumulation is likely in this window due to temperatures edging upward and the high March sun angle.
The afternoon and evening
Widely scattered, intermittent snow showers may cycle into the region from the north. They may briefly reduce visibility and/or add on a coating in some areas, but generally shouldn’t amount to much.
Afternoon temperatures should rise above freezing except in our colder areas, but will drop back below freezing at night — so wet and slick spots could turn icy.
Storm impact analysis
Using Capital Weather Gang’s Winter Storm Impact Scale, which rates storms on a scale from 1-5, we see a wide range of classifications in the D.C. region because conditions are going to vary over such small distances.
Immediate metro area rating
Inside the Beltway, where we’re predicting roughly 2-4 inches of sleet and snow, this storm rates as a Level 2 “disruptive storm.” The amount of snow we’re expecting isn’t huge, but as temperatures will be near freezing and wintry precipitation is likely to impact Tuesday morning’s commute, this storm is likely to cause enough complications in the region to merit this rating.
North and west suburbs rating
In northern Fairfax County, southern and central Montgomery County, and northern Prince George’s County, where temperatures will be colder and 3-7 inches of sleet and snow are likely, this storm rates slightly higher as a Level 3 “significant” storm. Some roads are likely to be snow-covered and slick and school closures are likely in this area.
Far north and west areas rating
In northern Fauquier, Loudoun, Frederick, and northern Montgomery County, where 6-12 inches of snow are expected, this storm rates as a Level 4 “major” storm. In these areas, snow will be heavy for an extended period of time leading to snow-covered roads and difficult travel. Widespread school closures are extremely likely in this area.
Answers to frequent questions
When will conditions be worst? The window from roughly 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. will be most challenging from the Interstate 95 corridor to the north and west. This is when temperatures will be near and below freezing. Along and close to Interstate 95, snow and mixed precipitation, heavy at times, will make for sloppy and slick road conditions. Farther to the northwest, heavy snow may make travel difficult if not impossible.
HRRR model forecast of temperatures from 8 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Where will conditions be worst? This is an easy one: Essentially the areas from northern Fauquier County to central Loudoun County to northern Montgomery County and to the north and west. This is where precipitation should remain mostly snow with heavy amounts in excess of eight inches a good possibility. The Weather Service calls this the “sweet spot or Goldilocks zone” for heavy snowfall in this storm.
When will conditions improve? After 8 or 9 a.m., as the heaviest bands of precipitation move off to the northeast, skies brighten and temperatures nudge up.
Will the snow stick? Yes, easily in our colder areas. Temperatures will drop to near 30, and the heavy snow intensity will allow the snow to pile up.
In immediate metro area and Interstate 95 corridor, assuming some heavier snow materializes before the switch-over to a wintry mix, temperatures should fall enough (to near freezing) for the snow to stick some, especially since the snow will be falling at night. Also, some accumulating sleet is possible. But there may not be a lot of snow buildup, especially in our normally milder areas such as downtown and near Reagan National Airport.
Will schools cancel Tuesday? We think school systems west of Interstate 95 have a good chance to close Tuesday.
[SchoolCast and FedCast for Tuesday, March 14, 2017]
Will flights be disrupted? The worst of the storm will occur overnight when air traffic is light. But there are likely to be some delays late tonight and Tuesday morning — not just because of conditions in Washington but due to heavy snow and wind that could shut down airports from Philadelphia to Boston.
[Blizzard warning from N.J. to Conn.; over a foot of snow in NYC]
Could this storm be more severe than forecast? Yes. If the storm shifts slightly eastward so that it can draw down more cold air, snowfall amounts would increase substantially in the immediate metro region and reach our “boom scenario.”
Could this storm be less disruptive than forecast? Yes. If the storm edges a little closer to the coast drawing in some milder air and temperatures tick up just slightly above what models are indicating, mostly sleet and rain would fall in Washington, with little or no accumulating snow. It is not out of the question for some areas to awaken to bare ground Tuesday morning, especially milder areas inside the Beltway and to the south and east. This is our bust scenario.
Why have your snowfall predictions in the immediate metro area fallen some? Since Saturday, model projections for the storm track have shifted ever so slightly to the west, closer to the coast. For a snowstorm, we’d want to see the storm forming over or just east of Cape Hatteras and tracking just east of Ocean City, Md. Instead, the models show it developing just inland of the Cape and then tracking right over Ocean City. This has pushed the likely position of the rain-snow line from east of Washington to over Washington.
NAM model forecast of storm track 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Will winds be bad? As the storm really start to crank early Tuesday morning, we may have a period of 30-40 mph gusts in the metro region. Near the Bay, gusts could exceed 40 mph. The combination of these gusty winds and sleet and snow may limit visibility. Also, in our colder areas where there is snow build-up on trees and powerlines, the wind will increase the risk of outages.
Trump’s First 100 Days: What we’ve learned about the GOP health-care bill
Here’s where things stand heading into Day 54 of the Trump administration:
The fate of Republicans’ health-care proposal is still up in the air.
But as of Monday, we know a lot more about what the plan would actually do.
The American Health Care Act — the GOP bill to revise the Affordable Care Act — would nearly double the share of Americans who are uninsured from 10 percent to 19 percent over the coming decade, according to a nonpartisan budget analysis released Monday. That comes out to 24 million more people who will go without health-care coverage over 10 years if the bill is enacted, including 14 million fewer insured next year alone.
These numbers came from the Capitol Hill’s official scorekeeper — the Congressional Budget Office — in a highly anticipated report. And they matter, primarily because lawmakers are already using them to decide whether or not to support the Republicans’ bill.
Here’s what else we learned from the analysis:
The bill would not just result in millions more people becoming uninsured. It would, in the long term, also slightly lower the cost of health insurance premiums. The CBO estimated premiums would rise 15 to 20 percent in the first year after the GOP bill is enacted, then fall by 10 percent on average after a decade.
The report also included some good news for deficit hawks. The AHCA would lower the federal budget deficit by $337 billion over 10 years by reducing Medicaid spending and government aid to help people to buy health plans, the CBO found.
These details matter greatly to moderate and conservative Republicans who are still deciding whether to support the legislation. To moderates, the projected spike in uninsured people is troubling. To conservatives, there are some things to like, including the deficit reduction.
President Trump had pledged that no Americans would lose coverage under a new health-care plan, and top White House aides rejected the CBO’s estimate. Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, called it “just absurd,” while Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said the numbers “defy logic.”
Soon, we’ll understand how this all shakes out. On Wednesday, the legislation heads to the House Budget Committee, one of just a few final steps before it goes to the House floor for its vote.
TRUMP WANTS EASIER WAY TO LAUNCH DRONE STRIKES
Trump has said it many times — he wants to defeat the Islamic State. It’s his top foreign policy priority. So, how does he plan to do it?
We got a clue Monday night thanks to one of our colleagues, who reported that Trump is seeking to roll back Obama-era rules on drone strikes to make it easier for the Pentagon to launch them anywhere in the world.
This news doesn’t just give us a look at Trump’s strategy, though. It signals what could become a major policy shift in where drone strikes take place and how decisions to launch them are made.
As our colleague wrote, the new Trump policy might relax or drop the current standard on civilian casualties, which “demands near-certainty that no civilians are killed or injured in U.S. raids or drone strikes outside conflict zones.”
Drafts of the policy would also shift final approval for individual strikes from the White House to the Pentagon and the CIA, and appear likely to scrap a standard that “potential terror targets outside war zones pose a continuing and imminent threat to Americans.”
TRUMP BUDGET WOULD MASSIVELY CUT FEDERAL WORKFORCE
One of Trump’s campaign slogans was his promise to “drain the swamp” — referring to Washington, D.C.
By swamp, he apparently didn’t just mean lobbyists.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, right, smiles as President Trump meets with members of his Cabinet at the White House on Monday. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
Trump’s budget proposal would order a “historic contraction of the federal workforce” echoing the draw-down that took place after World War II, our colleague reported ahead of the release of Trump’s budget Thursday.
These changes would “dramatically change how the federal government functions and its role in American society” if they are enacted, according to former White House officials. One former director of the CBO predicted the cuts would require a “wholesale triage of a vast array of federal activities.”
For Trump and his aides, it’s about overhauling the federal government to focus primarily on the military and national security while letting go of priorities in areas like housing, foreign assistance and the environment.
Follow the author @eliseviebeck.
DC-area forecast: Heavy snow and mixed precipitation to sweep through metro Monday night into Tuesday
* Winter storm warning for areas along and west of Interstate 95 in D.C. area, including the District, 7 p.m. Monday to 2 p.m. Tuesday *
TODAY’S DAILY DIGIT
A somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10.
5/10: Much of the day is quiet and chilly before the siege of snow and wintry mix tonight.
EXPRESS FORECAST
Today: Increasing clouds. Highs: 40-45.
Tonight: Snow and mixed precipitation, heavy at times. Lows: 29-33.
Tomorrow: Morning snow then afternoon snow showers, blustery. Highs: 33-37.
View the current weather conditions at The Washington Post headquarters.
FORECAST IN DETAIL
Today we brace for a major late-winter storm set to begin this evening and continue into Tuesday. Depending on where you live, moderate to heavy amounts of snow could fall or a sloppy mix of snow, sleet and rain. The heaviest snowfall is expected to occur in our far western and northern areas, but the storm will likely will prove disruptive for much of the region through at least Tuesday morning.
We want to stress that this forecast is extremely complex and we have lower confidence in predicted snow amounts than usual. This is especially true along and east of the Interstate 95 corridor where we have reduced our predicted snowfall amounts some.
Starting Wednesday, in the wake of the storm, the region is locked into a winterlike regime with colder-than-normal temperatures through the weekend.
Programming note: We will post a new, detailed update on the storm threat late morning at washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang
Today (Monday): Through at least midday we expect partly to mostly sunny skies. Clouds increase this afternoon but we should stay dry through at least 5 p.m. or so. Temperatures are chilly, but slightly milder than they were over the weekend, with highs 40-45. Winds are light at around 5-10 mph, initially from the northeast and then backing to out of the southeast. Confidence: Medium-High
Tonight: Light snow or mixed precipitation, especially around the District and to the south and east, begins between 5 and 10 p.m., from south to north. When the precipitation begins, it should be light and temperatures will be well above freezing. In other words, we don’t expect slick roads for the commute home.
Between 8 p.m. and midnight, precipitation should starting picking up in intensity while temperatures edge close to freezing. In our colder areas toward Loudoun County and northern Maryland, snow accumulation may begin. Elsewhere, snow or mixed precipitation may not accumulate much in this window.
The best chance for accumulating snow will occur after midnight and toward the pre-dawn hours. Along and to the east and southeast of Interstate 95, the snow may alternate and mix with sleet and rain, limiting accumulations some. Across the entire region, the precipitation may be quite heavy, and temperatures should fall into the upper 20s in our coldest areas to the low 30s elsewhere. Confidence: Low-Medium
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates. For related traffic news, check out Dr. Gridlock. Keep reading for the forecast through the weekend …
High-resolution NAM model simulated radar at 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Tomorrow (Tuesday): Snow is likely through at least midmorning, affecting the commute. It could continue steadily through midday in our northern areas. In most of the region, any mixed precipitation should become all or mostly snow during the morning as the storm winds up and draws in colder air. Especially early on, there may be areas of heavy snow. Into the afternoon, steady, accumulating snow is likely over in most spots and skies should brighten, but occasional snow showers could continue to cycle in from the north. It’s blustery and cold with highs only in the mid-30s.
Total snow accumulations may vary substantially over short distances, but we expect generally around 3-6 inches inside the Beltway, with the potential for more north and west, and less south and east. Small changes in the storm track and strength could easily lead to lower or higher totals. Confidence: Low-Medium
Tomorrow night: Intermittent and scattered snow showers are possible through much of the night, but become less frequent toward morning. Widespread additional accumulation is not expected, but pockets of the region may experience an additional dusting to an inch. Any slush from the earlier snow will likely refreeze as lows dip into the low-to-mid 20s. Confidence: Medium
A LOOK AHEAD
Believe it or not, a few snow flurries or snow showers could linger into Wednesday morning. Skies should finally become partly sunny in the afternoon, but it’s windy and unseasonably cold, with highs only near freezing. Clearing and bitter cold at night, with lows 15-20, possibly colder in areas with extensive snow cover. Confidence: Medium
Finally some tranquility Thursday and Friday, but it’s still much colder than normal. Under partly to mostly sunny skies, highs are in the mid-to-upper 30s on Thursday, moderating into the low-to-mid 40s on Friday. Thursday night is another very cold one, with lows in the upper teens to mid-20s. Confidence: Medium-High
Cold weather will continue Friday night into the weekend and, at some point — most likely Saturday, a disturbance will pass through. Yes, it could bring more snow or rain showers. It probably won’t be a big deal, but it may prompt some folks to start begging to have spring back. Highs are generally near 40 with lows in the 20s to near 30. Confidence: Low-Medium
SNOW POTENTIAL INDEX
A daily assessment of the potential for at least 1 inch of snow in the next week, on a 0-10 scale.
9.5/10 (↑): While some parts of the region could see two inches and others more than ten, we think it’s pretty much assured everyone will see some Monday night into Tuesday.
Preet Bharara Shunned Politics. His End Was Tinged by Them.
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Republicans brace for CBO report of health care coverage
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Is Live Video the Future of Content Marketing?
In the weeks leading up to the launch of Facebook Live, reports circulated that Mark Zuckerberg was “obsessed” with live video. The fact that Zuckerberg pushed out live video on Facebook and Instagram within months of each other speaks to the truth in that story.
The leaders of Twitter followed by launching their own Periscope-powered live video feature in late 2016.
But what is it about live video that’s making social media giants clamber towards it with such haste? And more to the point, what does this all mean for content marketing?
Benefits of Live Video Marketing
According to research compiled by Twitter, live streaming an event increases brand favorability by 63 percent.
Furthermore, 80 percent of Livestream’s survey respondents prefer live video from a brand to social posts. In other words, the contemporary consumer is thirsty for live video.
The reasons for that thirst is no mystery. On the contrary, live video marketing has some tangible benefits for brands, individual marketers and consumers themselves.
Live Video Is Accessible
If you have a smartphone, you can go live to the world right now.
There are no technical requirements, and better yet, there’s no need to spend hours preparing the content — a point which I will prove later in this article.
Live Video Is Personal
Perhaps the greatest aspect of live video is its unique ability to cut through the forced professionalism and rehearsed facades we see in so many other content marketing mediums.
When you’re live, there’s no time to plan your next sentence, and there’s no script to help you handle questions and comments as they roll in. It’s just you — the real you.
Live Video Is Interactive
Live video empowers marketers to interact with their audience in a way that no other medium allows.
For example, you can take a question live on air from the comments section, answer it and then partake in some back and forth discussion with the questioner as the world watches on.
This enhanced level of engagement isn’t just great for attracting more social media comments, it also helps create a stronger and more personal bond between the streamer and the audience.
Live Video Evokes Urgency
There’s something about a live stream on social media that makes me want to tune in and stay watching — even if the streamer isn’t somebody I typically pay much attention to.
The numbers also prove that I’m not alone in this, as studies show that people spend 3X longer watching live video compared to video that is no longer live.
Live Video Can Be Ephemeral
Live video has all the benefits of being ephemeral (à la Snapchat) without actually having to disappear once the live fun stops.
Other than Instagram, all major social media platforms continue showcasing your videos on your feed long after the stream ends. Thus, there’s nothing to stop you from taking those previously live streams and using them for further content marketing later on.
You can transcribe them into blog posts, chop them up into small videos for YouTube or extract a small clip for your homepage.
Live Video Marketing Examples
Live video marketing may be the future, but it’s also the present. Here are some examples of live video working for content marketers today.
Enterprise Marketing With Live Video
Turkish Airlines became the first airline to broadcast a flight live on Periscope, giving viewers a sneak peek in the cockpit and other areas of the plane. According to Twitter’s case study, the live feed reached 4.5 million people and received 290,000 Periscope likes.
Car manufacturing giant General Motors also leveraged live video when it unveiled the first ever Chevrolet electric car at CES 2016. More than 57,000 people tuned in, resulting in just under 2,000 Facebook likes.
These two live video marketing campaigns perfectly exemplify the way live video can be used with very little preparation or investment. Both the Turkish Airlines flight and the Chevrolet presentation were going to happen anyway — the two brands simply set up a smartphone to stream it all.
Personal Branding With Live Video
Two big players in the personal branding space have made live video an integral part of their marketing strategies.
Tony Robbins, the self-improvement and business mentor, regularly appears on Facebook Live with the likes of Business Insider and Arianna Huffington.
According to a Robbins, “Facebook Live is one of my favorite tools at this stage. We get three-quarters of a million people [watching]. It’s like having your own show.”
Gary Vaynerchuk, the founder of VaynerMedia, is also an advocate for live video. He records many of his Ask Gary Vee shows on Facebook Live, with some episodes gathering over 450,000 viewers. Vaynerchuk also dabbles in impromptu QA sessions on Instagram Live.
From a personal branding perspective, live video marketing makes absolute sense. It further strips away any inauthenticity, promotes dialogue and makes the viewer feel closer to the streamer.
Where Are the Streams?
As previously mentioned, major social media platforms have high hopes for live video. But as usual, each one is approaching the trend in its own way.
If you’re looking to launch a live video marketing campaign, here are the most intelligent places to host your live feeds
Facebook Live
“[In a] few years from now, the vast majority of the content that people consume online will be video.“
That’s what Mark Zuckerberg claimed in 2016 at the Mobile World Congress, and just a few months later, his two platforms (Facebook and Instagram) were hosting live streams.
Today, Facebook’s algorithm looks favourably upon live video — which likely has something to do with the fact that Facebook users comment 10X more on live videos than they do on regular videos. As a result of this high engagement rate, Facebook recently announced that ads are coming to Facebook Live.
Snapchat
The unique role of Snapchat marketing in the enterprise space is now way too big to ignore.
Although you can’t technically go live on Snapchat, the app offers a unique halfway-house between live video and traditional video. Plus, the fact that Snapchat users share 9,000 snaps every second is reason enough to experiment with it.
With well over 600 million users, Facebook-owned Instagram is definitely worth streaming on.
Instagram borrowed (read: stole) its “Stories” feature from Snapchat, and then proceeded to go a step further by letting users stream live video that disappears once the stream ends. That makes it the only major platform to offer ephemeral live video by default.
YouTube
Although YouTube is the oldest video sharing platform on this list, it’s showing no negative signs of ageing.
In fact, internet surfers now watch more than 1 billion hours of YouTube video every single day.
As the mack daddy of the video scene (and, since it’s owned by Google), YouTube serves up three distinct ways to go live — providing more flexibility than all its live streaming competitors.
- Stream Now: the fastest way to go live via YouTube from a desktop machine.
- Event Streaming: if you want to live stream an event, this option gives you greater control of the live stream. For example, you can preview before you go live and configure backup redundancy streams.
- Mobile Streaming: this live streaming option is most comparable to the offerings of Facebook and Instagram. After a mobile live stream ends, an archive of the stream is saved to your channel and you have the option to edit the privacy setting (including setting it to private) or delete the archive.
Twitter is still struggling with its abuse and algorithm issues — but its $86M acquisition of the live streaming app Periscope has fused the two apps together to give Twitter users a faster way to start live streams. Like Facebook Live, Periscope allows for permanent playback after a live stream ends.
Furthermore, Twitter and its partners created 600 hours of live video content from a total of 400 events in the last quarter of 2016 — an indication that Twitter is gambling on live video to pull it out of the rut it finds itself in.
Content Marketing 2.0
Live video disrupting the content marketing scene in a way we haven’t seen in years — and thus, it’s ushering in the era of content marketing 2.0.
In this new era of content marketing, the consumer is in love with video that’s live, interactive and authentic.
It’s no longer enough to sit a CEO down in a well-lit studio to answer vetted questions with scripted answers. Today, good video content is live and spontaneous engagement sessions with your customers via Facebook Live. It’s giving the world a behind-the-scenes peek of your head office on Periscope. It’s documenting your entire corporate event on Snapchat.
Most importantly, it’s about connecting with your audience in the moment — as humans always have.
And here’s the kicker: unlike blog posts and pre-recorded webinars, over-preparation with regards to love video is a bad idea. Instead, live video performs best when it’s used to casually expose the raw personality of a brand in its natural habitat.
Don’t get me wrong, good old fashioned words will always be relevant — but a good content marketing strategy now absolutely requires live video.
4 Scientific (And Not So Scientific) Things To Know About Daylight Saving Time
At some point during my slumber tonight I am going to « lose an hour » of sleep. My scout leader wife was diligently emailing parents of Girl Scout Troop 1343 reminding them to set their clocks forward tonight so that they do not miss the meeting tomorrow. Here in Georgia, Daylight Saving Time(hereafter referred to as DST) starts Sunday, March 12th at 2:00 am and ends at 2:00 am on Sunday, November 5th. If you are interested in where it starts around the world, this website is useful. Professor Josh Durkee of Western Kentucky University suggested DST would be an interesting topic to write about, but I always want to increase science literacy with my discussion. Here are four scientific (and not so scientific) things you need to know about DST.
In this Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016 photo, Dan LaMoore sizes hands for an 8-foot diameter silhouette clock at Electric Time Co., in Medfield, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
There is no « s »: There is no « s » at the end of Saving though you will certainly hear people refer to it as « savings. » It has been suggested that the misuse of the term may evolve from the common usage of the term « savings » in daily vernacular.
The day is not actually longer: You will often hear statements like « the day will be an hour longer tomorrow. » The duration of a day is roughly 24 hours. The 24-hour solar day is how long it takes for a location on the earth to rotate under the sun from one point to the exact point. There is also a lunar day that is related to the tidal cycle (two low and high tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes). According to the NOAA ocean services website,
Lunar day is the time it takes for a specific site on the Earth to rotate from an exact point under the moon to the same point under the moon….The lunar day is 50 minutes longer than a solar day because the moon revolves around the Earth in the same direction that the Earth rotates around its axis. So, it takes the Earth an extra 50 minutes to “catch up” to the moon
The length of the day is the same, however, the number of actual « daylight hours » is adjusted. No daylight is actually saved in a physical sense. According to timeanddate.com
Less than 40% of the countries in the world use DST. Some countries use it to make better use of the natural daylight in the evenings. The difference in light is most noticeable in the areas at a certain distance from Earth’s equator.
There are scholarly studies of the « Pros and Cons »: A study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggested that the « loss » of the hour of sleep during the spring adjustment leads to increased risks of traffic accidents. Ironically, the study also used « savings » rather than « saving » (seriously). Other studies found that during DST, there are fewer fatal crashes because there is more « daylight » during busier evening travel hours. There is even scholarly research on the effects of DST on the human body. A 2008 study found an increase in incidences of acute myocardial infarction during the first three weekdays after the transition to Daylight Saving Time. Many studies have also explored how DST disrupts human circadian clocks.
Scott Craven writes in The Republic
A Nebraska legislator recently introduced a bill to end daylight saving time, citing health problems caused by setting the clock ahead. The state’s golf industry teed off, saying the loss of post-work daylight would put it in the weeds.
The stance by the golf industry highlights the perceived value of DST to many industries even as some studies find negative consequences. DST has long been touted as a measure to save energy. During the World Wars, it was used as a temporary measure to save energy. The argument stems back to Benjamin Franklin who proposed the idea in 1784. However the modern implementation came from New Zealander George Vernon Hudson, an entomologist, who suggested a 2-hour shift in 1895. Matthew Kotchen, a professor of economics at Yale University and past deputy assistant secretary for environment and energy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury wrote in the New York Times
daylight saving time exists in the United States and dozens of other countries, affecting more than 1.6 billion people worldwide. The argument….. is that changing the clocks — with a spring forward and fall back — will decrease energy consumption because more sunlight in the evenings will reduce the need for artificial illumination.
He goes on to cite a study that he was a part of that found that the time changes increased residential electricity consumption by a range of 1 to 4 percent in Indiana. They attributed this result to increased demand for heating and cooling. He concluded by stating
readers and policy makers should keep in mind (concerning DST)….there are certainly benefits, but energy savings is not one of them – a tradeoff to acknowledge as we enjoy an extra hour of sunlight on those long summer evenings.
Everyone doesn’t use it: In the United States, Arizona and Hawaii do not use DST. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 originally mandated the use of DST but the Energy Policy Act of 2005 allows states and territories to decide on implementation. Arizona cites a consistently hot, arid climate as its rationale for opting out though the Navajo Nation in Arizona does adhere to DST. Hawaii argues that their proximity to the equator limits the variability in sunrises and sunsets.
In the grand scheme of things, DST is not an issue that bothers me too much. I am more concerned these days about « actual » adjustments to our climate system. For now, let me go set the clocks before I forget. And oh by the way, here is a really cool website for calculating sunrise-sunset so that you know how many « hours of daylight » you can expect where you live.
National Weather Service
Sunlight at Boise, Idaho. Source: National Weather Service
Dr. Marshall Shepherd, Dir., Atmospheric Sciences Program/GA Athletic Assoc. Distinguished Professor (Univ of Georgia), Host, Weather Channel’s Sunday Talk Show, Weather (Wx) Geeks, 2013 AMS President
Calif. man carrying Mace arrested on White House grounds after scaling fence
A California man carrying two cans of Mace and a letter to President Trump about “Russian hackers” scaled a White House fence Friday night and neared an entrance to the presidential mansion before he was arrested, according to a court document.
The suspect — identified as Jonathan Tuan-Anh Tran, 26 — made it all the way to the exterior of the White House, which he walked alongside, and then hid behind a pillar before he was spotted and apprehended near the South Portico entrance.
The court document released Saturday evening omits any reference to alarms sounding and suggests that the first realization of an intruder was when a uniformed agent saw the suspect, up to 200 yards from where he entered. The U.S. Secret Service declined to answer questions about how the man penetrated so deep onto the White House grounds, citing an ongoing investigation.
In a brief statement earlier Saturday, the agency said the suspect had breached the outer perimeter.
A D.C. Superior Court judge ordered Tran detained through the weekend. He was charged with entering restricted grounds while carrying a dangerous weapon. Tran is expected to appear in federal court Monday. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The charges were upgraded from his initial arrest for unlawful entry.
Tran’s court-appointed attorney, Gregg D. Baron, asked that his client be released. But Judge Jennifer DiToro ruled him a flight and safety risk. Tran appeared wearing a blue zip-up sweatshirt, khaki jeans, a white T-shirt and glasses. He made no public statement.
A federal law enforcement official said Tran has no prior criminal record and had no previous history with the Secret Service. The official spoke on the condition of not being named to discuss information about the suspect that is not usually made public by police. Tran is from Milpitas, just outside San Jose.
Tran told a Secret Service officer that he has “been called schizophrenic,” according to the criminal complaint. He had the Mace in a jacket pocket and a book bag with a book on Trump, a U.S. passport and an Apple laptop, the complaint says.
On the computer, the Secret Service said it found a letter addressed to Trump discussing Russian hackers and that he had “information of relevance.” Tran alleged in the letter that he had been followed and that his phone and email were being read by others.
President Trump, who was in the residence at the time of the breach, said the “Secret Service service did a fantastic job last night,” and he described the suspect as a “troubled person.”
Surveillance video showed Tran jumping a fence near the Treasury Building on East Executive Avenue. He was arrested about 11:38 p.m. According to the criminal complaint, Tran told the arresting officer: “I am a friend of the president. I have an appointment.”
Friday night’s fence jumper is believed to be the first since Trump took office. In the previous two years, many people tried or succeeded in getting into one of the most secure residences in the world. Last year, the Secret Service added small spikes — or “pencil points” — to the top of the six-foot fence that surrounds the White House complex. The agency also announced a plan to raise the height of the fence to 11 feet by 2018.
Perhaps the most serious breach was on Sept. 19, 2014, when Omar Gonzalez climbed over the north fence and made his way deep into the White House. When he was finally tackled by an off-duty Secret Service agent in the ornate East Room, he was found to have a knife in a pants pocket. Two hatchets, a machete and 800 rounds of ammunition were found in his car nearby. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigned two weeks later.
After that incident, the Department of Homeland Security flagged as a serious concern that not all officers on the complex were aware or heard the alarm that should have alerted them to a jumper crossing the fence line. In that case, a fence alarm did sound, but several radio and communication failures prevented some officers from hearing it.
Recently departed Secret Service director Joseph Clancy had pledged to fix the vulnerabilities that allowed the 2014 jumper to get so close to the presidential family’s residence.
John Wagner contributed to this report.
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