WEATHER SUBDUED

We’ll stop shouting, but we’ll still be speaking in Courier New. One step at a time.

— NWS (@NWS) April 12, 2016

— THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, WHICH IS PART OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (ALSO KNOWN AS NOAA), WHICH IS IN TURN PART OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL STOP USING ALL CAPS IN ITS FORECASTS. THIS WAS A CHARMING HOLDOVER FROM THE DAYS OF TELETYPE, AN ELECTROMECHANICAL TYPEWRITER THAT PEOPLE USED IN THE OLDEN DAYS, BUT WHICH TOOK NOAA 20 YEARS TO PHASE OUT. WEATHER REPORTS WILL NOW COME IN MIXED CASE, WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE IT WAS NICE THAT FOR A WHILE THERE EVEN OUR GOVERNMENT WAS SORT OF YELLING AT US ABOUT THE WEATHER. WILL FUTURE WEATHER EVENTS BE AS DRAMATIC AND SHOCKING? YOU BET YOUR ASS.