Okay, so let's have this conversation. I'll invite @ryanhallyall and @MaxVelocityWX to comment. I hope they do. Also, @AlabamaWXNet, @amarkowitzWX, and @MatthewCappucci, if you have any insight. But what the hell are we doing here? Since I took the CDM Chairmanship at @ametsoc, we have had complaints come in to usabout over-the-top graphics, from thumbnails to AI images. So, fine, I'll start because, frankly, I have nothing to really lose. My business isn't based on how many views I get, so I'm not afraid to say something. What meteorological reasoning supports the suggestion that a weak tropical disturbance, which could develop into our first hurricane if it intensifies ahead of the shear and dry air, could impact 1/3 of the United States, apparently up to the Northern Plains? Is the purpose of these images to educate, inform, or scare the heck out of people? Yes, you will get a lot of views doing this. Yes, I'm sure you'll get a lot of "followers (or bots)", but what about your integrity? Does that matter? So, since everyone complains about it but doesn't do anything about it, I'll jump in the fire and ask, WTH are you two doing? Feel free to bash me; I really don't care. Someone needs to call this out for the sake of digital meteorology. I've been in digital meteorology for 20 years. I've built a business focused on the NYC/PHL area and have clients that span decades and are growing! I have made a great living with my weather business, which is mostly on Social Media but based on subscriptions, not social media followers. Not ONCE in 20 years have I had to pull this nonsense where I have to highlight half the country in yellows and reds to get people's attention, so why do you? #wx

North Dakota is cooking tonight with this sunset! Absolutely beautiful colors with some surprise mammatus (which i poorly tried to get some pictures of) #ndwx