Bob CollinsMy idea for the Minnesota Fantasy Legislature a few years was only marginally successful. So I’m avoiding creation of the Minnesota Fantasy Weathercaster League, and News Cut this winter season will entertain itself with the Golden Snowball Award competition, which will be given on April 1 to the Twin Cities meteorologist who most closely predicts the official snow totals for a given storm.
Here are the rules:
(1) The rules are whatever we make up as we go.
(2) The weatherperson on duty at the start of the snow — as determined by looking out the window of the News Cut World Headquarters — will be the official meteorologist of record. For example, if the snow starts at 7 a.m., the 10 p.m. local newscast meteorologist won’t be entered into the particular storm’s competition (unless he/she/it makes a prediction at 7 a.m., of course).
(3) For purposes of scoring, the “average” of the meteorologist’s prediction will be the actual prediction. A 6-10″ prediction will be regarded as an 8″ prediction.
(4) Scoring will be based on nearness to the actual official National Weather Service observation for St. Paul at the conclusion of the snow event.
5) Eligible snowstorms will be determined by the official Golden Snowball Award committee.
(5) This is for fun. Some people sit in wooden boxes on lakes staring at a hole in the ice; some people invent games to get through winter.
Here’s the current lineup for this storm’s competition:
| Meteorologist | Prediction | Official |
| Augustyniak, Mike (WCCO) | 7-10" | 8.5" |
| Douglas, Paul (MinnPost) | 8-12" | 10" |
| Hammer, Patrick (KSTP) | 5-10" | 7.5" |
| Huttner, Paul (MPR) | 5-9" | 7" |
| Marler, Keith (KMSP) | 4-7" | 5.5" |
| Moldenhauer, Don (Bring Me The News) | 5-7" | 6" |
| National Weather Serivce | 7-11" | 9" |
Scoring:
a) A meteorologist will be awarded 10 points for coming within .10 of the official National Weather Service observation.
b) A meteorologist will be awarded 9 points for coming within .25 of the official National Weather Service observation.
c)A meteorologist will be awarded 8 points for coming within .50 of the official National Weather Service observation.
ca) (Update) A meteorologist will be award 7 point for coming within .75 of the official National Weather Service observation.
d) A meteorologist will lose 5 points for missing the official National Weather Service observation by 1-2 inches.
d) A meteorologist will lose 8 points for missing the official National Weather Service observation by 2-4 inches.
e) A meteorologist will lose 10 points for missing the official National Weather Service observation by more than 4 inches.
If you’ve got evidence of a prediction at the start of today’s storm by a meteorologist not listed above, kindly forward it to me.
