WUNDERGROUND, HOW COULD YOU?

The announcement on Monday that the Weather Channel Companies, owners of television’s Weather Channel and weather.com, would buy one of its rivals, Weather Underground, set off howls of displeasure on social media platforms and around water coolers across the nation. The purchase price was not disclosed.

In the eyes of Weather Underground’s ardent fans, the Weather Channel appears to represent the wrong kind of weather information: personality-driven sunniness and hype, they say, rather than the pure science of data. As Mike Tucker, a computer professional in New Hampshire, put it on Facebook, reacting to news of the deal: “Nooooooooooooooooo! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

My sentiments exactly.  If what is now a pure weather service does not become a commercial enterprise polluted with ads and personalities, I will be very surprised.  Wunderground has been our mainstay for weather information, especially during hurricane season.  I can hardly bear to watch The Weather Channel, and I never visit the website.

I especially liked the "Discussion" feature, although I did not always fully understand the lingo.  Wunderground was for people who were serious about weather and not looking for entertainment in their weather reports. So long, Wunderground.  It's been good to know you.