Viewer-friendly long-range forecasts using Lezak's Recurring Cycle (LRC)

In recent years I have been making winter, spring, and summer forecasts on the air and on our station's weather blog using a unique tool for long-range prediction called Lezak's Recurring Cycle (LRC). In this presentation I will explain what the LRC is, how we use it, and show one of our special segments that have produced big ratings.

The LRC was named by readers of our Action Weather Blog. Through this blog, an increasing number of viewers have become interested in the LRC and its use in long-range prediction. We are currently doing extensive research on this theory with the end goal of proving that the LRC does in fact exist. I will talk briefly about the research that we are currently involved in. Here are the main aspects of the LRC:

• A weather pattern sets up every fall between October 1st and November 10th

• This weather pattern begins cycling, with several unique phases extending across a period that ranges from 35 to 75 days depending on the year.

• This series of phases repeats through the winter, spring, and early summer

• Every year produces a unique pattern with its own cycle length and phases

The LRC can be observed through long-wave troughs and ridges that set up in the early fall across the Northern Hemisphere and become the major “long term” troughs and ridges the rest of the season. After years of watching these weather patterns develop and cycle, we have developed a technique that allow our weather team to make accurate medium- and long-range forecasts. In my presentation I will present evidence for the LRC for this winter and for 2004-2005. I will then go into how I have used the LRC on the air at KSHB-TV and in our Action Weather Blog, how viewers respond to the concept, and how other broadcasters can utilize long range forecasts to pique viewers interest.