The National Center for Public Policy Research, a think tank, believes that a trained chimpanzee has a greater likelihood of predicting hurricanes than the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Dr. James Hansimian, a chimpanzee, predicts that there will be between 6 and 8 name-worthy storms in the Atlantic this season.
The NOAA has been wrong, according to the think tank that hired the chimp, “three out of the last four years – or 75% of the time,” said David Ridenour, vice president of The National Center for Public Policy Research. “We think our chimp can do better. He hasn’t been wrong so far. Of course, this is his very first hurricane season forecast.”
I once ran a comparison of National Weather Service forecasts with those of the Farmers’ Almanac, and thought the NWS analysis was better (free, as it was, of the long-range, fixed planning and consequently vague predictions of the FA.)
If, however, a chimp can best the NOAA on hurricane forecasts, perhaps one could best the NWS on daily weather forecasts, too.
Here’s a video of the chimp using his current methodology:
Here’s the link to the video: Dr. Hansimian’s Hurricane Forecast.
Go, chimp, go!