Granny vs. the Weather Bureau (final part)

On the evening of March 25, 1964, millions of Americans sat down in front of the televisions to watch The Beverly Hillbillies. Granny was in a battle with the U.S. Government over weather forecasts. Granny claimed to be more accurate than the Weather Bureau despite their communications, simultaneous global observations, satellite images, balloon releases and computer models.

Jed goes to see Addison to calm the feud. He tells the weather forecaster the problem is with Daisy. “You mean Hurricane Daisy?” “That’s the one.” Addison says, “Daisy is beginning to give us trouble. The U.S. Weather Bureau has started tracking her. And there is no estimate as to the damage she might do if she moves north.” Jed replies, “Oh, she ain’t gonna move north, I can assure you.” Addison goes on to say, “We cannot ignore a force as dangerous as Hurricane Daisy. But we are going to try something new with Daisy. We are going to fly over her with high altitude jet bombers, the buggest in the Air Force. We are going to drop silver iodide and dry ice right into the eye of Daisy.” Jed stands and says “Government or no government, I can’t let you do that.” Addison is taken back. “Are you some kind of hurricane lover,” he asks. “Daisy is a violent, destructive force that is unpredictable,” reasons the forecaster. “I grant you all that,” says Jed, “but she’s still my mother in law.

The weatherman comes to the Clampett to show a movie about modern weather forecasting, 1964 style. The documentary shows how weather reports are gathered and communicated instantly. They provide the basis for modern weather forecasting. Radiosonde balloons are launched simultaneously around the world to give a picture of the upper atmosphere. To this Granny laughs out loud. “Ha! They’re playing with balloons instead of looking for signs.” Pressure, temperature and wind are plotted on map segments and combined to produce a huge map of simultaneous observations. But now there is a revolution. Electronic computers can analyze the data and predict tomorrow’s weather map. The movie explained how the 19 inch high, 42 inch in diameter TIROS that weighs 280 pound was being used. Granny retorts, “That TIROS may be big, but he ain’t half the beetle Cecil is.” After the movie, Addison explains how far the science has come from the realm of superstition and coincidence. “It enables me to say with complete confidence that it will not rain tonight.” Mr. Drysdale asks Granny what she thinks. “You better get your convertible under cover ‘cause it’s gonna rain in one minute,” she predicts. Addison pleads with her, “Hasn’t this evidence convinced you that my prediction is the current one?” even as it begins to pour rain. Later, Granny teaches a lesson in weather signs to Addison, even giving him her beetle, which he uses the next day to make the weather forecast.