LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – When it comes to forecasting the weather, accuracy is the most important. That’s why it is such a big deal that KARK 4 News has had the most accurate forecasts in central Arkansas for 11 straight years! KARK 4 News is certified most accurate by WeatheRate.

In this weather blog, I am going to explain what WeatheRate is, how it gets our forecast, and how it determines who is the most accurate.

What is WeatheRate?

WeatheRate is a company that verifies the accuracy of TV weather forecasts for the top 100 largest local TV markets across America. The markets range from number 1 (New York City) to number 100 (Greenville North Carolina). Little Rock is the 59th Largest TV market and the TV stations rated by WeatheRate are KARK 4 News, FOX 16 News, THV 11, and KATV 7 News.

How does WeatheRate know each T.V. station’s forecast?

Each day one of the meteorologists will submit their forecast. The forecast is for the next 4 days, and it includes temperatures, sky conditions, precipitation, and additional variables like wind, fog, and snow. Below is an example of a submitted forecast.

How does WeatheRate determine the accuracy?

According to WeatheRate: “WeatheRate employees review the four-day forecasts from local TV stations in major U.S. metropolitan areas. WeatheRate also obtains locally observed weather data. The forecast and observed weather data are fed into our patented software, WeatherTracker II, which compares the forecast with the actual observed conditions. Through a series of mathematical calculations, we determine which TV stations have the best daily, weekly, and monthly accuracy. Then, every March, we offer our seal of approval to the TV station that provides the most accurate weather forecasts in our WeatheRated Cities.”

At KARK 4 News, Chief Meteorologist Keith Monahan has been submitting the forecast Monday – Friday for the last 11 years. It’s no coincidence that KARK 4 News has been the most accurate in that time.

Meteorologist Alex Libby submits the forecast Saturday and Sunday. Meteorologist Julianna Cullen also submits forecasts when she fills in.

A lot of TV stations claim to be the most accurate, but KARK 4 News has been proven to be the most accurate by a 3rd party.