Weather forecasting, a “meteorologist” once said, is a science.

“Horsefeathers,” said another.  “It’s guesswork based on ever-changing conditions.  Even consistent conditions produce inconsistent results.”

On Monday, the forecasters at The National Weather Service office in Blacksburg predicted a solid week of rain starting Tuesday with a possible break on Sunday before more rain next week.

This morning, the forecast changed.  Now the outlook is rain today, less rain Wednesday and less than 20 percent on Thursday with downfalls of wet stuff increasing for Friday through Sunday then 20 percent chance next Monday and mostly sunny days Tuesday and Wednesday next week before thunderstorms descend on the area Thursday and continue though the Memorial Day weekend.

That’s the forecast, if one can call any prognostications about the weather a “forecast.”  All of the Doppler radar and computer “models” are useless because Mother Nature is a fickle bitch who changes her mind constantly.

Which may be why folks depend on amatauer weather prognosticators like Kevin Myatt at The Roanoke Times or Little River Supervisor Linda DeVito Kuchenbuch for best guesses on what will or will not happen.

Myatt, who works on the copy desk at The Times also writes a weather column because that is his hobby.  Kuchenbuch posts her forecasts on Facebook.  Both are often quoted as the source of information for what will happen with Mother Nature.

Neither are “meteorologists” but they are as often more correct than those who claim to be experts in the field.