Wikipedia:WikiProject Tropical cyclones/Force Thirteen
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Some WikiProject Tropical cyclones members have complained about the YouTube channel Force Thirteen, whose team creates content about tropical cyclones and other weather-related subjects.
Force Thirteen cannot be used on Wikipedia, as they are an unreliable and self-published source, and often creates content that differs from, or opposes official information from reliable WMO-affiliated and/or government meteorological services.
Reasoning
editAnyone can start a YouTube channel or Facebook account, and we do not accept such self-published sources. As per WikiProject Tropical cyclones consensus, information on storm and season articles must come from the storm's respective Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC).
As a WPTC member stated:
Force Thirteen is not a reliable source. Anyone can start a YouTube channel or Facebook page, and we do not accept such self-published sources. Please adhere to the official opinion of the National Hurricane Center; consensus of WikiProject Tropical cyclones has always been to do so. Any post-season changes will be published in an official best track; unless and until such a reanalysis changes intensities or storm classifications, please do not change any of that.
Force Thirteen itself supports this position and has urged its followers not to add its content to Wikipedia, stating that that its own data "should not supersede" that from RSMCs.
This is supported by the fact that many Force Thirteen analyses differ significantly from official analyses. For example, the channel analyzed Hurricane Jova (2023) as peaking with winds of 185mph and a minimum pressure of 902mb. But in their tropical cyclone report, the NHC stated that Jova peaked with winds of 160mph and a minimum pressure of 926mb.
Accepted sources
editInstead of Force Thirteen, the following sources may be used instead.
- Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres – all information on a storm's intensity (pressure and winds) and other parameters (such as movement) must come only from the RSMC/TCWC in charge of the system: NHC, CPHC, JMA, IMD, MFR, BMKG, BoM, PNG NWS, FMS or NZMS even if other sources disagree, with the following exceptions.
- The Joint Typhoon Warning Center for 1-minute sustained winds (and no other parameters, including central pressure) in basins not monitored by the CPHC or NHC
- Direct meteorological observations
Notwithstanding the above, information on storm impacts and preparations, as well as additional commentary, may be sourced from:
- Government meteorological services
- Established reliable sources
- Qualified expert information
- Reliable news sources (per WP:RS)
These are further outlined in the essay on acceptable sources and a full list of usable resources in writing articles is available in the project resources list.