Then June 1st came and went, and, as anyone who has called the weather line at 202-936-1212 knows, the announcement is still there…and so is the weather forecast. There’s been no official update from Verizon on the future of the weather line, but Washington Post Metro columnist John Kelly gave us all hope when he reported on May 31 that Verizon was in talks with Keith Allen, the contractor who provides the weather service (a/k/a “the gravelly voiced man”) to keep the service alive. There are various rumors floating around: that the Washington Post might step in to become the sponsor, or that another company might take over, or that Verizon would decide to keep the weather service as is. John Kelly revealed that the service costs Verizon a mere $800 per month.
Now we’re midway into June, and the initial announcement about the June 1st demise of the service is still there, but when the recorded weather forecast plays, you can hear two subtle signs that it’s alive and well and have hope that it will stay that way. Clue #1: The recording now ends with a reminder that Maryland and Virginia callers need to dial the 202 area code before dialing 936-1212. Why bother to add that information if the service is soon to end? Clue #2 is that there was a new weatherman on one morning. He said his name but I didn’t write it down, but I'm feeling a bit of confidence that he wouldn't be hired just for a few weeks.
Neither of these developments is any kind of proof that we can rest assured that the weather line is here to stay. It would still be good for all who love and use the weather line to let Verizon know how you feel. Send an email to Verizonweatherofdc@verizon.net to show your support!
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