The Superior Express -

This week area residents received various forms of electronic communication warning of a winter storm expected to impact the area. Based on those warnings the printing schedule for this newspaper was changed. As we listened to the forecasts, we wondered what the Superior weather flag would have been telling early residents of the community.

The Superior weather flag served a useful purpose and was looked at daily by the people of the community just as today we turn on our radios or glance at our telephones for weather bulletins. The weather flag was not unique to Superior. All of the progressive pioneer towns had them when the towns’ populations grew large, say past the four or five hundred mark. For Superior, the weather flag pole was at the intersection of Fourth and Central. When the weather report arrived at the town’s telegraph station, it would be rushed to the man who had charge of the weather flag. Different colors of flags and different designs told just what was ahead

The pioneers knew the time of day to look for the weather flag. With few trees or large buildings, it could be seen from most anywhere in town.

While the method of delivering weather news may have changed. One thing has not changed. While the forecasters try to accurately predict what will happen, when it comes to weather there is always a measure of uncertainty. Sometimes the forecast is right, sometimes it isn’t. This week’s early forecast contained lots of uncertainty.