Editorial explainer · September 27, 2026
How to read the source record
By Shredminder · Publication methodology
A resort report collected this morning may still describe the end of last season. A buoy observation may be recent but describe a station miles from the beach. Reading a conditions page starts with knowing what a number represents.
Three different clocks
The source time is when the original provider reports or observes the conditions. Collection time is when we retrieved that information. Forecast validity is the period an expected condition applies to. We keep these clocks separate because a successful download does not make the underlying information new.
Unknown has a meaning
A blank snowfall field does not mean no snow fell. A report without an update time does not prove conditions are current. We preserve those gaps and link to the original source so readers can make an informed choice.
What a source bulletin preserves
Each automated bulletin records the normalized facts available when a collection completes, with timestamps and source links. Its comparison describes changes between stored source records, not necessarily changes that happened outdoors at the collection time. A first capture establishes a baseline.
Go back to the primary source
Resort operators remain the authority on their operations. NOAA and the National Weather Service remain the sources for their observations, predictions, forecasts, and warnings. Our role is to organize those records and make their limitations visible.