Race to the White House: Rain in Forecast Could Keep Democrats at Home*

Atlanta, GA (Vocus) October 29, 2008 -- The Weather Channel Interactive (www.weather.com) today launched a new online resource of weather information affecting the 2008 presidential election. Available at www.weather.com/election, users can find out what the weather will be along the campaign trail for the major party presidential candidates, at local polling locations across the country, and in battleground states on Election Day.

Weather is often a factor in whether voters ultimately cast ballots. While this year’s election is expecting a record number of voters, historically the voter turnout has been lower when weather interferes on Election Day. For example, research has shown that in the event of bad weather, Democratic Party voters are more likely not go to the polls, according to a 2007 Journal of Politics study. The new site also highlights three weather scenarios each that Barack Obama and John McCain do not want to see happen on Election Day.

In addition to tracking the weather locally on Election Day, the new Web site keeps up with forecasts in some of the battleground states including Ohio, Florida and others that may ultimately have an effect on which candidate moves into the White House in January 2009.

Other features on the new site include an election countdown, a quote of the day regarding the election, resources on early and absentee voting, and up-to-date news on the candidates and the election overall.

On television, The Weather Channel will also keep up with the election during the “Candidates in Climate” broadcast segment. Every weeknight on Abrams & Bettes – Beyond the Forecast from 7-8 p.m. ET, Stephanie Abrams and Mike Bettes will discuss on-air the weather forecasts and climate issues the major party presidential tickets are facing with regular updates leading up to Election Day. The network will also air live shots from New York, Chicago and Atlanta on Election Day and night to talk about weather and voting across the nation. For more information, please visit www.weather.com.

* http://climate.weather.com/articles/electionday091708.html?page=1

Contact:

Melissa Medori

The Weather Channel

mrmedori @ weather.com

770-226-2191    

About The Weather Channel Interactive (www.weather.com):

The Weather Channel Interactive (TWCI) is the leading provider of broadband and wireless weather products including weather.com, The Weather Channel Desktop and The Weather Channel Mobile. weather.com, the Web site of The Weather Channel, is the ultimate source of weather on the Web helping users plan their lives by delivering timely current conditions, expert forecasts and relevant lifestyle content for 98,000 location IDs worldwide. TWCI reaches more than 35 million unique users online each month and is the most popular source of online weather, news and information according to Nielsen//NetRatings. TWCI also provides consumers with unique and customizable products such as Desktop Weather, toolbars, extensions, widgets, gadgets, and a full lineup of mobile services including downloads, messaging, mobile Web, and mobile video. Other TWCi sites include forGetaway.com, a vacation home rental site, Forecast Earth, a site dedicated to the discussion of climate change, and a series of international sites, including weather.co.uk, meteo123.com, wetter123.com, canaldotempo.com and weather.com/espanol.

For more information on The Weather Channel Companies, including press releases, images, executive information and backgrounders please visit www.weather.com/press.

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