Paul, it could be local knowledge vice no local knowledge.
It all depends on who you get.
I stopped in Central Indiana on the way home from AirVenture a couple
years ago due to a line of tstorms. I spoke with a briefer in Terre
Haute who was very knowledgeable about local conditions and gave me a
good read on what was going on, which way to go for better conditions
and what to expect.