Professor Abell was warmly received for his "pragmatic" stance on his forecasting, evidenced by his signature phrase: "I can't rule it out"; forthright with his listeners, Abell lays out the evidences he has for his forecast and the rationales for his conclusions. In addition to computer-generated weather models, Abell draws upon "years and years and years of experience", and is more inclined to rely on his instinct as opposed to the computer when the two forecasts diverge. The alternative weekly the "Riverfront Times" (RFT) in 2000 awarded Abell as "Best Meteorologist". St. Louis city Mayor Clarence Harmon proclaimed February 2, 2000 as Ben Abell Day.