Weather forecasts, good or bad

[monty]

I have just checked the BBC's weather forecast for Liverpool/Ormskirk today, sunny with occasional cloud (this is straight from the Met Office as well), yippee nice day ahead apart from one thing, its pissing down outside. Back in April, when the brief summer arrived we were told that this year record temperatures were likely and a drought an almost certainty, yes they got that one wrong as well. So if they can't get the long term right or the short term either what bloody good are they.

This begs the question as to whether or not the millions being spent on space weather observation, as far as the UK is concerned because we can't see hurricanes either, is worth it, the old chrone with her dried out tea bag as a better track record.

Do you think that the weather service we receive in this country is accurate, adequate or valued for money?

How many times in your experience have they got it wrong for major events like weddings, sports meetings etc.

 

[Welton Toffee]

I swear they just make the weather forecasts up.

Back in May, me and a few mates had organised a trip to Trent Bridge to watch some county cricket. Now, the day before, all the weather forecasts were saying it was going to piss it down all day. We thought about not going, but seeing as it was nice when we got up we decided to risk it and go. We had a brilliant day, great cricket, really hot and sunny. We would have been so pissed off if we'd listened to the forecast and not gone.

 

[SuitsBlue]

performance related pay.

that will make them get it right.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

You get what you pay for with forecasting. The professional forecasters are usually very accurate but they cost a fair whack.

 

[monty]

When I got up this morning it was pouring down and had been for best part of the night, weather forecast basically said, cloud, what cloud.

Actually Bruce surely you couldn't be more professional than the Met Office, or do you know differentlY? :huh:

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Check this out Monty - http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9046580 - there are companies offering subscriptions for $90,000 p/a to big companies that rely heavily on getting the weather right for energy trading etc.

 

[atrottel]

They're pretty good over here (two days and under - anything else is guesswork) even though they have a lot of swirling airmasses and mountains to deal with...

 

[chicoazul]

The weather forecasters are excellent here, usually accurate for three days. Anything beyond that has so many variables its not worth it.

But then the forecasters need to be good with the imminent threat of hurricanes.

 

[monty]

The weather forecasters are excellent here, usually accurate for three days. Anything beyond that has so many variables its not worth it.

But then the forecasters need to be good with the imminent threat of hurricanes.

as you are well aware we even miss hurricanes!

 

[chicoazul]

Its Britain. If we didnt have the weather to moan about then society would crash and burn.

 

[monty]

Its Britain. If we didnt have the weather to moan about then society would crash and burn.

Its not the weather, its the bloody inept forecasts, you can do nothing about the weather but would appreciated a chance to plan for whats coming!

 

[Latch]

Back in 1987, Michael Fish announced that the night would be windy but that it was nothing to worry about, what followed became known as " The storm of the Century".
The whole country came to a standstill, Buildings were demolished, tree's were uprooted, and lightning strikes raged for hours, countless people lost their lifes that night.
These days the technology is better and as such the forecasts are more accurate, but it's impossible to predict the weather 100%.

 

[monty]

Back in 1987, Michael Fish announced that the night would be windy but that it was nothing to worry about, what followed became known as " The storm of the Century".
The whole country came to a standstill, Buildings were demolished, tree's were uprooted, and lightning strikes raged for hours, countless people lost their lifes that night.
These days the technology is better and as such the forecasts are more accurate, but it's impossible to predict the weather 100%.

What you say is only half right Latch. Fish denied that any hurricane was near, although a viewer had phoned in to warn him, and that time the French Met office had issued an all ships warning of an impending hurricane. Even then we were spending millions on space technology and they couldn't get that right!

 

[Latch]

What you say is only half right Latch. Fish denied that any hurricane was near, although a viewer had phoned in to warn him, and that time the French Met office had issued an all ships warning of an impending hurricane. Even then we were spending millions on space technology and they couldn't get that right!

i remember that night well Monty, the church across the road to where i lived at the time was struck by lightning and caught fire!

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

Having just checked where I'm going to in Italy I really really hope that http://www.accuweather.com/en/it/pe.../may-weather/216553?monyr=5/1/2012&view=table

are really rubbish at it. Off for 3 weeks and looking like about 3 days of sun, 3 kids in a caravan with it peshin' down is not a holiday.