The Weather

[138go]

So the BBC says light rain and a gentle breeze in Oliva ( Spain ) this morning. They are certainly wrong. We have lots of rain, thunder and lightning. With all their expensive computers and weather models you would have thought they could be right occasionally.

 

[Jenowen]

BBC weather been wildly inaccurate all week (for Spain). Forecast of gentle breeze in actual fact was strong winds resulting in all our fellow campers near Vinaros hurriedly dismantling awnings! Shades of Michael Fish again!
As you say, how do they get it so wrong?

 

[BobtheBass]

Years ago I was fishing in Swansea Bay off the Mumbles when the weather deteriorated quickly with wind, rain and low visibility. We couldn't get back to the marina until the tide flooded so sat it out, but all the time we were there Swansea Coastguard, who were based not a mile away from us were broadcasting on the marine radio that the weather was warm, sunny, dry with good visibility! Oh how we enjoyed ourselves shouting at the radio "look out of the window you morons!" On a serious note, the last year I owned a fishing boat no less than seven times I drove the 100 miles to Swansea on the promise of a good weather forecast only to find it was too rough to get out to sea. That finished me off with boat owning but could have caused all sorts of danger for others less prudent.

 

[Jenowen]

Accuweather does seem to have a slightly better level of accuracy we’ve found.

 

[AndrewL]

BBC Weather now gets its data from a less reliable source. I would always check with the Met Office site.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[hilldweller]

With all their expensive computers and weather models you would have thought they could be right occasionally.

You just don't get it do you.

The BBC is fine, the weather got it wrong.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

If the BBC can’t forecast the UK weather with a moderate degree of accuracy how are they going to know about conditions miles away in Europe?

 

[Burgo]

If yiu are in Spain use AEMET and select your nearest town. Its the national service and very accurate even on the hour by hour forecasts. You can also view the rain radars as well. Recommended. http://www.aemet.es/en/eltiempo/prediccion

 

[Jaws]

You would think they could just ring up someone local and get them to look out of a window !
I know a well known beeb weatherman .. He readily admits for all their high tech it is still basically a 'best guess' scenario

 

[AndrewL]

If the BBC can’t forecast the UK weather with a moderate degree of accuracy how are they going to know about conditions miles away in Europe?

At the risk of sounding pedantic, the BBC don't forecast - they broadcast forecasts based on the data they buy. Sadly they no longer buy the more reliable data from the Met Office.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Was the met office ever reliable?

 

[bobandjanie]

In Javea we was on red alert, but it missed us this time, but they still built the wall. Bob.

 

[pappajohn]

Supposedly, UK weather forecast is about 80% based on historical data.
If it rained on this day so many times in the last 100 years there more chance than not it will rain today.
Scientific data more or less just confirms it.

 

[AndrewL]

Was the met office ever reliable?

I said "more reliable" but I do believe the Met Office provide the met reliable data. In the end, just as with any kind of forecast, outcomes can go a different way.