Fitz

The question is why. The Guardian story does not make it clear whether these are Met Office cuts or at the BBC's request. I suspect cuts as Met Office had to re tender for the BBC contract recently. Anything that takes a qualified meteorologist off the screen in favour of cheap eye candy or Sky style unseen voice overs is a retrograde step. Shame about Francis Wilson who is a meteorologist. As an educator I wish all this dumbing down would stop - oh for isobars and fronts. Even in the US they are allowed to refer to jet streams!

Thunderstorm with quite a lot of lightning and staedy rain as I was leaving for work. Moving NNW along the Chiltern escarpment. Humid and overcast in Amersham now. Idiot! Time of storm I just reported was 0745

Heavy rain and loud thunder. Lightning overhead in Amersham Bucks at my work location but storm seems to have passed over to theN in about 10 minutes. Still vry humid

Storm to NW about 3or 4 miles over or beyond Chiltern escarpment since 1950 or so lots of lightning and some rumbles. Steady rain now.