BBC TV Weather Forecasts

[Geordiesnow]

Oh but one thing I did notice in the joke of a lunchtime forecast was the return of the wind arrows! He said they were new, but they were really the old ones brought back. Don't know if it was just for the gales in Scotland or whether they will be making a regular return.

Actually they do seem 'new', they experimented with red wind arrows before i remember but i never seen the ones they have been using today on any previous forecasts.

Don't know about what anyone else think but the 'new' wind arrow graphics look more like shooting stars than wind arrows imo.

one other difference i noticed is that the font for the temperatures are slightly different than before or is it my eyes playing tricks on me?

[Geordiesnow]

It would be nice if weather broadcasts were alot more informative. For example, if a summer night is going to feel 'hot and sticky', explain the reasons why this is the case. Alot of moisture in the air would be a start, which is indicated by dewpoint and RH values, aswell as the temp itself. And, should next years Summer follow in the same fashion as these past three Summers (Low tracking Jet) then it would help if the forecaster took time to explain this in one of their forecasts.

Problem is though weather09, would the majority of viewers who watch the weather would even be all that bothered to know why summer nights are hot and sticky? For example how many non weather enthusiasts would even know what 'Dewpoint' means? And would they be all that bothered to know what it means? Probably not.

Another problem for forecasters these days is time, they don't have alot of time to present a detailed forecast like they would do on countryfile or weatherview. And tbh i blame the news presenters who waffle on instead of handing to the weather straight away and those pointless tours around the UK.

I think one of the aims was to make the forecasts simple to the viewer and therefore not to be off putting for them, i think people on here have to accept the majority of the viewers are not weather enthusiasts and all they want to know is the weather for there area and not the technical side of the weather.

Still, at least they do show some graphics to show the more technical side of the weather eg the explanation why the summer has been so wet by explaining that the jet stream(which some if not all forecasters also explained what the jet stream is) has been further South than usual and to have settled weather it should be to the North of Scotland.

Despite the negatives, i would watch BBC weather any day over any of the commercial channels. :lol:

[Coast]

One thing that someone knowledgeable could clear up for me.

Are the presenters actual forecasters i.e. they interpret raw data and give their own opinion in the broadcast? Or are they working to a MetO brief with most of the information already outlined and they add graphics and spiel to make it presentable for Joe Public? I know that they all have spent some time studying meteorology, but I'm not sure how much of each bulletin is their own research and how much is a fed to them by dedicated, 'back room' boys at Exeter?

[Harry]

One thing that someone knowledgeable could clear up for me.

Are the presenters actual forecasters i.e. they interpret raw data and give their own opinion in the broadcast? Or are they working to a MetO brief with most of the information already outlined and they add graphics and spiel to make it presentable for Joe Public? I know that they all have spent some time studying meteorology, but I'm not sure how much of each bulletin is their own research and how much is a fed to them by dedicated, 'back room' boys at Exeter?

Judging by their bios on the BBC website, most if not all are both qualified (degree or higher) meteorologists with either qualifications, or extensive training in forecasting.

My real bug bear with the BBC forecasts, other than their at times poor accuracy, is those graphics. I know we have complained on here enough to rot the tusks of a fit bull elephant, but they really must go! Vague doesn't cut it. I used to complain about the Sky News graphics...which the BBC ultimately ended up using for inspiration

[Thundery wintry showers]

Yeah there's a Q&A thing on the BBC site and he says his favourite weather is cold and snowy.

I think if we questioned the BBC forecasters on that, most of them would probably reveal themselves to be snow nuts. For example Helen Young, who had a "mild ramper" reputation, has long been a fan of skiing. Rob just doesn't hide it as well as the others. The issue of the BBC encouraging forecasters to preach "X is good, Y is bad" has been raised earlier and my stance on it is well established.

They are often used to be fair, as an example on today's 6.30pm news showing the building of the High Pressure.

With local weather forecasts, synoptic charts are shown more frequently now compared to before the graphics change.

I agree, and I think the local forecasts have certainly improved in recent years. It's the weekday national ones that I see as being the main problem at the moment, yes there are slow improvements going on but they are slow.

Judging by their bios on the BBC website, most if not all are both qualified (degree or higher) meteorologists with either qualifications, or extensive training in forecasting.

My real bug bear with the BBC forecasts, other than their at times poor accuracy, is those graphics. I know we have complained on here enough to rot the tusks of a fit bull elephant, but they really must go! Vague doesn't cut it. I used to complain about the Sky News graphics...which the BBC ultimately ended up using for inspiration :lol:

I think the graphics themselves aren't the problem, it's more how the BBC makes use of them. The local forecasts and the Countryfile forecasts are a good illustration of how well they can work.

I agree with much of what weather09 says re. more informative forecasts.

[Harry]

And one more thing, in the Met Office warnings (are included in BBC weather broadcasts), which need a major overhaul, they only warn of 'Heavy Rain/Snow' and 'Severe Gales'. Seriously, in a severe thunderstorm, rainfall amounts won't be as worrying as frequent CG lightning and/or marble-2p size hail, so when they put a warning out on a storm risk day, they should state all of the risks which will accompany an intense thunderstorm so people are better prepared. And, if there is a significant risk of a tornado (July 28 2005) then this should also be forecasted. It could save someones life.

Think this is a very good point! Despite there being half a dozen days this year, where tornadoes were a real possibility, or even 'likely', the MetO, BBC et al never put out tornado watches. It wouldn't hurt to say, "Chance of thunderstorms, some severe, risk of a tornado possible"...this is in part why, IMO, people are so surprised when I mention tornadoes and make reference to their frequency in the UK! The only time they crop up are on News bulletins, and only then about 5-10% of UK tornadoes make the national news!

As above, the impacts of moderate/large hail rarely get a mention in the forecasts either, which does seem rather stupid.

Severe weather warnings on the BBC more often than not are for "Heavy Rain"..."Thunderstorms" should carry their own rightful warning, and if forecasts were more descriptive/informative, the joe-public would know a "Thunderstorm warning" includes the threat of heavy/torrential rain, lightning, gusty winds, hail risk and maybe a tornado risk!

[Nick L]

Think this is a very good point! Despite there being half a dozen days this year, where tornadoes were a real possibility, or even 'likely', the MetO, BBC et al never put out tornado watches. It wouldn't hurt to say, "Chance of thunderstorms, some severe, risk of a tornado possible"...this is in part why, IMO, people are so surprised when I mention tornadoes and make reference to their frequency in the UK! The only time they crop up are on News bulletins, and only then about 5-10% of UK tornadoes make the national news!

As above, the impacts of moderate/large hail rarely get a mention in the forecasts either, which does seem rather stupid.

Severe weather warnings on the BBC more often than not are for "Heavy Rain"..."Thunderstorms" should carry their own rightful warning, and if forecasts were more descriptive/informative, the joe-public would know a "Thunderstorm warning" includes the threat of heavy/torrential rain, lightning, gusty winds, hail risk and maybe a tornado risk!

Could you imagine the Daily Express headlines if the word "tornado" was mentioned on BBC?!

Also, the vast majority of tornadoes are weak and rarely cause any disruption or affect people in any way, so mentioning the possibility of a tornado could cause unnecessary panic.

[J10]

The level of tornadoes in the UK is far lower than that in the USA as a result, if a TORRO approach were to be used, they would be a lot of tornadoes forecasted than actually happen and this would be counter productive.

Slightly different for thunderstorms, many times this is mentioned on the BBC however perhaps a more general thunderstorm warning cold be introduced as has been indicated above.

As I have said (Many times) before the new graphics give far more details to the forecasts than the old symbols ever did (IMO).

[Coast]

Despite there being half a dozen days this year, where tornadoes were a real possibility, or even 'likely', the MetO, BBC et al never put out tornado watches. It wouldn't hurt to say, "Chance of thunderstorms, some severe, risk of a tornado possible"...

The problem I see there Harry is that Joe Public only really see Tornados from film and TV footage and are gullible enough to think 'the end of the world is nigh'!

I can imagine the mass panic if tornado warnings were put out - as we know, they are hard to predict and in this country cover such a small area that I think keeping the general populous ignorant of any possibility may actually be a good thing. I'm not sure that a tornado warning would have helped those in the Kensal Rise tornado, which is probably the most destructive one we have had for a while.

[damianslaw]

I'm very pleased to see that the BBC do a weatherview forecast at 21:55 on BBC 24 every day, shame it is quite a short weatherview, but good all the same as its a long time since I could stay up late to grab the late proper weatherview on BBC2, something I used to do during the 90's, with forecasts regularly lasting up to 4 minutes and going out to 5 days. The weatherview 21:55 forecast today went out to 4 days which isn't bad, far better than watching the BBC1 bulletins which at normally go out to 3 days only.

A note on this evenings weatherview, the temperature figures just didn't seem right. For instance at 15:00 tomorrow they were showing 9 celsius figures over a large swathe of northern Britain, come Thursday and Friday maxes were shown as 11 degrees, however, the air will be colder compared to tomorrow afternoon, so was expecting some 9 degree figures for Fridays map at least. This is one area I have lost all faith in the BBC, they swap and change the temperature figures all the time, it is very misleading, sometimes they show the maximum absolute temp likely, sometimes they show the likely temp at a certain time of day, and most of the time temps relate to city centres, this last point is particularly grating for rural areas. Bring back the chloropleth maps showing temperature, they do use such maps to show frost from time to time. The website is much better than the tv forecasts for doing this.

[shuggee]

Carol Kirkwood BBC Breakfast 7.45am - 'Snow for many next week'.

[johnholmes]

have you finally tumbled out of bed young man?

[The watcher]

have you finally tumbled out of bed young man?

Us metalheads don't get out of bed until after 12...whence brunch ensues.

Short term forecasts from the BBC indicate frost and fog over the weekend, on Monday, indication of Sleet in to Northern and Eastern areas (in shower form).

[damianslaw]

Won't be surprised if this get moved into the moaning thead - however, I just have to get off my chest how poor the BBC TV forecasts generally are.

My two major gripes with the national forecasts being

a) how they chop and change in the space of an hour and how different forecasters often seem to contradict themselves.

how often they are way off the mark with temperature forecasts.

On this latter point time after time they seem to chop and change the max temperature for different localities in the space of an hour its too confusing and again the temperatures on the main map relate to cities and not the countryside underneath where the temperature is this is very misleading - they need to show a chlorpleth temperature map afterwards and emphasis the differences between town and country more clearly I feel.

But my biggest gripe is with there outlook temperature forecasts, lost count how inaccurate they are, and don't get me started on the regional news forecasts they showed maximum of 12 degrees for West Cumbria yesterday..

[berometer]

What were they playing at on there earlier 11pm forcast, Not a hint of snow or ice day they had temperuaturs progged at 5 to 6 degrees. Iss this upcoming cold spell likely to be another let down. I was getting exited last week by some of the posts on here yet to check the bbc weather now it's left me slightly confused. I think this could be a damp squid if the beeb are predicting correctly It's all very odd.

[wellington boot]

What were they playing at on there earlier 11pm forcast, Not a hint of snow or ice day they had temperuaturs progged at 5 to 6 degrees. Iss this upcoming cold spell likely to be another let down. I was getting exited last week by some of the posts on here yet to check the bbc weather now it's left me slightly confused. I think this could be a damp squid if the beeb are predicting correctly It's all very odd.

the bbc is rubbish. they spend their lives hedging their bets, though I suppose this is justifiable to an extent. In any case, if they were suggesting 5-6C as a rule for the next few days, they've lost it. That won't happen. If it was just tomorrow, different story. There is a warm sector swinging through. Though still, in eastern parts at least, 5-6 would be surprising.

[andy_leics22]

I have a feeling though that when a mod sees this it will be closed quicker than a Woolworths.

[SMU]

I have a feeling though that when a mod sees this it will be closed quicker than a Woolworths.

S

[andy_leics22]

LMAO Steve

[Edge of the moors]

Much better breakfast forecast, even from Mr mild lover Jay....

[shuggee]

Anybody else getting a new local BBC forecast after the local news after the main BBC evening news? BBC Scotland weather's lovely Judith Ralston has just been on here with a decent 90 sec slot - and then the main UK weather...

[kar999]

Yep .. we've been getting a local met office forecast for a few days now.

It was interesting when one said snow and the national one didnt last week!!

[❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️]

Isn't Rob McElwee brilliant?

[davehsug]

Isn't Rob McElwee brilliant?

He is, but sadly I missed his broadcasts & just caught Jay Wynne. Strangely the temps for Sunday are higher now than they were on the 6.30 forecast. Showing everywhere above 0, when this wasn't the case earlier.

[icy toes]

The weather forecast updated at 15:26 on the BBC site shows no snow at all over this region until Monday. I thought we were getting some tonight? All very confusing