Michael Fish's Video - Feedback Wanted!

[Paul]

It's bonfire night weekend, and with low pressure on the scene it won't be plain sailing at all with some rain around and a cool wind for many parts, there's even a mention of tornadoes in the forecast! Michael also has news of a change in format for his weekly videos and would like your input and ideas.

[Snowmadsam]

I like the current format personally

[Backtrack]

Hi Paul.

I watch Michael's forecasts every week, I do like them but the graphics can get on my nerves.

I think some more up to date and higher resolution graphics can be used, especially on the pressure, temperature and weather animation charts he uses.

For example I've highlighted some massive areas of land that have no animation, and it sometimes can confuse me when I see a temperature or weather symbol around my area, but there are two, sometimes showing very different symbols, I struggle to work out which one to look at.

I've highlighted 3 of the main areas which I think need improving. There is virtually one weather symbol there for Wales, and whilst personally I don't live in Wales, I'm sure many members do and when there's snow forecast especially, people are going to be relying on those symbols, so I definitely would love to see a higher resolution chart for that, and also for the temperature animations also.

This is the temperature one. I've highlighted the areas in question again. There's virtually nothing for Wales, nothing at all for the North. And there's a huge gap in the centre of Ireland. I would like to see this replaced with something similar to the GFS hi-res temperature charts, and perhaps colour coded too?

I'd also like to see Michael wearing a different coloured top hat and suit each time he presents a forecast, but this isn't a necessity. :winky:

Cheers.

[knocker]

There definately won't be a hurricane.

[Paul]

The graphics are something we can look at - but with any map on a page with icons you need to balance it between having something for every area and not having a cluttered map.

One of the plans for the new format is to make the videos less of a day to day forecast, and more in depth about possible upcoming weather events, pattern changes etc - would be interested to know people's views on this..

[Backtrack]

The graphics are something we can look at - but with any map on a page with icons you need to balance it between having something for every area and not having a cluttered map.

One of the plans for the new format is to make the videos less of a day to day forecast, and more in depth about possible upcoming weather events, pattern changes etc - would be interested to know people's views on this..

That sounds good, but wouldn't that be more for those who are looking for specific weather, rather than those who would just like a forecast?

I mean most of the hits on the videos must come from the many guests that visit the forum, and surely they are just looking for a forecast, rather than looking at pattern changes. Or would you throw in a quick forecast for good measure?

Sorry if I sound like I'm being picky, I'd love to see a change to videos like that, but I'm just focusing on what I think would benefit the site most, rather than just myself.

I'd love to see Michael doing some tutorial videos on how to read some charts too, that'd be pretty epic! Perhaps then you could make people pay for them, or integrate them into one of the Net Weather Extra subscriptions?

Edited November 4, 2011 by Backtrack

[Paul]

I personally think someone looking for a forecast wants one which is more regularly updated and there are plenty of other places on the site for those. So the thinking is that people on the forums and weather enthusiasts are in fact looking to learn more about weather, find out about upcoming points of interest and find discussion points around the weather - the new format should provide all of that + a more general forecast for the week ahead rather than a day to day one.

[Backtrack]

If it also includes a forecast then that sounds great to me

Is there any chance of him running some tutorial videos also?

[Paul]

We actually also plan to invite questions from viewers which Michael can answer in his video, and we may also have a regular 'ask michael' type session which we could potentially run live on occasion.

[Isolated Frost]

Very good and informative. Got to love Michael Fish- we should get him on the forum, commenting in the MOD (unless he has taken the alias of Glacier Point?!?!?!)

[The watcher]

That sounds awesome, I really wish Michael would come and talk to some of us Enthusiasts. Definitely interested in the weekly learning/question michael thing.

Improvements I could suggest? I'd really like to see some kind of teleconnective hint to a longer term forecast. Ie 2-4 weeks.

[Backtrack]

We actually also plan to invite questions from viewers which Michael can answer in his video, and we may also have a regular 'ask michael' type session which we could potentially run live on occasion.

That sounds great, I'd love to see this!

Is there any chance we could get him posting on the forums?

[Lancashire Lass]

A more in depth forecast discussing upcoming weather events and pattern changes sounds good to me.

[The watcher]

Maybe a weekly relevant weather lore after each forecast?

[swipe]

I'd like to see the local events part dropped or demoted to the end of the forecast. I think it'd interrupts the flow too much.

[gottolovethisweather]

I agree with swipe.

It would be good to see the local events section toned down, although I imagine the need for advertising is still a necessary evil.

Netweather.tv certainly wouldn't lose subscribers by doing MANY more tv/video type broadcasts. Afterall, doesn't the prefix tv, hint at more of this type of thing and IIRC, this was a grand plan for netweather from the early days.

Also, in the long run it could ease the atagonistic feel of the MOD at times. Fore example, if you were to refer newcomers/less knowledgeable folk to the learners section and certain video sections on the site.

Some good ideas out there.

Regards

gottolovethisweather

[Paul]

Thanks both, I think we'll be doing just that - the event forecasts will become less prominent, may even become separate entities and fyi - it's not advertising, Michael just picks out some events each week that he thinks will be of interest to people.