Anyone Snowed in?

[ginkster]

I work with the Met Office everyday and to be fair their forecasting is very, very accurate these days. The wide area TV forecasts are never going to give the fidelity and are nothing more than an overview. The app is much more accurate but doesn’t give specific snow fall figures for a specific area, again just an overview. Get a specific forecast from a meteorologist who knows the local weather effects and a 24 hour forecast will generally be spot on, but this is impossible to replicate for all. There will always be times that a tiny change has a big impact, such as last night where temperatures were hovering around zero and a degree change could mean rain or snow.

Their computer system is pretty awesome and continually learning and improving its models but nature will always have its say.

 

[GUMY]

Just been out to clear the snow off the roof - freezing rain now, and not sure how much a slab of ice on the roof would weigh, or if it could cause any damage, but rather safe than sorry...

 

[Salty Spuds]

IIRC, the BBC stopped using the Met Office & subcontracted a New Zealand forecaster to provide BBC weather forecasts.

 

[Salty Spuds]

IIRC, the BBC stopped using the Met Office & subcontracted a New Zealand forecaster to provide BBC weather forecasts.

Correction, they use Meteogroup which used to be a part of British Airways. Based in Belgium apparently.

 

[Bav]

I work with the Met Office everyday and to be fair their forecasting is very, very accurate these days. The wide area TV forecasts are never going to give the fidelity and are nothing more than an overview. The app is much more accurate but doesn’t give specific snow fall figures for a specific area, again just an overview. Get a specific forecast from a meteorologist who knows the local weather effects and a 24 hour forecast will generally be spot on, but this is impossible to replicate for all. There will always be times that a tiny change has a big impact, such as last night where temperatures were hovering around zero and a degree change could mean rain or snow.

Their computer system is pretty awesome and continually learning and improving its models but nature will always have its say.

Data accuracy per se isn't really the issue for me, it's the presentation of national forecasts. I do get annoyed when large swathes of the country are ignored by the TV weather presenters, especially the use of the ubiquitous "weather in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast" graphic - all but meaningless where I am - and the insistence of talking at length about the forecasts for Scotland and London/SE, whilst covering everything in-between with a waft of the arm and some vague, insight-free platitude.

Still, it could be worse - I've seen TV weather charts (the ones using the symbols) where there wasn't even a single symbol shown between Middlesborough and Edinburgh - they might as well have written "there be dragons" on the map.

 

[Kind of Blue]

We do not exist here either!

 

[ginkster]

Data accuracy per se isn't really the issue for me, it's the presentation of national forecasts. I do get annoyed when large swathes of the country are ignored by the TV weather presenters, especially the use of the ubiquitous "weather in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast" graphic - all but meaningless where I am - and the insistence of talking at length about the forecasts for Scotland and London/SE, whilst covering everything in-between with a waft of the arm and some vague, insight-free platitude.

Still, it could be worse - I've seen TV weather charts (the ones using the symbols) where there wasn't even a single symbol shown between Middlesborough and Edinburgh - they might as well have written "there be dragons" on the map.

Yep, absolutely agree. That’s why I don’t bother with the TV forecasts. The app (or website) is more specific and accurate in my experience. It is normally spot on for the arrival of rain, snow etc and you can also use the radar view to see what’s coming.

 

[CAB]

Average wind speed was just North of 50mph, so nowhere near hurricane strength. It wouldn't even be classed as a cat 1 tropical storm.

Lowest class of hurricane is a Cat 2, sustained wind speeds of 96mph or higher.

The highest  gust recorded on land in the 1987 storm was 98mph, so there was no technical hurricane weather event or even hurrcane force winds.

A bit anal, for which I apologise, but it's closely linked to one of my hobbies - astronomy - so I read up a lot.

I think it was because it was so early in the year, and so trees still had leaf cover which made them more vulnerable.

I recall going back to Surrey that December and being amazed at the big gaps in the treescape.

The woman who phoned in to the BBC had apparently heard about an actual hurricane in the US/Caribbean.

 

[JumpShip]

No snow in Peniscola .
Reckon we'll stay north of mercia for a couple of weeks

 

[Drive Wayne]

No snow in Peniscola .
Reckon we'll stay north of mercia for a couple of weeks

It's easy to dislike folk isn't it! Pure jealousy mate, have a lovely time!

 

[Salty Spuds]

No snow in Peniscola .
Reckon we'll stay north of mercia for a couple of weeks

Have a Peniscola on me, I’ll have a beer…….

 

[Lubrown]

I work with the Met Office everyday and to be fair their forecasting is very, very accurate these days. The wide area TV forecasts are never going to give the fidelity and are nothing more than an overview. The app is much more accurate but doesn’t give specific snow fall figures for a specific area, again just an overview. Get a specific forecast from a meteorologist who knows the local weather effects and a 24 hour forecast will generally be spot on, but this is impossible to replicate for all. There will always be times that a tiny change has a big impact, such as last night where temperatures were hovering around zero and a degree change could mean rain or snow.

Their computer system is pretty awesome and continually learning and improving its models but nature will always have its say.

Same.
It’s a commercial area - lots of money in a decent forecast, so they’re not going to be just hippies having a go.

I did visit another forecast provider and saw their offices, computers, staff etc. Nice set up.

There are plenty to choose from but the Met Office is well regarded.

People will always moan about what they see as public service, it’s the way some people are. They don’t stop to think about the ins and outs of it or if they could do better, just sound off.

 

[kipperman]

This isn't necessarily cheap, but it is the best gizmoid we have come across for reasonable predictions - you can see the weather movements over the past 30 minutes and you can easily extrapolate what it is going to be like over the next few hours. And it's pretty.

UK and Ireland Map Trackr - Colour (Large) - Traintrackr - Live LED Maps

 

[Drive Wayne]

This isn't necessarily cheap, but it is the best gizmoid we have come across for reasonable predictions - you can see the weather movements over the past 30 minutes and you can easily extrapolate what it is going to be like over the next few hours. And it's pretty.

UK and Ireland Map Trackr - Colour (Large) - Traintrackr - Live LED Maps

I'll stick with the BBC I think! I like pretty, but not that much!

 

[Sasquatch]

I used to like ITV weather when that Betty Mountain bird did it.

 

[Drive Wayne]

I used to like ITV weather when that Betty Mountain bird did it.

Oh Elizabeth Rizzini though?!!

 

[Sackmycook]

Only when she reads the shipping forecast

 

[Stay Frosty]

Looking at today's contributions from around Northampton and have to say I think here in Duston we were short changed...

This was 8:00 am this morning, we didn't actually get enough snow to form a snowdrift and thanks to the rain after lunch and it being 12C outside the SnowNado was a bit of a damp squib.

 

[Drive Wayne]

Only when she reads the shipping forecast

It has been said that I have the perfect face for radio, Elizabeth is too beautiful for radio...

 

[Milky12345]

On my jolly’s in the Dales, Aysgarth. No van pic but can for snow depth ref…(side note Allseason tyres worked brilliant)