Teh One Who Knocks
08-20-2012, 11:11 AM
BBC weathermen have been forced to apologise after ignoring computer forecasts predicting showers across South East England on Sunday
By Stephen Adams - The Telegraph
http://i.imgur.com/gsDla.jpg
They doggedly stuck to their own assessment that it would turn out hot and sunny again across the region - only for a series of thundery showers to put a dampener on many people's barbecues.
Their predictions, in defiance of Met Office models, meant many were caught unawares as they headed out to enjoy what they thought would be a fine, dry day.
Instead the heavens opened as a series of showers built up from 11am, firstly across Sussex and Kent, and later across the rest of the Home Counties, London and East Anglia.
At 1.30pm BBC weatherman Philip Avery apologised for the errors on the BBC News channel.
He admitted: “There are thunderstorms there which were not represented in our forecasts over the past couple of days or so.”
He continued: “I have to say we can’t even blame the computers, the computers actually wanted to put those thunderstorms in there but forecasters thought that it wasn’t supported by enough evidence and so we went for the dry, hot option.
“Having said that, apologies to anyone who has had their next few hours ruined.”
Perhaps the BBC forecasters were unduly influenced by the prominent east-west split of recent days, with hot and dry conditions in the South East corner contrasting with cooler and damper conditions associated with Atlantic fronts elsewhere.
However, on Sunday morning renegade thunderstorms began developing over the English Channel.
The showers took the edge of what some forecasters had tipped to be the hottest day of the year.
The mercury had broken 90F on Saturday, peaking at 90.3F (32.4C) at Cavendish in Suffolk, making it the hottest day of the year.
Another clear day could have meant temperatures on Sunday soaring higher still.
In the event they were slightly down on that - although still very hot - reaching 86.4F (30.2C) in Cambridge.
Gareth Harvey, of MeteoGroup, said: “The slight dip in temperature was caused by an unstable area bringing more cloud and some showers.
"The temperatures are not far off Saturday’s but the cloud pegged them back so there was not as much sunshine as yesterday."
Emma Sharples, a Met Office forecaster, said the service had predicted Sunday would be "mainly dry" across the South East "covering the possibility of there being a shower".
In the event the showers were heavier than expected, she said.
A BBC spokesman said: "The weather team always endeavour to be open about forecasting and it was right to explain why today's forecast didn't capture weather events in some regions. This was done following discussions with Met Office colleagues."
By Stephen Adams - The Telegraph
http://i.imgur.com/gsDla.jpg
They doggedly stuck to their own assessment that it would turn out hot and sunny again across the region - only for a series of thundery showers to put a dampener on many people's barbecues.
Their predictions, in defiance of Met Office models, meant many were caught unawares as they headed out to enjoy what they thought would be a fine, dry day.
Instead the heavens opened as a series of showers built up from 11am, firstly across Sussex and Kent, and later across the rest of the Home Counties, London and East Anglia.
At 1.30pm BBC weatherman Philip Avery apologised for the errors on the BBC News channel.
He admitted: “There are thunderstorms there which were not represented in our forecasts over the past couple of days or so.”
He continued: “I have to say we can’t even blame the computers, the computers actually wanted to put those thunderstorms in there but forecasters thought that it wasn’t supported by enough evidence and so we went for the dry, hot option.
“Having said that, apologies to anyone who has had their next few hours ruined.”
Perhaps the BBC forecasters were unduly influenced by the prominent east-west split of recent days, with hot and dry conditions in the South East corner contrasting with cooler and damper conditions associated with Atlantic fronts elsewhere.
However, on Sunday morning renegade thunderstorms began developing over the English Channel.
The showers took the edge of what some forecasters had tipped to be the hottest day of the year.
The mercury had broken 90F on Saturday, peaking at 90.3F (32.4C) at Cavendish in Suffolk, making it the hottest day of the year.
Another clear day could have meant temperatures on Sunday soaring higher still.
In the event they were slightly down on that - although still very hot - reaching 86.4F (30.2C) in Cambridge.
Gareth Harvey, of MeteoGroup, said: “The slight dip in temperature was caused by an unstable area bringing more cloud and some showers.
"The temperatures are not far off Saturday’s but the cloud pegged them back so there was not as much sunshine as yesterday."
Emma Sharples, a Met Office forecaster, said the service had predicted Sunday would be "mainly dry" across the South East "covering the possibility of there being a shower".
In the event the showers were heavier than expected, she said.
A BBC spokesman said: "The weather team always endeavour to be open about forecasting and it was right to explain why today's forecast didn't capture weather events in some regions. This was done following discussions with Met Office colleagues."