Do BBC weather forecasters get they’re pay docked when they get it wrong?? No didn’t think so.....

It’s a lovely mild and sunny day here on the foothills of the Pennines Poppyred.
Shall I send you some sunshine over?

Yes please Buffybee ?

But if they’re Michael Fish - they are never forgotten!

You beat me to it, MawB2 lol

in the meantime, and sorry bout that- we have had an amazing October and November up here in my t'mountains.

I watched local weather on BBC before walking dogs. Rain at 8am, then lots of rain at 10am. Half an hour later, same map, same forecaster, dry all day!

You should hear my DH/farmer on the subject!
According to him they should lose their jobs, not just their pay

It isn't the presenters that draw up the forecasts, only titivate them slightly.

There are no BBC weather forecasters only people who tell us what the weather has the probability of being. The Met Office was privatised I believe but can’t remember which of Cummings relatives/friends or Tory donors or wives of MPs won the contract

I always look at the Met Office forecast on the computer. It's much more accurate for us but not perfect. It can't tell whether the Cumbrian weather is going to sneak over the Pennines to us or whether the coastal weather is going to make its way inland!

As a Science, it's improved greatly over the years but it is still only a forecast - an informed judgement of what is likely to happen. It's not as if anyone has any control over it - worse luck!

It wasn’t the Met Office that was privatised but the BBC dropped its contract with them 5 years ago and now gets forecasts from a global private company MeteoGroup

They have got it completely wrong this week. Promised lovely mild day with plenty of sunshine today in my area.... it’s blowing a gale here and raining. Grrrrrrrrrr
Sorry, Poppyred you got our weather and we got yours.

Folks, the Met Office, based in Exeter is the UK's leading weather data & forecasting service. It is a gov.uk department and is not privatised! The BBC ceased it's contract with the Met Office some 5 or so years ago. The BBC now takes its forecasting service from Meteogroup.
I think, but I'm not sure, that Meteogroup take raw data from the Met Office (& maybe other sources) and from that create forecasts which the presenters tweak for broadcast. The Met Office however is still the source of Weather Warnings which always take precedence over any day to day forecast. Be sure to read them when you see one!
If you can accept that the UK is one of the most challenging countries to forecast for; Atlantic to our west & European landmass to our east, you might imagine the challenges any forecaster has to overcome. Also take into account that presenters will usually focus on the most prevalent weather to be expected. Weather can be very localised too so one man's accurate forecast might be not so a short distance away.
Years ago I believe farmers had an instinctive sense of what the weather might hold. They were tuned into the natural world, knew their territory and relied on experience alongside any forecast which in the old days probably came over the radio waves! Women & housewives too, likely could "smell" rain or snow in the air, checked out the sky, and thus hesitated to peg out washing or not? Has time has dulled our instincts? Who knows.
You can find out more at www.metoffice.gov.uk

Further to my last post ....
I did 3 hours of gardening today. Weather was just as forecast. Perfect for gardening.

It's no different here in Germany.

According to two weather apps we were due sunny days all this week and it has been bucketing down between hours of thick fog.

I heard that the meteorologists get a lot of data from aeroplanes and with many flights grounded they don't have so much data to work with. Not sure how that relates to all those expensive satellites buzzing around up there. They are supposed to be getting better all the time.

Weather forecast is easy in my part of Wales. Everything comes from the west. And it is mostly wet .

Everything comes from the west.

That's why the Met Office is in Exeter, they just need to stand outside and hold up a wet finger.
One local weatherman stands on the roof of the BBC offices to give his forecast - he can see what's coming.

If you can accept that the UK is one of the most challenging countries to forecast for; Atlantic to our west & European landmass to our east, you might imagine the challenges any forecaster has to overcome.

I so agree with this Nonogran! I was in New Orleans once when a rainstorm was predicted. The forecasters were able to say to the minute when the rain would reach each street in the city. What our forecasters would give to be able to have that degree of certainty!