Met Office loses BBC contract

[Evening thunder]

Was very surprising and disappointing when I heard the news.

 

Having said that in light of some media coverage and percieved public opinion on forecast accuracy, I am encouraged that the highly rated comments on the BBC are all being supportive/complimentary towards the Met's forecasting, and thinking this is a stupid decision. 

[Hocus Pocus]

Storm in a teacup really as we live in a cost productive age and Metrology is no different than any other business, there's a number of other professional organisations more than capable of filling the MetO shoes.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Hocus Pocus

[Nick L]

Was very surprising and disappointing when I heard the news.

 

Having said that in light of some media coverage and percieved public opinion on forecast accuracy, I am encouraged that the highly rated comments on the BBC are all being supportive/complimentary towards the Met's forecasting, and thinking this is a stupid decision. 

 

Are they positive then? I was frightened to look as I was expecting a Mail/Express-type comments section which bash the Met Office at any opportunity.

[Guest]

Has the beeb gone mad? - Met Office forecasts have been an institution for longer than I have been alive, not only that the MO forecaster are more professional and try to educate the public along the way - there are things in life more important than an accountant's balance sheet, meanwhile they still spend money hand over fist in a lot other areas which could be trimmed without a lowering of standards.

[Nick L]

Has the beeb gone mad? - Met Office forecasts have been an institution for longer than I have been alive, not only that the MO forecaster are more professional and try to educate the public along the way - there are things in life more important than an accountant's balance sheet, meanwhile they still spend money hand over fist in a lot other areas which could be trimmed without a lowering of standards.

 

I think that's unfair to suggest that the Met Office forecasters are more professional than their private sector counterparts.

[Evening thunder]

Are they positive then? I was frightened to look as I was expecting a Mail/Express-type comments section which bash the Met Office at any opportunity.

 

Yes I was pleasantly surprised to find no such comments bashing the Met Office that were rated over around +30 (which was quite a lot), and didn't look further.

[Alex]

Interesting day I suppose, one thing I have noticed though is that I think the Met Office have gone backwards not forwards over the last 5 years. This of course is personal opinion but,

1) I don't believe some of the TV presenters are fully qualified meteorologists. I am not a big fan of Carol Kirkwood for example, I know some of you are - and she does comes across as a good presenter but her skills relating to weather/geography seem basic. I personally miss the fully qualified staff like Michael Fish and John Kettley.

2) I think the automated output has been worst since the Met Office started using there own models. Most of the summer has seen temperatures forecast too low during the day and too high at night, wind speeds are often breezier than predicted too. The new model deals dreadfully with Spanish Plumes (for example the forecast high for the 1st July was 29c in London two days before, it actually hit 35c!

3) The forecasts have been becoming too basic, It's like the Met Office don't want Joe Public to have any knowledge of what a high pressure system is for example. Too much glamour, I'm sitting in a zoo stroking animals (BBC Breakfast) rather than why it is raining/staying sunny today.

Just my opinion and I hope the Met Office win the contract back, but I think they need a hard look at what things they could change. Maybe they became too comfortable?

Edited August 23, 2015 by Alex

[Methuselah]

Storm in a teacup really as we live in a cost productive age and Metrology is no different than any other business, there's a number of other professional organisations more than capable of filling the MetO shoes.

What, like Health Care? What's 'metrology'?

[Buzz]

What, like Health Care? What's 'metrology'?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrology

 

[The PIT]

I wonder how it will be before the likes of the mail realize that the Met office don't provide the forecasts. I can also an issue with BBC using Met office warning and another source for the forecasts resulting in total confusion.

[Methuselah]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrology

 

Thanks Buzz!    

[Jo Farrow]

Interesting day I suppose, one thing I have noticed though is that I think the Met Office have gone backwards not forwards over the last 5 years. This of course is personal opinion but,

1) I don't believe some of the TV presenters are fully qualified meteorologists. I am not a big fan of Carol Kirkwood for example, I know some of you are - and she does comes across as a good presenter but her skills relating to weather/geography seem basic. I personally miss the fully qualified staff like Michael Fish and John Kettley.

2) I think the automated output has been worst since the Met Office started using there own models. Most of the summer has seen temperatures forecast too low during the day and too high at night, wind speeds are often breezier than predicted too. The new model deals dreadfully with Spanish Plumes (for example the forecast high for the 1st July was 29c in London two days before, it actually hit 35c!

3) The forecasts have been becoming too basic, It's like the Met Office don't want Joe Public to have any knowledge of what a high pressure system is for example. Too much glamour, I'm sitting in a zoo stroking animals (BBC Breakfast) rather than why it is raining/staying sunny today.

Just my opinion and I hope the Met Office win the contract back, but I think they need a hard look at what things they could change. Maybe they became too comfortable?

neither Michael Fish nor John Kettley were fully qualified meteorologists (is that  BSc, MSc, PhD?) , they were Met Office trained Weather Forecasters. 

I wonder how it will be before the likes of the mail realize that the Met office don't provide the forecasts. I can also an issue with BBC using Met office warning and another source for the forecasts resulting in total confusion.

You're right, there will be occasions when the forecasts don't marry at all

[Hodgheg]

Are they positive then? I was frightened to look as I was expecting a Mail/Express-type comments section which bash the Met Office at any opportunity.

Such as

 

"Extreme weather warnings, where harm or death may result, I can understand.

Beyond that, weather forecasts are amongst the most inane things in existence.

I cannot comprehend the mindset of halfwits who watch, listen to or read weather forecasts. These imbeciles should be sterilised so their idiot genes do not condemn another generation to live in moronity."

 

Anyway i was shocked to hear this, maybe some competition is good. The BBC is struggling to keep on the good side of the public regarding finances so i guess this is a inventible reaction to that. I just hope the BBC play this smart. Usually cheaper means worse quality.

[staplehurst]

Interesting day I suppose, one thing I have noticed though is that I think the Met Office have gone backwards not forwards over the last 5 years. This of course is personal opinion but,

1) I don't believe some of the TV presenters are fully qualified meteorologists. I am not a big fan of Carol Kirkwood for example, I know some of you are - and she does comes across as a good presenter but her skills relating to weather/geography seem basic. I personally miss the fully qualified staff like Michael Fish and John Kettley.

2) I think the automated output has been worst since the Met Office started using there own models. Most of the summer has seen temperatures forecast too low during the day and too high at night, wind speeds are often breezier than predicted too. The new model deals dreadfully with Spanish Plumes (for example the forecast high for the 1st July was 29c in London two days before, it actually hit 35c!

3) The forecasts have been becoming too basic, It's like the Met Office don't want Joe Public to have any knowledge of what a high pressure system is for example. Too much glamour, I'm sitting in a zoo stroking animals (BBC Breakfast) rather than why it is raining/staying sunny today.

Just my opinion and I hope the Met Office win the contract back, but I think they need a hard look at what things they could change. Maybe they became too comfortable?

 

Some very good points there Alex, and agree with all of them. The temperature issue is well known that 'Best Data' underestimates daytime maxima and even more grossly overnight minima -  sometimes by as much as 8C etc. That's why you can't just rely on pure model output all the time, you have to do intervention - else what's the point of the human forecaster?! When I'm on TV shifts I will act as a forecaster, not just a messenger, and will tweak the temperatures etc to what I think is more likely to happen and thus hopefully producing a much more accurate forecast for my region. There are certain days when you'll never hit the top temperature forecast bang on, 1st July was one of those days - I don't think anyone was brave enough to go for 37C for that day.

 

With regards to the contract, the BBC are seeking an all inclusive data/guidance and graphics package as one contract, instead of the separate ones currently with Metra and the Met Office. And that is where, I believe, the Met Office was rejected, on the grounds that their graphics options were not good enough to replace the current WeatherScapeXT suite - I haven't heard anything about the BBC being dissatisfied with the accuracy or the quality of Met Office forecasts. Cost may have been part of it also, I don't know... 

[Nick L]

Such as

 

"Extreme weather warnings, where harm or death may result, I can understand.

Beyond that, weather forecasts are amongst the most inane things in existence.

I cannot comprehend the mindset of halfwits who watch, listen to or read weather forecasts. These imbeciles should be sterilised so their idiot genes do not condemn another generation to live in moronity."

 

Anyway i was shocked to hear this, maybe some competition is good. The BBC is struggling to keep on the good side of the public regarding finances so i guess this is a inventible reaction to that. I just hope the BBC play this smart. Usually cheaper means worse quality.

 

That would be your bog standard, comment section troll!

[Methuselah]

Such as

 

"Extreme weather warnings, where harm or death may result, I can understand.

Beyond that, weather forecasts are amongst the most inane things in existence.

I cannot comprehend the mindset of halfwits who watch, listen to or read weather forecasts. These imbeciles should be sterilised so their idiot genes do not condemn another generation to live in moronity."

 

Anyway i was shocked to hear this, maybe some competition is good. The BBC is struggling to keep on the good side of the public regarding finances so i guess this is a inventible reaction to that. I just hope the BBC play this smart. Usually cheaper means worse quality.

Oh purleese, not the old 'competition' chestnut?

[Hocus Pocus]

What, like Health Care? What's 'metrology'?

Like I said storm in a teacup, the majority of people in the UK couldn't care less where there forecasts come from just as long as they are accurate, and there are a number of private organisations out there more than capable of just that. 

[feb1991blizzard]

Met Office too pricey, so much talent around so shop around, that's what I say, Netweather.tv will get the contract, you heard it here first!!!!

[Hodgheg]

No? I was just putting thoughts out there, rather than saying that was definitely the case, I'm not here to bash the metoffice and I haven't quite made up my mind what I think of this. I'm here to listen to other people's opinions, it's always good to explain why you disagree rather than just sniggering as if some kind of in joke.

Oh purleese, not the old 'competition' chestnut?

Edited August 23, 2015 by John Hodgson

[Norrance]

Interesting day I suppose, one thing I have noticed though is that I think the Met Office have gone backwards not forwards over the last 5 years. This of course is personal opinion but,

1) I don't believe some of the TV presenters are fully qualified meteorologists. I am not a big fan of Carol Kirkwood for example, I know some of you are - and she does comes across as a good presenter but her skills relating to weather/geography seem basic. I personally miss the fully qualified staff like Michael Fish and John Kettley.

2) I think the automated output has been worst since the Met Office started using there own models. Most of the summer has seen temperatures forecast too low during the day and too high at night, wind speeds are often breezier than predicted too. The new model deals dreadfully with Spanish Plumes (for example the forecast high for the 1st July was 29c in London two days before, it actually hit 35c!

3) The forecasts have been becoming too basic, It's like the Met Office don't want Joe Public to have any knowledge of what a high pressure system is for example. Too much glamour, I'm sitting in a zoo stroking animals (BBC Breakfast) rather than why it is raining/staying sunny today.

Just my opinion and I hope the Met Office win the contract back, but I think they need a hard look at what things they could change. Maybe they became too comfortable?

I think that Carol Kirkwood is a BBC employee rather than the Met O so she is likely to remain in some role if not purely forecasting.

[Methuselah]

No? I was just putting thoughts out there, rather than saying that was definitely the case, I'm not here to bash the metoffice and I haven't quite made up my mind what I think of this. I'm here to listen to other people's opinions, it's always good to explain why you disagree rather than just sniggering as if some kind of in joke.

Aye, you're quite right, and I apologise  . I base my scepticism of 'competition' on what's happened in the Energy, Water and Transport sectors: prices have literally gone through the roof - after much-vaunted initial falls; I think we are being conned.

[Polar Maritime]

Aye, you're quite right, and I apologise  . I base my scepticism of 'competition' on what's happened in the Energy, Water and Transport sectors: prices have literally gone through the roof - after much-vaunted initial falls; I think we are being conned.

 

I wonder where the savings will go? And will the 'customer' benefit mmm.. Maybe this could highlight the options of private company's more to the public, Which is a good thing.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Polar Maritime

[Hodgheg]

Aye, you're quite right, and I apologise  . I base my scepticism of 'competition' on what's happened in the Energy, Water and Transport sectors: prices have literally gone through the roof - after much-vaunted initial falls; I think we are being conned.

Point taken! Also leaning to this as being a bad thing. Biggest worry is the cheapening and ending up with Sky news style forecasts in terms of graphics. Metoffice is really a world leader and it seems a bit silly really.

[Nick L]

Point taken! Also leaning to this as being a bad thing. Biggest worry is the cheapening and ending up with Sky news style forecasts in terms of graphics. Metoffice is really a world leader and it seems a bit silly really.

 

The BBC graphics are already provided by MetraWeather, one of the front runners to take over.

[Hodgheg]

Oh of course! I remember the uproar when this happened. Just goes to show its good to research first before forming opinions!

The BBC graphics are already provided by MetraWeather, one of the front runners to take over.