I am very wary of posts which start "is it just me or..." and are based on anecdotal rather than hard evidence, but here goes anyway.... not even sure if this is the right place to post!

Is it just me or are the BBC website and MetOffice weather forecasts actually worse than useless? I know that it is very easy just to notice when things go wrong and to form a distorted view as a result but I really do think that more often than not these forecasts get things badly wrong, even when forcasting forward less than 24.

This week end is a very good example. Yesterday morning (Friday), the BBC website forecast sunny intervals throughout today in the Monmouth area- no rain was forecast at all. This remained the case until late evening yesterday when it suddenly changed its forecast to "heavy rain" for the whole of the afternoon. Then just an hour ago it forecast light rain for the early afternoon with sunny intervals thereafter.

I have experienced many, many other examples of the same thing in the recent past.

I have read articles about this phenomenon and I know both the BBC and the Met Office adopt the line that in fact statistically their forecasts are accurate and that people are just getting the odd errors out of proportion. However, I really do not believe this to be the case. I appreciate that it can be very difficult to predict during certain weather patterns and perhaps warm weather coudbursts and thunder storms are an example. I daresay that predicting in mountainous regions poses its challenges too. But it seems to me that the forecats in Wales at least are more often than not worse than useless and I am puzzled why the BBC and the Met Office are so coy about it. I don't expect them to do the impossible but I am getting increasingly annoyed by them continuing to pretend that they can achieve levels of accuracy which are clearly well beyond them and / or current technology. It seems to me to be downright dangerous to portray such false abilities when people like anglers, canoeists, hikers, etc. are playing about on spate rivers.

Is it just me? Is it just my area? Does anyone find that other forecasting services fare any better? Seems to me a barometer and a bit of seaweed hanging from the window would be a better bet! I have far few opportunities to fish and play about on rivers without having to unecessarily shelve plans due to flawed forecast providers.

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strikealight


Dynamite fishing is always effective.

2pm now - BBC has gone onto light rain followed by heavy rain for the afternoon now!! Even a stopped clock is right two times a day!!!

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strikealight


Dynamite fishing is always effective.

Predicting local weather is not a precise science despite weather satellites and latest technology.

I check the weather forecast 24 hours before fishing and often find the information provided to be wrong.

I don't think we should be dissapointed but just accept the inevitable.

No it's not just you. The site is so bad i removed it from my phone. The prediction of rain & wind direction are mostly wrong. I just look out my window, i find that more accurate.

Thank God for that. I thought that it was only me that was chuntering on about this.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

Yes useless, yesterday it was forecasting hailstones for Grafham, Cambridge on Monday, so looked out my hard hat

To-day it's changed to light showers, back with the hard out out with the sou'wester, by tomorrow or Monday i will likely need sun screen or a tin-foil hat to thwart the little green aliens.

On a side note good luck to everyone else taking part, hope it's a fun day for all, with lots of tight lines.

Regards
Jim

I use WindGuru: WindGURU: United Kingdom - Grafham Water A Czech (!) Meteorological site primarily for surfers and sailors.I believe it uses Met Office data, along with other European forecasts, but seems quite accurate.Best of all the wind direction and strength is detailed, as is the cloud cover and height.I think weather forecasting has become remarkably accurate nowadays, but most t.v and radio forecasts are so dumbed down as to be useless.

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Behold the fisherman
He riseth up early and disturbeth the whole household.
MIGHTY ARE HIS PREPARATIONS!
He goeth forth full of hope and when the day is far spent he returneth
Smelling of strong drink, and the truth is not in him

I like Wind Map - Britain Observations
I find it is good for wind speed/direction. Somebody on this forum mentioned it a while back so thanks and apologies that I can't remember who it was.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

Hi Bill. Thats a good weather site. Just saved it to my phone.

Hi Colin. Good, isn't it - been pretty accurate so far.
On our way up to Largs via Newton Stewart. I'd get up to New Haylie while there are still some fish left in it.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.