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Why do people take any notice of weather reports?
The Wizard
Posts: 11,071 Forum Member
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They can't even get a 5 day forecast right most of the time. Why do people listen when the media claims "we're going to have the hottest summer on record" when it's still only May. Or reports that next week were heading for a heatwave etc. They can't even get the short term forcast right let alone a week or more in advance.
Best and most accurate way to know what the weather is gonna be like is to look out of the window or open your front door and stick your head out. If it's cold, take a coat. If it looks like rain then take a brolly. The only time anyone would want to know what the weather is doing days or weeks in advance is if they were looking to plan or attend an outdoor event and even then it means absolutely nothing as things can change at any time so basically weather reports are useless.
Why do people even listen to these things? How can anyone predict with any ounce of accuracy what our winter is going to be like when they can't even accurately predict the weather a few days from now?
May as well ask a fortune teller as they'd have about as much insight.
Best and most accurate way to know what the weather is gonna be like is to look out of the window or open your front door and stick your head out. If it's cold, take a coat. If it looks like rain then take a brolly. The only time anyone would want to know what the weather is doing days or weeks in advance is if they were looking to plan or attend an outdoor event and even then it means absolutely nothing as things can change at any time so basically weather reports are useless.
Why do people even listen to these things? How can anyone predict with any ounce of accuracy what our winter is going to be like when they can't even accurately predict the weather a few days from now?
May as well ask a fortune teller as they'd have about as much insight.
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But what is the point in knowing what it's going to be like tomorrow? It's not like the weather is suddenly going to change all that much. I mean if they said it's going to plummet to minus 5 and snow blizzards by 4pm tomorrow afternoon then I'd appreciate the advance notice but the temperatures aren't likely to fluctuate more than a few degrees and maybe it will rain. So what? You get up, take a look outside and judge for yourself. Isn't that what most people do?
It's not like we can do anything about it anyway so you just dress accordingly and make the most of it. I don't need some weather presenter forewarning me how to dress for tomorrow. I'm more than capable of judging that for myself prior to leaving the house.
Well considering it can be nice in the morning and raining in the afternoon, you can't always tell first thing. I use the weather forecast to get a fair idea of if rain is expected later on.
If I am planning a day out for tomorrow then yes, I'd like to know if heavy rain is forecast as it will have a bearing on what I plan to do!
You can usually tell if it's likely to rain as there's usually a few clouds about. Just take a coat and leave it in the car if in doubt. Whatever they say isn't guaranteed to be accurate anyway as 2 miles up the road it can be chucking it down and here it's bone dry so really the weather reports mean nothing.
It's the age we live in - we are so detached from nature sat in front of our screens it's one of the few ways we have to give ourselves the illusion we are still part of it.
Yeah and I would do that too, but it takes 30 seconds to check BBC weather, so why wouldn't I just give myself an idea first
But that's the whole point. You don't have an idea. No more than someone blindfolded throwing darts at a dartboard has an idea what they're gonna hit. It really is just guesswork based on what today's weather is like. I don't need the BBC to do that. I can do that myself with about the same level of guesstimate as they do. They could tell you it's gonna be glorious at the weekend and you could plan a day out only to wake up to find it's raining so how has that helped?
It really is just hit and miss within the tolerance levels of what the weather is like right now. So without seeing a weather report I can safely estimate that tomorrow may get a bit more windy, it might be sunny or it might rain and temperatures might fluctuate by several degrees but it's not suddenly gonna be like Siberia or the Sahara Desert so I really don't need to know and even if it was, I'd get up, look outside, see the weather has changed and dress accordingly. Why do I need to listen to somebody telling me what it may or may not be like tomorrow and what could I realistically do about it anyway other than see what it's gonna be like tomorrow and make my own judgement at the time.
I've never found one day forecasts overly inaccurate. Maybe it's just me
Long term forecasts, no idea don't use them but imagine they aren't accurate. And of course the Daily Express and the like are just plain stupid, but everyone knows that.
Oh give over, sometimes the weather reports have been accurate where I live and I was lucky enough to take an umbrella to work - whilst it was warm and sunny - to prepare myself for it p***ing down when I came out. As someone who catches buses, having an idea of whether it's going to rain is important.
It's not always right but it often is
And so they should. This paper is the absolute worst for spouting such sensationalist clap trap obsessed with getting everybody in an absolute frenzy about weather which will never happen or they pick the one freak part of the UK usually some sun trap in Kent and claim that Britain has baked in tropical temperatures. It's all just bulls**t.
Who actually listens to and believes this rubbish?
As for "Why do people take any notice of weather "reports" (A report on the weather is a news item)...) If you fancy a trip to the seaside or a BBQ, you might want some advance notice that the weather is either going to fine or poor.
obviously some people would rather spend time in a grotty pub, but I digress.
Ever heard of the saying that even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day?
It's still just a guess. An educated one maybe but it's no more accurate than me sticking my head outside, looking up and seeing some dark clouds and saying, "Hey ya know I think it might just rain today, best take a coat and brolly".
Well, for me, it means I can hang my washing out before going to work, about 6.30 in the morning, and not worry about it raining before I get home that evening to take it in. So far this week the BBC website has been bang on and my washing has been lovely and dry by the time I've got home.
But the whole point is it's NOT accurate. Come the day it might still rain so realistically you can't rely on it. Best way to judge is to see what it's like on the day and if it looks like rain then don't crack open the coals. It's not rocket science.
However it's more long term forecasts I don't get. What's the point in them? Why do people even attempt to say what the weather is gonna be like weeks or months in advance? How can anyone say with any ounce of accuracy that were gonna have a mild winter this year? Who listens to these claims.
I hear people in the street and in shops repeating this rubbish. "Oh we're supposed be having a heatwave next week and they reckon we're set for a red hot Summer this year don't they?" Seriously I can't believe people take notice of this. They can't even get a 3 day forecast right let alone predict what's gonna happen next week or in weeks to come. Why are people sucked in by this?
But our point is that we find it IS mostly accurate. For a same day or two day forecast.
I can't know just by looking outside today if it's going to rain for some of tomorrow and so before I plan a trip to the beach and a BBQ after, it makes sense to look.
Do you have anything to back it up?
Source, citation etc etc etc. Forgive me, if I don't take your view, anecdotal at best, of the overall accuracy of various providers of weather forecasts, as fact.
Yes, that makes sense. Because something can not be 100% accurate and reliable, means that if shouldn't be used as a tool to guide short term, and indeed long term planning.
Righteo.
In your, limited view, which again, is hardly a forecast. Best way see what the weather will probably be on Wednesday, is to stick your head outside Monday Morning.
NOT.
Again, some people's lives might revolve around going to a grotty pub every night, and nothing more - others might actually want to plan their activities ahead.
My life doesn't revolve around going to grotty pubs every night and there's no need for you to get so personal towards me. What have I said that's rude, insulting or personal about you?
People who can't debate something without reverting to personal insults are not worth listening to.
It's invaluable for the short term. I've got horses. Every night, at this time of year especially, I need to know what the weather is going to do over night and into the morning. It's the difference between leaving them out, putting the rugs on or stabling them. That's just for temperature. Is there a frost? What's the wind doing? How fast what direction? It all plays a part in keeping the animals healthy. You could make a judgement at 5pm and take your chances. But it makes more sense to check the forecast and get it right more times than not.
Quite useful to know if you cycle to and from work what it will be like on the way back so you can have a waterproof if necessary (and no, I don't want to carry unnecessary items, just in case).