Andy48 Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 For a number of years I have found the on-line BBC weather to be brilliant. It accurately forecasts wind and rain and has proved great for my two main hobbies, flying and walking. However, in the last month or so it has been terrible. One day last week it forecast warm sunny weather all day, yet at lunchtime the heavens opened and it poured down all afternoon and evening. It would appear that back in February came the change from the Met office to this new cheaper weather data. Humph! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I just use the 5 day met office as it gives speed and gust as I think its the gust is more tricky then wind speed alone. The other thing I noticed with BBC is the long range forecast is very average....then changes (tightens up) as you get 1 or 2 days out as they have a much better idea what is going to do... Back to indoor flying at this rate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handyman Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Just in passing, I use site for weather forecasts that seems to get the weather fairly accurate. Its called, <www.xcweather.co.uk>. You just log-in and enter your location or your flying fields location,and you get a 7 day forecast that includes average wind speeds,gusting,temperature,rain if any,cloud and barometric pressure. It does the job for me!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I listen to the so-called weather forecasts on BBC R4 but they are so informal and chatty they often fail to provide the salient facts - ie wind strength and direction (almost never); clear forecast areas in the same order each time; temperature range; precipitation (type and amount). I think the quality has deteriorated since the BBC stopped using the Meterological Office (which I think provides a lot of the data used by privatised outfits). The shipping forecasts are much better and from them it's even possible to create your own synoptic chart as I was taught when I did my Yachtmaster's Theory courses. However I find this web site very useful and regularly consult it before planning flying outings. I think it's designed primarily for cross-country gliding. Geoff PS The site I use is the same as the one Handyman suggests. I find it pretty good, too. Edited By Geoff Sleath on 25/04/2018 21:41:07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Alexander Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 This is the website I find most accurate for the UK, even though it is based in Norway. My audaxing friends swear by it. https://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/England/Worthing/hour_by_hour.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devcon1 Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I've given up making any plans more than 24 hours out from any of the forecast providers. I noticed the Chief Executive of the Met Office was told to stand down in March, I bet he didn't forecast that. Although they lost the BBC forecasting contract, if you see any weather warnings on the BBC it will reference the Met Office as they still supply the "Severe Weather Warning" element. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Rudd Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Posted by Handyman on 25/04/2018 21:36:44: Just in passing, I use site for weather forecasts that seems to get the weather fairly accurate. Its called, <www.xcweather.co.uk>. You just log-in and enter your location or your flying fields location,and you get a 7 day forecast that includes average wind speeds,gusting,temperature,rain if any,cloud and barometric pressure. It does the job for me!!!! Xcweather for me too. Used it for years to check out wind speed/direction at my local flying venue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryorbik Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I use www.myweather2.com and select the nearest golf course to the flying field and it gives you hourly forecasts of the temperature and the feels like temperature(wind chill), wind direction, average speed and gusts, cloud cover, rain fall amount and I find it much more accurate and relevant than the BBC's efforts. Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I haven't had much luck at all flying this year due to the ever changing inclements. I find the BBC weather forecast changes their minds day to day, even hour to hour. Checked one morning last week, said it was going to be dry with sunny intervals for my location. So I packed my models and gear into the car, got to the field, unloaded, and it started pouring down ! ...... I thought hang on a sec', got my phone out, checked online again, and sure enough in the time it took driving to the field they had changed the forecast again to heavy rain. Well at least it was accurate at that moment in time, but you could hardly call it a 'forecast'. I'm convinced the BBC weather men/women just open the office window, hold out their hand, and that's their forecast ! Oh well, .... back to my workshop to build more 'hangar queens' ........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Stainforth Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I have found just the same. I used to find the pressure maps on the BBC weather site really useful, but the ones posted there now are really weird and the forecast pressure maps don't look realistic - they don't seem to change convincingly from one day to the next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 My weather station automatically uploads to here **LINK** and they’re forecasts are pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Laughton Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Like Chris I tend to use the Met Office as the gust forecast is important but I always look and go outside to test it if I am going fl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I use several and take the average/ best guess Here Here Here Here This is very useful...if you get the zoom in to work Edited By cymaz on 25/04/2018 22:41:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 It's a con,they keep telling us the weather is going to be better than it is so when we look back we will remember it better than it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I feel your pain Tom ... my grandkids like to visit on a weekend ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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