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Met Eireann and their inaccurate forecasts

  • 07-05-2012 07:02PM
    #1
    jetsonx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,330 ✭✭✭


    I cancelled some sporting activities for today purely on the basis of forecasts from Met Eireann.

    If anybody saw some of their broadcasts during the weekend (Fri and Sat) you would think there was going to be a typhoon over most of the island.

    But no, just a couple of heavy showers than only lasted about 15 minutes.

    I am sick of Met Eireann predicting weather extremes that never seem to happen. This has not been the first time, they always seem to be at it. I am sure, I am not the only one whose plans were interrupted?


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Comments

  • #2
    Jesus Wept
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,243 ✭✭✭✭Jesus Wept


    No, I just look outside the window, works better.
    You're welcome.


  • #3
    jetsonx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,330 ✭✭✭jetsonx


    Andy Carroll wrote: »
    No, I just look outside the window, works better.
    You're welcome.

    yes..looking out the Window gives you a much more accurate forecast - old style yet reliable!


  • #4
    a fat guy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 800 ✭✭✭a fat guy


    Are you sure that they weren't financial forecasts?


  • #5
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    jetsonx wrote: »
    I cancelled some sporting activities for today purely on the basis of forecasts from Met Eireann.

    If anybody saw some of their broadcasts during the weekend (Fri and Sat) you would think there was going to be a typhoon over most of the island.

    But no, just a couple of heavy showers than only lasted about 15 minutes.

    I am sick of Met Eireann predicting weather extremes that never seem to happen. This has not been the first time, they always seem to be at it. I am sure, I am not the only one whose plans were interrupted?

    They're fucking up the exact science of weather prediction? Holy jaysus....is there no end to the disasters this state has foisted on us....


  • #6
    Brendog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,976 ✭✭✭Brendog


    If you want perfect weather predictions, then join the X-men like a normal person.

    Jeez


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  • #7
    Sky King
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,431 ✭✭✭Sky King


    MT Cranium FTW!


  • #8
    puzzle factory
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 566 ✭✭✭puzzle factory


    what are you on about,met Eireann have it down to the t,
    some cloulds in the sky, a dash of rain sometime doing the day and the sun might pop out for a few minutes, works for every day.


  • #9
    admiralofthefleet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,515 ✭✭✭✭admiralofthefleet


    we live on an island, its notoriously difficult to give even a reasonably accurate forcast for an island


  • #10
    the keen edge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,533 ✭✭✭the keen edge


    You cant trust them presenters, sure everyone knows that they are on price work.

    They get pay by the linear metre of rain they predict.


  • #11
    jpfahy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,045 ✭✭✭jpfahy


    jetsonx wrote: »
    I cancelled some sporting activities for today purely on the basis of forecasts from Met Eireann.

    If anybody saw some of their broadcasts during the weekend (Fri and Sat) you would think there was going to be a typhoon over most of the island.

    But no, just a couple of heavy showers than only lasted about 15 minutes.

    I am sick of Met Eireann predicting weather extremes that never seem to happen. This has not been the first time, they always seem to be at it. I am sure, I am not the only one whose plans were interrupted?

    Couldn't agree more. Whatever computer model they are using for their forecasts just doesn't work. When I was a child in the sixties they had more accurate forecasts.


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  • #12
    jetsonx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,330 ✭✭✭jetsonx


    jpfahy wrote: »
    Whatever computer model they are using for their forecasts just doesn't work.

    I would hate to be a fisherman or pilot relying on their forecasts.


  • #13
    ninebeanrows
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,780 ✭✭✭✭ninebeanrows


    there will probably be a tornado or supercell now


  • #14
    TehDagsBass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 223 ✭✭TehDagsBass


    Andy Carroll wrote: »
    No, I just look outside the window, works better.
    You're welcome.
    In fairness, looking out the window is how Met Eireann apparently conduct their forecasting.


  • #15
    JonathanAnon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,717 ✭✭✭✭JonathanAnon


    I'm in South Kildare... and something is kicking off... Two large flashes of lightning so far and loads of thunders.... I think God is having a word with Cardinal Brady..

    *gets back behind sofa* :-(


  • #16
    Jesus Wept
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,243 ✭✭✭✭Jesus Wept


    TehDagsBass wrote: »
    In fairness, looking out the window is how Met Eireann apparently conduct their forecasting.

    Yea and they aren't far from me so I might as well. :pac:


  • #17
    cocoshovel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭cocoshovel


    jetsonx wrote: »
    I would hate to be a fisherman or pilot relying on their forecasts.

    Pilots have their own private, far more accurate met eireann site to check it on. Met Eireann aren't that innaccurate, its more down to how people interpret what is said.


  • #18
    TehDagsBass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 223 ✭✭TehDagsBass


    jpfahy wrote: »
    Couldn't agree more. Whatever computer model they are using for their forecasts just doesn't work. When I was a child in the sixties they had more accurate forecasts.
    Computer model?!

    No,no,no,no,no my friend. You're giving them way too much credibility there. What they do is, in the morning the entire staff goes out and looks at the sky. They then each score the likelihood of various types of weather events - rain, snow, etc. based on what they saw in the sky.

    The average of these scores are brought to the manager's dog, who has a knack for predicting the weather apparently, who motions toward one "model" that he believes to be correct at that time.

    They then use artists they found on Grafton Street, making sand sculptures that are the exact same every day for some strange reason, to draw pretty graphs based on what they interpret to be the wishes of the dog.

    Once drawn, the dog is shown the charts and he once again indicates what he believes to be correct.

    And thus is meteorology in Ireland.


  • #19
    Duckworth_Luas
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,746 ✭✭✭Duckworth_Luas


    I studied Mathematics. One of the optional courses was the type of maths used in weather forecasting. It made my brain hurt!


  • #20
    Shryke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,199 ✭✭✭Shryke


    It was warm and sunny about 2 hours ago. Then went to a bit overcast and then started BUCKETING hailstones for a solid 10 minutes followed by a bit of thunder and now it's kind of grand again. Forecasts are useless.


  • #21
    IM0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,390 ✭✭✭IM0


    its actually pretty good, once you know the limitations and understand that those clouds and sun on the map are just that. an icon.... not to scale ;)
    forget gettig an accurate forecast for more than a few days away, we live on a small island. weather is very fickle for that reason.


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  • #22
    cocoshovel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭cocoshovel


    People really need to understand how weather works more.


  • #23
    kerry4sam
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,127 ✭✭✭✭kerry4sam


    Sky King wrote: »
    MT Cranium FTW!

    Yeah I would reccommend this guy also over the RTE predictions, apart from looking out your window of course :)


  • #24
    Milk & Honey
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,950 ✭✭✭Milk & Honey


    cocoshovel wrote: »
    People really need to understand how weather works more.

    Everyone understands how weather works. It is windy, raining heavily, raining lightly, cold, warm, hot, snowing, hailstones, calm , stormy or some combination of one or more of these.
    What people do not understand is how to know which of them or which combination is coming next and for how long and which combination is going to succeed the first one and so on.


  • #25
    jetsonx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,330 ✭✭✭jetsonx


    cocoshovel wrote: »
    People really need to understand how weather works more.

    I don't want to know about meteorology, not my job. All I want
    is a reasonable prediction of what weather conditions are going to be like in 48 or 24 hours time. I will allow for forecasters getting it wrong some of the time, but its not ideal when they are wrong nearly all of the time.

    And, I presume they make their forecasts to be interpreted by people of reasonable intelligence.


  • #26
    Where To
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭Where To


    BBC Weather is more accurate.


  • #27
    IM0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,390 ✭✭✭IM0


    ok. heres something to bear in mind when watching forecasts. April is usually a showery month. sunny spells during the day, and a chance of showers. we on the east coast get our summer in April, but its still cool. thats just the way our climate is. May is the transition between spring and summer, so it can be like april and also a chance of nice weather. june july are usually disappointing. the quicker people get over the fact we dont get summer in these months the better. its usually mild but can be wet. August more settled. and september is usually an indian summer, more nice weather :)

    Oct. cool again. Nov. not to bad considering its winter. winter temps only really kick in around Dec. Jan cold. Feb cold but spring is coming, can be bright and cold.

    the take home lesson is if its sunny its usually cool. if its wet its usually milder. and we dont get many days that are mild AND sunny like the continent. we have a temperate climate ;)


  • #28
    Daisy M
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭Daisy M


    Get over to the weather forum. These guys are fab, take a look at MTs daily forecast you will never be left wondering about the weather again.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=374


  • #29
    xzanti
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 10,464 Mod ✭✭✭✭xzanti


    Serious thunder and lightening at the minute over Kildare.. scary stuff!! and hailstones the size of marbles to boot.


  • #30
    ninebeanrows
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,780 ✭✭✭✭ninebeanrows


    OP i think you've just stirred on a beast of a storm!

    Not far off a supercell making a b-line for Greater Dublin!!


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  • #31
    38 redwood
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37 ✭38 redwood


    I was just saying to my daughter that hotels must be spitting fire at the Met Office. They predicted all sorts of bad weather for the weekend and must have made alot of people think twice about going away. My grand daughter was making her 1st Communion on Sat last. I listened to every forecast over the week. The Herald wrote that snow was expected. Thankfully we had a lovely sunny day. Yesterday was a lovely day too. This morning I went for a lovely walk in the sunshine.
    This afternoon wasnt too good though but 2 and half days out of 3 was great to get. Evelyn Cusack is full of her own importance. She would blind you with science.She is great for telling us about the weather we just had. She uses so much jargon at the end you dont know what the forecast is. Over 100 people are employed in the Met Office. What do they do?


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