Michael Fish retires today

I'll miss him

During a weather forecast in October 1987, British meteorologist Michael Fish told viewers that "a woman rang to say she'd heard there was a hurricane on the way. Well, don't worry," he continued, "there isn't." Brushing aside the amateur's forecast with a chuckle, Fish promised "sea breezes" and a "showery airflow."
Britain was promptly hit by 120 mph winds which ripped up 300 miles of power cables, plunged a quarter of the country into darkness, blocked 200 roads with fallen branches, downed 25 per cent of the trees in Kent and stopped all rail traffic in the south for twenty-four hours. An ambulance at Hayling island was hit by a yacht floating across the road and the Meteorological Office called it the worst hurricane since 1703.

[Fish's spokesman later explained: "It's really all a question of detail." In fact, technically, Fish was correct. It was not a hurricane, but an intense North Atlantic depression. "We don't get hurricanes in the West Country," one observer explained. "We get hurricane force winds."]

Just saw his last forecast on BBC News 24, just said "and for the final time from me..." He's the last link from the magnetic symbols, and Jack Scott et al.
Sad, but, like Ian Macaskill, I've a feeling we'll be seeing him again!
I think his last one will be at 6:30 on BBC 1, in 20 mins.