Been meaning to mention this for a while. Just what is it about the BBC
weather forecasters that makes them either ignore the Midlands totally,
or only mention it as an aside? They always seem to go on their magical
mystery floaty tour around the edges of the UK. London (check. Wouldn't
want to miss that out now would we?), Wales (check), Northern Ireland
(check), Scotland (check), East Anglia (check), "The North" (check). But
rarely is the Midlands, one of the largest regions in the UK, ever
mentioned.

Its probably a result of that stupid way that they float all over the
map while delivering the forecast (anyone who has watched a repeat or
DVD of The Day Today will find instant hilarity by comparing the way the
weather is delivered on the BBC these days!)

Simon

On Jun 5, 1:35 pm, Simon wrote:
Been meaning to mention this for a while. Just what is it about the BBC
weather forecasters that makes them either ignore the Midlands totally,
or only mention it as an aside? They always seem to go on their magical
mystery floaty tour around the edges of the UK. London (check. Wouldn't
want to miss that out now would we?), Wales (check), Northern Ireland
(check), Scotland (check), East Anglia (check), "The North" (check). But
rarely is the Midlands, one of the largest regions in the UK, ever
mentioned.

Its probably a result of that stupid way that they float all over the
map while delivering the forecast (anyone who has watched a repeat or
DVD of The Day Today will find instant hilarity by comparing the way the
weather is delivered on the BBC these days!)

Simon

No, the Midlands do not exist, just as the Thames Valley no
longer does (it's the M4 Corridor, Woo!). You're right, the Midlands
is a large area and many people think of themselves as Midlanders yet
it is rarely mentioned. The "problem" is that it's in the middle, not
on the edge, but this is no excuse. But nothing excuses BBC weather
forecasts anyway.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

Simon wrote in
:

Been meaning to mention this for a while. Just what is it about the BBC
weather forecasters that makes them either ignore the Midlands totally,
or only mention it as an aside?
snip

Isn't it annoying? It's even worse on the (seemingly increasing number of)
occasions when they can't even be bothered to show a proper temperature
map, and just do that "league table" thing. Quite often this consists of
the figures for the four capital cities - London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and
Belfast - *all* of which are seaports and *none* of which are much use if
you live in, say, Stoke!

--
Bewdley, Worcs. ~90m asl.

"Simon" wrote in message
...
Been meaning to mention this for a while. Just what is it about the BBC
weather forecasters that makes them either ignore the Midlands totally, or
only mention it as an aside? They always seem to go on their magical
mystery floaty tour around the edges of the UK. London (check. Wouldn't
want to miss that out now would we?), Wales (check), Northern Ireland
(check), Scotland (check), East Anglia (check), "The North" (check). But
rarely is the Midlands, one of the largest regions in the UK, ever
mentioned.

Its probably a result of that stupid way that they float all over the map
while delivering the forecast (anyone who has watched a repeat or DVD of
The Day Today will find instant hilarity by comparing the way the weather
is delivered on the BBC these days!)

Simon

Yes, the Day Today's head floating round the country had it spot on.

The current floating oblique view is a classic example of bad computer
graphics being used for no other reason than the graphics were a bit old.
Yes, no doubt they needed updating but the fly-over view offers only
irritation. And I speak as someone who sells 3D graphics technology, but
this is not well designed.

Particuarly ill-chosen is the brown/light-brown sunlight/cloud effect, which
on uniform days is very difficult to know if the UK is all-sunny or
all-cloudy...

David Buttery wrote:
Simon wrote in
:

Been meaning to mention this for a while. Just what is it about the BBC
weather forecasters that makes them either ignore the Midlands totally,
or only mention it as an aside?
snip

Isn't it annoying? It's even worse on the (seemingly increasing number of)
occasions when they can't even be bothered to show a proper temperature
map, and just do that "league table" thing. Quite often this consists of
the figures for the four capital cities - London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and
Belfast - *all* of which are seaports and *none* of which are much use if
you live in, say, Stoke!


Even worse is when they zoom and show 2 or 3 temperature numbers on the screen.
How about showing the difference between the coastal/mountain and inland temperatures
by adding a few more numbers? Or aren't these numbers that accurate - I presume
they are interpolated from the nearest gridpoints cf ceefax et al.?

Roger

At least it has not been referred to as "nowheresville" as my area in North
West Scotland was by a certain BBC weather presenter a few months ago!

Alan

www.carbostweather.co.uk

"Simon" wrote in message
...
Been meaning to mention this for a while. Just what is it about the BBC
weather forecasters that makes them either ignore the Midlands totally, or
only mention it as an aside? They always seem to go on their magical
mystery floaty tour around the edges of the UK. London (check. Wouldn't
want to miss that out now would we?), Wales (check), Northern Ireland
(check), Scotland (check), East Anglia (check), "The North" (check). But
rarely is the Midlands, one of the largest regions in the UK, ever
mentioned.

Its probably a result of that stupid way that they float all over the map
while delivering the forecast (anyone who has watched a repeat or DVD of
The Day Today will find instant hilarity by comparing the way the weather
is delivered on the BBC these days!)

Simon

In message , Simon
writes
Been meaning to mention this for a while. Just what is it about the BBC
weather forecasters that makes them either ignore the Midlands totally,
or only mention it as an aside? They always seem to go on their magical
mystery floaty tour around the edges of the UK. London (check. Wouldn't
want to miss that out now would we?), Wales (check), Northern Ireland
(check), Scotland (check), East Anglia (check), "The North" (check).
But rarely is the Midlands, one of the largest regions in the UK, ever
mentioned.

Its probably a result of that stupid way that they float all over the
map while delivering the forecast (anyone who has watched a repeat or
DVD of The Day Today will find instant hilarity by comparing the way
the weather is delivered on the BBC these days!)
Simon, I live in the east midlands, as defined on the Office website.
But a mile and half away lies northeast England. A barren and desolate
place, fit only for monks and sheep, although mainly glaciated I have
been there. Wolves, bears and wode painted natives soon drive you back
though.
Cheers
Paul
--
'Wisest are they that know they do not know.' Socrates.
Paul Bartlett FRMetS
www.rutnet.co.uk Go to local weather.
400FT AMSL 25Miles southwest of the Wash

On 5 Jun, 18:06, Paul Bartlett wrote:
Simon, I live in the east midlands, as defined on the Office website.
But a mile and half away lies northeast England. A barren and desolate
place, fit only for monks and sheep, although mainly glaciated I have
been there. Wolves, bears and wode painted natives soon drive you back
though.

Paul,

So you've been to St James' Park and the Quayside, then!
Anyway, Carol Kirkwood mentioned somewhere called the East Midlands
this evening.

Ken
Copley 253metres asl, nr Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham
(where men are men and sheep are wary)
http://copley.mysite.orange.co.uk

"Tudor Hughes" wrote in message

No, the Midlands do not exist, just as the Thames Valley no
longer does (it's the M4 Corridor, Woo!). You're right, the Midlands
is a large area and many people think of themselves as Midlanders yet
it is rarely mentioned. The "problem" is that it's in the middle, not
on the edge, but this is no excuse. But nothing excuses BBC weather
forecasts anyway.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

New graphics package needed to include synoptic runs, windflow charts,
temperature profiles, Ireland/continental Europe and lots more. Did any of
the presenters leave when the present mess started? Isobel Lang? Where's
Helen Willets gone?

On Jun 5, 10:47 pm, "David Haggas" wrote:
"Tudor Hughes" wrote in message

No, the Midlands do not exist, just as the Thames Valley no

longer does (it's the M4 Corridor, Woo!). You're right, the Midlands
is a large area and many people think of themselves as Midlanders yet
it is rarely mentioned. The "problem" is that it's in the middle, not
on the edge, but this is no excuse. But nothing excuses BBC weather
forecasts anyway.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

New graphics package needed to include synoptic runs, windflow charts,
temperature profiles, Ireland/continental Europe and lots more. Did any of
the presenters leave when the present mess started? Isobel Lang? Where's
Helen Willets gone?

The chances of that at present are virtually nil. The
absurdity of a perspective view is shown up when there's a southerly
wind in the north of Scotland - it comes straight out of the ground.
There is no need whatever of a 3-D view, it can only distort and adds
nothing. Neither does the "helicopter ride". They should return to a
map showing the things you suggest but until there's a culture change
at the BBC and someone finally gets it into their head that dumbing
down is not such a good idea it won't happen.
I wonder what the Met Office think of their product being
treated in this way. Does anybody know? My guess is that they've got
their lolly (lots of it) and simply don't care. Also, they have
nowhere else to go. But they really ought to create a stink about it.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.