Duncan Heenan wrote:

I think I have detected an increasing trend in Met Office Weather forecasts
over the past year or so, to exaggerate weather dangers. Not only in general
forecasts when it never seems to get as wet, hot, cold, windy etc as they
say, but also in shipping and inshore forecasts. A number of times over the
last year I have not sailed because of warnings of Gales or F6s and above
which have not materialised, and consequently I have missed a good day out.
I am now beginning to discount their pessimism a bit, and no doubt one day
the forecast will come true and I'll get caught out and they can shout 'We
told you so'.
I can't help thinking that there's a lawyer somewhere in the background
advising them to forecast the worst possible, rather than the most likely,
weather, in order to avoid litigation or criticism. (a la M. Fish -'There
won't be a Hurricane").
What do you think?
I wonder if anyone there reads this newsgroup?

My impression of sailing in NW Scotland is that the main shipping forecasts
are reasonable, but of course they cover a large area. Weather can be quite
local in this region.

The inshore forecast (Malin Hd to Cape Wrath and 12 miles offshore) does seem
to be a bit pessimistic.

I listen to both, also the land forecasts, sketch a synoptic chart and make up
my mind as to what to do.

If I am near Ireland the forecasts from MetEirean seem to be a bit more
realistic, and they are updated every 6 hours.