Weather Banter - View Single Post - And the forecast for this winter is… bitterly cold with heavy snow and power blackouts

Keith Dancey · September 20th 05, 11:00 AM posted to uk.sci.weather

In article , (varnish) writes:

you can't call it opportunistic if the Met Office gave the following
quote

"A Met Office spokesman said it was too early to predict exact
temperatures for the winter, but they were expected to be "significantly
colder than average".

Seems to me this is fair journalism. If it is good meteorology will have
to wait.

Average what? It is a useless statement without bounds on the average.

Average over the last five years? last ten years? last 30 years? last
100 years?

(Or, perhaps the "Met Office spokesman" meant significantly colder than the
average.. summer?-)

Now, why didn't the journalist, Roya Nikkhah (!), ask that simple and
obvious question so that everyone knew where the Met Office stood?

Of course, an intelligent person would then like to know upon what this
prediction is based?

I don't know whether I am more frustrated by the journalism or the "Met Office
spokesman".

No Cheers,

keith

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