On Saturday, 9 August 2014 00:09:03 UTC+1, ron button wrote:
"Dave Cornwell" wrote in message ... Dave Ludlow wrote: On Fri, 8 Aug 2014 18:07:28 +0100, John Hall wrote: In message , Dave Cornwell writes There now appears to be a large and heavy area of rain moving north just off the South Coast. Not mentioned on earlier forecasts but looks like someone's in for a soaking. Rain has reached Cranleigh within the last half hour or so, but so far it's only been a damping. Started in Fareham just befoe 6pm, heavy enough at times to make you run from car park to shop, 7 mm so far and due to get heavier again soon, we'll probably end up with half an inch or so. This significant rain band was not in last night's forecast at all. The problem being that the main BBC TV national and local forecasts after the 10pm news stopped at 4pm Friday and completely ignored this evening and tonight (leaving us to assume that it would be fine and dry like the rest of the day). They skipped to Saturday daytime and Sunday, so even if they'd expected this evening's drenching, you'd never have known it from the forecast. Little wonder the BBC/Met Office forecasters regularly come in for stick when they get such basics wrong. -------------------------------------------- Almost up to an inch of rain here so far today. Not covered themselves in glory since last night I must say. Supposed to have been heavy rain 7am -till midday, we had one heavy shower in that period. Then more showers this afternoon which they did change the forecast to today, then missed tonight's heavy continuous rain. Let's hope they do better with Bertha! The Met Office said all day yesterday that heavy rain would affect SE England today so whats wrong with that ! ?,timing 's always difficult. RonB

The heavy rain they forecast was for the morning and my total was nil.. Neither was there any rain here during the day. The current rain is a different batch so in no way does it mitigate their error. I can't remember from the 5.57 Radio4 forecast if rain was forecast for this evening, so chaotic, casual and skimpy was it. Nothing must be allowed to intrude on the frivolities of the Eddie Mair Show! I seem to remember something about TS Bertha. I think the Met Office have been obsessed by this and taken their eyes off the ball. Even allowing for the BBC-imposed difficulties under which they labour this was a pretty poor forecast. I am now getting the distinct impression that as far as the general public go the Met Office is not trying very hard. Better stop there or this rant will go supercell.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.