– In Harbinger Of Things To Come, UK Weathermen Sued Over Pessimistic Forecasts (ZeroHedge, Oct 3, 2012):
While some of us grow weary of the incessant optimism among our economist elite – and their error-prone forecasts and Birinyi-ruler extrapolations, the Brits have decided enough is enough. The leisure industry is suing the weather-forecasters for coming up with “such pessimistic forecasts predicting rain.” In some of the most perfect analogies for our woeful economists, The Telegraph notes that “The Met Office forecasters need to realise that everything they say has an impact on whether people go on holiday or go for a day out.” But the weather service admitted (unlike our overpaid extrapolators) “No weather forecaster is going to get it 100 per cent right all the time. We have to tell the weather as it is that’s what our job is.” Of course, we have nothing to fear but rain itself and so the industry offers this little gem of honesty: “We’re not asking them to bend the truth, but just to be more careful with phrasing.” Perhaps we will soon hear this from our esteemed ivory tower academics: While we may have global thermonuclear warfare, it will generate a modest GDP bounce in several countries as a result of more than expected broken windows. All of this simply confirms that ‘we can’t handle the truth.’
Via The Telegraph: Met Office facing legal action over pessimistic forecasts
A tourist attraction is considering suing The Met Office after it claims a string of pessimistic forecasts kept visitors away.
Rick Turner owner of the Big Sheep in Abbotsham, Devon, said poor forecasting was to blame for lower attendance at his farm attraction business. Mr Turner is so angry he says he’ll take the agency to court unless its forecasts improve.
He said: “The Met Office seems to come up with such pessimistic forecasts predicting chances of rain when we’re enjoying sunshine.”
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“The Met Office forecasters need to realise that everything they say has an impact on whether people go on holiday or go for a day out.”
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But the weather service admitted ‘No weather forecaster is going to get it 100 per cent right all the time.’
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“The UK is lucky enough to have one of the best weather forecasting services in the world – we should recognise that.
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“People just hear the word rain and that puts them off going somewhere for the day.
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“We’re not asking them to bend the truth, but just to be more careful with phrasing. For example, they could say that while inland areas may have showers, coastal areas are expected to be dry.”
Of course, when it comes down to it – its not really about the actual forecast, its who delivers the forecast with the most credibility? Who are you going to trust more, Joe Lavorgna or…
