Thursday 6 October 2011

An Age-Old Rant.

I get the weather forecast from the internet these days. It’s a detailed, local forecast giving conditions in two-hour blocks. It’s also updated every couple of hours, so it’s based on the latest information.

This was the forecast for 2200:

Winds easing, mostly dry, clear spells.

This was the actual weather at 2200:

We were in the middle of an electrical storm (about which there was no mention in the forecast.) The lightning was so bright it was illuminating the curtains even in a well lit room.

Thunder was following the lightning strikes at one second intervals, indicating that the storm was more or less directly overhead, and it was bloody loud.

The wind had risen to gale force at least, and was driving torrential rain against the windows so hard it was drowning out the TV.

I went out in the middle of it to check on the condition of my rickety old garage. It seemed OK, and since the doors don’t shut, the back end of the car was getting a good wash. So was I, so I hurried back in.

It’s 22.45 now. The electrical storm seems to have passed over and the rain has eased, but the wind is still howling like something being tortured.

I know we can’t expect the weather forecast to be spot on all the time, but when it’s based on the latest information, shouldn’t it be at least somewhere close?

2 comments:

Maria Sondule said...

Haha, that's the weather channel for you. Usually I just look outside instead.

JJ said...

I learned all about weather forecasts when I worked as a landscape photographer. I had to rely on them then. Looking out of the window wouldn't do, since the work could be several hundred miles away. It was an eye opener.