BBC offers apologies for alarming weather forecast prediction
It's true that climate change is causing more frequent extreme weather events. However, the BBC's weather forecast predicting temperatures and wind speeds that were far beyond reasonable was quite an overstatement, to put it mildly. The broadcaster acknowledged their mistake with typical British humor.
Temperatures predicted to reach 404 degrees Celsius and wind speeds exceeding 20,000 kilometers per hour: That's what the BBC's weather report suggested for the UK on Thursday. But BBC meteorologist Matt Taylor reassured viewers, "No need to freak out, guys! Hurricane 'Milton' hasn't touched down in the UK yet." He was referring to the destructive tropical storm currently tearing through Florida, USA.
The exaggerated figures were due to a "technical glitch," Taylor explained. Engineers were working round the clock to resolve the issue. "So, no need to stockpile sandbags and candles," Taylor chuckled.
An erroneous weather graphic displayed winds of over 20,000 kilometers (14,804 miles) per hour. Furthermore, technical issues in the BBC's weather app and website showed temperatures of 404 degrees Celsius predicted for Nottingham, England, on Thursday night. Instead, the day brought cooler weather, rain, and drizzle in the south, and windy showers along the east coast.
BBC's weather team had an epic fail
The BBC's weather department apologized for "some technical issues with our app and website." The team was "doing their best to fix the problem as soon as possible," a statement read. "Sorry for the inconvenience," it concluded.
The recent forecast faux pas brought back memories of a previous weather forecast gone wrong: In 1987, BBC weatherman Michael Fish dismissed a viewer warning about an approaching hurricane, saying, "Don't fret, it's not going to happen." Hours later, the southeast of England was hit by one of the worst storms in three centuries.
Despite the BBC's weather team assuring viewers that there was no need to panic, many people were quick to download emergency preparation apps, just in case. The incident also led to a surge in downloads of the BBC's weather app, as users wanted to stay informed about future forecasts.
However, the unexpected extreme weather data made some users question the accuracy of the BBC's weather app and website, prompting some to search for alternative weather apps to use.
