Has someone mislaid their weather event?

Take a look at the photo below...

Officially, this ain't happening... Nope, not raining at all, the computer says it isn't you see...

That's what a “dry week ahead” looks like, what a white cloud and 10% chance of precipitation looks like. The quote is from last night's weather presenter on the TV, the latter what was showing on the Met Office web site this morning while it was pouring down outside, and had been for quite some time. Just minutes ago though, the web site changed to show dark clouds with rain drops and an 80% chance of rain. That's not forecasting, that's looking out the flipping window and changing things quick hoping nobody noticed!

There were gasps of astonishment just a couple of weeks ago when it was announced the BBC was ditching the Met Office and awarding the contract to someone else. Why they are so surprised I don't know because down here in Cornwall at least, the more they spend on flashy computers to give more accurate forecasts, the more they seem to cock it right up. Maybe those are the issues here, firstly using computers instead of 'proper' old style forecasting methods, because as we all know, to err is only human, but to really lash it up you need a computer. So go tap a Barometer chaps and see which way the clouds are blowing like you used to, it'll probably be more accurate. 

Secondly, perhaps they are trying to be too accurate, thereby laying themselves open to appearing to get it wrong more often, when a bit more vagueness would result in less sarcasm and general moaning.

Maybe though it's just a rogue bit of rain, even though it pelted down overnight and has been raining steadily all morning so far (well, now at just after 10am). I wonder who this rain 'event' (what's with all this 'event' business as well? Should we be hanging bunting out and having street parties for 'our' weather 'events'? I wish someone would tell us...) belongs to because it obviously isn't 'ours', maybe that is the problem. 

You see, one of our local weather girls has given us ownership of 'our' weather in her forecasts. Quite what we are supposed to do with 'our occlusions' or 'our misty patches' I don't know, but still, this clearly isn't 'our' rain, so it must be someone else's and I wish they'd come and retrieve it because I had planned on getting out on a bike again this morning.

I'm not a complete fair weather rider, I do venture out when it's raining, particularly when it's thundery, and there is a sort of perverse pleasure to be had from spinning along, carving through the puddles, leaning and braking confidently in defiance of the wet conditions. But today I'm just not feeling the wet weather love. 

I'm not training for anything so there is no absolute need to go out and ride in the rain, I ride purely for pleasure and the relief it gives from the stresses and strains of life, and today I'm just not feeling like I fancy the cold, wet, trickle down the front of my neck, or the damp inner elbows and knees I usually get in wet weather. 

A good bozz through some puddles might wash yesterday's mud off the old snotter mind, there is that I suppose, so I may tempt myself into sallying forth yet, so we'll see. But, having seen the forecasts, and made preparations last night by eating carefully and minimally (one of my current health issues means care needs to be taken and rides need advance planning to avoid unscheduled hopping over hedges and getting stung on the bum by nettles...), I am just a bit tapped off to see the weather isn't what was promised at all, again.

I also need to shell out on some decent wet weather gear too... maybe that'll be the Christmas prezzie to myself this year, decent strides and a jacket that actually repel water instead of absorbing it. Given the state of our weather forecasting these days, that sounds like a pretty good idea, and maybe I'll send the Met Office a Barometer too, although they'll probably wonder where the USB port is and how much RAM it has or something.