[PaulKn]

George Monbiot recently wrote a blog asking about the credentials of various 'forecasters' whose quotes appear in publications like the Daily Express and Daily Mail. His latest entry specifically targets PWS and can be found here: http://www.guardian....P=FBCNETTXT9038

A look at PWS's page says they've ceased trading. Given I've never seen any meteorological creditials this is a very good thing, in my opinion. Calling out non-meteorologists who insist on issuing such ludicrous forecasts is a very good thing.

[John Mason]

Some amusing comments beneath the piece. I liked this one:

"So there's an opening in the market for a weather forecaster for the Daily Mail?Here's my application:

Today it's going to rain, and that might give you cancer (especially if taken with multivitamins and white wine).

Tomorrow it's also going to rain, and it probably wouldn't have, if it weren't for single mothers, gays and immigrants.

In fact, it'll rain all week.

And next week, too.

Not like it was years ago.

Oh, and the sky is falling down."

If I knew who it was I'd send them an invite to Hopecast Central!


Cheers - John

[Dave W]

A serious point made though by George Monbiot.. such 'antics' as those discussed were certainly given forecasters a bad name.

[Dave K]

I expect the Met Office will get the blame

I didn't see the article at the time but apparently that well known red top carried an article two days ago with comments from JP about the Arctic Blast to Come ^_TM (including the phrase "nightmare January") [facepalm] . Google SNOW ON THE WAY IN ARCTIC COLDSNAP if you must

If he's really ill then its no cause to gloat of course but PWS will not be missed by anyone not interested in daft headline fodder to publish, for sure.

This post has been edited by Big Dave's Gusset: 26 January 2012 - 14:19

[JohnG]

Fantastic news that PWS have ceased to be. However, I bet that won't stop the Daily Mail and other such newspapers from issuing more bogus weather stories/non-stories

I agree that whilst the article did provide some good laughs it also had a serious message.

[Stuart Robinson]

Last Daily Mail PWS qoute was 16th Jan 2012.

http://www.dailymail...utton=Clear+all

[John Mason]

Chris Lloyd, on 26 January 2012 - 17:58, said:

Oh well, if he has gone off the radar it will serve to stop all of the pointless threads about the man on here.
Just need the Daily Mail and the Express to go bust and there'll be nothing to talk about.

<--- Awaits the usual responses

Yes there will! We can actually concentrate on discussing reality!

Cheers - John

[Uskys]

Chris Lloyd, on 26 January 2012 - 17:58, said:

Oh well, if he has gone off the radar it will serve to stop all of the pointless threads about the man on here.
Just need the Daily Mail and the Express to go bust and there'll be nothing to talk about.

<--- Awaits the usual responses

I cannot understand you cynisism of UKww Chris.

The head of PWS is a member here. He never, as I recall answered his critics on this site. ( no contributions for years) . If Monbiots blog has truth to it (I've no reason to doubt that atm) its shameful and repugnant and hopefully the newspapers concerned will start reporting from accredited meteorologists who have substance... in fact they need look no further than the person who started this thread.

[John Mason]

Uskys, on 26 January 2012 - 18:17, said:

I cannot understand you cynisism of UKww Chris.

The head of PWS is a member here. He never, as I recall answered his critics on this site. ( no contributions for years) . If Monibots blog has truth to it (I've no reason to doubt that atm) its shameful and repugnant and hopefully the newspapers concerned will start reporting from accredited meteorologists who have substance... in fact they need look no further than the person who started this thread.

Yes. I have long been tired of the people I meet in shops, cafes and pubs who simply blanket forecasting with the "they never get it right" sweep. Such a statement is clearly complete bollocks, but one wants to inquire why it was said. In almost all cases it came not from UKww Convective Outlooks or Paul's splendid synoptic discussions, people like Gavin or Matt over at TWO, or even (!) METO 1-14 day discussions, but from this shameful bullshit emanating from a few tabloids, which very many people read and, sadly, seem to take as gospel.

It was Carl Sagan, who memorably said something along the following lines:

We have designed our civilization based on science and technology and at the same time arranged things so that almost no one understands anything at all about science and technology. This is a clear prescription for disaster.

As time goes by, the clearer this becomes......

Cheers - John

[Lightning Hunter]

What a bizarre tale! I'd only ever heard of 'PWS' on these forums as I don't read 'news'papers.

[Howard Kirby]

Finally PWS get exposed for what they really were. Charlatan.
It really used to Madden me ( pun intended ) how orgs like that were given more column inches than properly qualified experts.

[Howard Kirby]

Chris Lloyd, on 26 January 2012 - 20:03, said:

Who was / is that then Andy?

And I am correct, it will stop all the pointless threads about it. They just end up being threads to poke fun and ridicule. If he has no presence, no threads about him - simple as.

Chris his name is mentioned in the article posted in the link in the first post. You not read it?

[P.K.]

But who will the Metro find now for their favourite sensationalist weather stories??

[Howard Kirby]

Chris I'm pretty sure he used his real name. He only posted in one thread for about a week IIRC then disappeared when he realised what he was up against!

[Dave K]

Howard Kirby, on 26 January 2012 - 20:57, said:

Chris I'm pretty sure he used his real name. He only posted in one thread for about a week IIRC then disappeared when he realised what he was up against!

http://www.ukweather...__1#entry250230

[mrfizz]

I see on the Daily MAil website that they are now quoting the Met when announcing the forthcoming winter apocalypse.

http://www.dailymail...es-Britain.html