Forecast good for sensible viewer complaints... now let’s fix Twitter

WHEN it comes to weather forecasting, surely the only thing we are entitled to expect is that the outlook be reasonably accurate and precise, rather than, as is so often infuriatingly the case, covering all bases. Yet it appears of the 41 complaints about the meteorological service last year, everything bar the weather came under fire. Weather forecasters mumbling or racing through their report, wearing black instead of presumably Kelly green for Paddy’s Day and overly casual greetings irked viewers the most. There was a flurry of complaints during the month of August, mostly about the spelling of the word lightning. ‘This isn’t a major error, but it just sends out the wrong message from you guys. Hope you aren’t traumatised by my trivial comment. Keep up the good work!’ came one complaint.

Informal greetings such as ‘hi there’ also came in for criticism from a viewer who described them as ‘very impersonal’.

They wrote that there was a time when forecasters greeted TV viewers with a good morning/afternoon/evening.

But perhaps we should just be pleased that female forecasters were spared personal digs about their appearance and taste in fashion, some of which, like retiring forecaster Jean Byrne’s, pictured, is quite flamboyant and original.

Unlike the misogynistic and venomous keyboard warriors who pollute the Twittersphere, weather forecast complainers seem a civilised and decent bunch with exacting standards and time on their hands.

Perhaps they could turn their attention from instructing weather forecasters in the dos and don’ts of presentation to bringing the vicious and illmannered Twitterati to heel.